Festive flair on a shoestring

photo by hawkshop

Stores are flooded with seasonal merchandise. Decorations are bright and shiny, music is playing, and there’s bound to be something that you’re tempted to buy. It takes discipline to walk away without tossing things into your cart. Being aware of your spending means you can enjoy a debt-free holiday. Choosing cheaper alternatives will leave you more money in your holiday budget.

How do you decorate on a shoestring?

Here are a few frugal ideas.

GARLANDS: You can make a lovely primitive garland by tying strips of homespun fabric onto a string of lights. Or cut strips of homespun fabric and string jingle bells onto it. You can take cellophane-wrapped lollipops and attach them to wide ribbon with Velcro, too. You’ve seen paper chains that kids make? Make them with fabric or felt. Simply cut the fabric into strips, starch and iron them (fold in the sides for a nice, clean edge), and link them using clear fabric glue. To make a fabric flower garland, visit www.bohaute.com/2008/12/make-your-own-flower-garland-diy for a step-by-step tutorial.

BOWS: To learn to make a bow, visit www.offray.com/howto.html. If you’re still having trouble, simply make a two-loop bow and keep it together using a pipe cleaner. Tie them onto your staircase balusters, chairs, tree, etc. Reuse magazines by making paper bows for gifts, too. For directions, visit www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-gift-bow-from-magazine-page.html.

FOOD: Use consumables to decorate. Add items such as mixed nuts (in their shells), candy canes, apples, oranges, pineapple, pears and pomegranates. Place these items in vases, apothecary jars, stacked baskets or a bowl, on cake pedestals or on a platter with pillar candles, pine cones and cinnamon sticks.

WREATHS: Make a wreath from fast-food toys. Simply buy a wire wreath form, wrap it with fabric, and use hot glue to adhere the toys. Or make a candy wreath by using small pieces of curling ribbon to tie individually wrapped hard candies such as peppermint, bubble gum, Tootsie Rolls or Werther’s candies to a wire hanger that has been shaped into a circle. Add a bow, and you have a pretty candy wreath to give.

WRAPPING: Use fabric, felt or giftwrap, and wrap frames in your house or your front door.

SNOWFLAKES: Make paper snowflakes. Visit www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dstredulinsky/links.html for patterns. Use paper or coffee filters.

STUFFED ANIMALS: Have stuffed animals stored away? Bring them out. Add a bow to their necks. Velcro similar-sized animals together, and display them on windowsills or as draft stoppers. Or place them on the mantel. The weighted bean-filled type work best because their shape molds. Smaller plush toys can be displayed on doorknobs (tied on with ribbon), on tabletops or as ornaments. Make a pillowcase snowman. Stuff a white pillowcase with polyfill. Sew the opening to close it. Tie a scarf around the pillowcase one-third of the way down to form the body. Add a winter hat on the head. Glue on wiggle, button or pompom eyes and a felt nose, and glue on buttons vertically down the front. You can do something similar on a smaller scale using tube socks or washcloths. Simply use felt instead of full-sized hats and scarves.

MASON JARS: Fill with candies, twinkle lights or candles. You can make moon jars using solar garden lights, too. Visit www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/lantern or www.instructables.com/id/home-made-sun-jar for instructions.

Posted by Sara Noel on December 11 2009. Filed under Home & family.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook