Christmas decorating on a shoestring?

**Sara Noel** · 10-05-2007, 11:51 AM

Let's share ways to decorate for Christmas on a budget. One thing I've done is hang larger sized jingle bells on my table drawer knobs and door knobs. The bells I used have a little piece of velvet ribbon attached to the bells.

**Darlene** · 10-05-2007, 01:28 PM

I gather all kinds of greens and pine cones from the yard & decorate inside & outside the house. Flower boxes & lamp post outside get the pine boughs, pine cone & bow treatment. Indoors the boughs are used on the fireplace mantle (replacing often because they dry out) & I sprinkle tinsel on them to catch the light.

**YankeeMom** · 10-05-2007, 01:46 PM

We make paper snowflakes using coffee filters. Hang them from the ceiling, tape them to the windows, even put them on the Christmas tree

**McD** · 10-05-2007, 01:49 PM

I always have extra Christmas bulb ornaments after decorating my tree. Rather than overload my tree or put them back away, I put them in a pretty bowl, add a pillar candle to put in it and voila! Pretty center piece.

**justpeachy92** · 10-05-2007, 01:50 PM

This isn't very frugal for me, but I like it to think it is for my children. Each year I buy them each a new tree ornament, the ornament represents something they were into, an obstacle they overcame, or something major that happened in their life somehow. These ornaments will be theirs when they move out of the house, and I hope each one brings with it a cherished memory has they hang them on their first christmas tree. I figure it is a win/win situation, right now I thoroughly enjoy the hunt of finding that perfect ornament...and when my children have their first christmas as an adult they will have some ornaments to decorate their tree without the added expense of buying ornaments when they are just starting out and money is tight for them.

**acidcookie** · 10-05-2007, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by YankeeMom

We make paper snowflakes using coffee filters. Hang them from the ceiling, tape them to the windows, even put them on the Christmas tree

Growing up we always made "Weihnachtssterne" by cutting geometric snowflake designs out of paper, and we taped these to the window. They really do look nice from the outside. I still do this most winters.

**Nada.Leona** · 10-05-2007, 02:56 PM

Start going to the beach now and collecting pretty shells, dead (NOT ALIVE!) starfish, driftwood, etc. Get a drill with a tiny bit, drill a hole into each of these, run some fishing twine through and hang on the tree. On a tree with just white lights, this is incredibly beautiful:

http://www.sanibelshellers.com/products/xlgtree2tn.jpg

**latierra84** · 10-05-2007, 04:13 PM

something as simple as putting a solid colored table cloth on the table, green, red or even white (though you can bet on spills if youre using white).. this always puts me in the holiday spirit. i never pay full price for a table cloth though. this is something you can def pick up at the thrift store.

our local thrift town has holiday decorations that they put out when its that time of year so i always keep my eyes open.

**leezza** · 10-05-2007, 07:05 PM

Go by the christmas tree yard and ask for tree trimmings, most times they will just give them to you or ask for a couple of dollars. These can be used as a center piece, mantle decoration, or empty fire place decoration......you can put bows, glass balls, ect....on them and they make the whole house smell great : )

leezza

**HeatherB** · 10-05-2007, 07:06 PM

I like to fill baskets (from the thrift shop) with pine cones and cinnamon sticks, then add a little holiday ribbon and they're a fragrant and festive addition to the room. I also like home-made garlands of popcorn, cranberries, dried orange or apple slices, and small gingerbread cookies. You can hang them over windows, doorways, or on the tree.

**ravenmaniac** · 10-05-2007, 11:21 PM

Collecting pine cones and greens from outside.

**sunshine** · 10-06-2007, 09:23 AM

Left over gift wrap from last year -- iron with iron set on low to remove wrinkles. Use to wrap your pictures, etc. that hand on the wall-- then rehang so it looks like packages.

I've wrapped small boxes in gift wrap and used as ornaments on the tree. Jewelry boxes, pudding and jello mix boxes, OTC medicines, and so forth.

I've printed copies of family pictures -- glued them to construction paper. Cut the construction paper slightly larger than the pictures and hang on the tree.

Mardi grais beads -- I've cut the strands and used as garland on the tree.

Popcorn strung on thread for garland.

Lengths of tulle' cut and twisted for garland.

Solid tablecloths and used a huge ribbon bow for a center piece. If you have enough ribbon, you can make your table look like a gift wrapped present.

**mea772** · 10-07-2007, 08:36 AM

Great ideas!

Yesterday I went to my favorite thrift store. I found this beautiful pine centerpiece that you put a larger round candle in the center for $2.00! I also found a couple Christmas trays (that I will use for decorating) for under a buck each!

I love thrift store shopping! LOL

**Marie78** · 10-07-2007, 09:30 AM

I hang my Holiday cards from a ribbon draping across a long wall shelf. I also like to light a holiday candle (spice scented) and play Holiday music while I am baking or cooking.

**Jaded** · 10-07-2007, 08:31 PM

I've done Christmas on a shoestring a few times in my life. Once, my older son was 4, and we had just moved into a nice apartment, but we had no money for a tree. We made ornaments out of baker's clay, and a friend who got a free real tree loaned us her 6' artificial one. We had another friend who had just gotten married, and had not much money either, so she made some ornaments out of pieces of styrofoam she got out of the dumpster cut and wrapped like presents. She used yarn for the ribbon, and thread as hangers. We all got together and made hot chocolate and strung popcorn as a garland. We had such a good time! BTW, the tree had no lights, and everyone said it was the prettiest tree they had ever seen.

One year, I again borrowed a small 4' tree from a friend, and my son and I painted some sand dollars we had found with pearlized paint, bought one $1 string of garland, and one string of 100 lights at WalMart for $2, also one box of red balls at Goodwill for .50. I had some red velvet ribbon from a craft project, so we made little bows for the sand dollar ornaments, and I got paper clips from work to use as hangers. I glued the paper clips on the backs with hot glue. We used those ornaments for two years. Everyone loved them, but eventually, they yellowed and broke. I think I still may have a couple that are intact.

Then one year, my niece was living with me while she went to college. We went to the Christmas Tree lot after it closed down, and picked up a little "Charlie Brown" tree that as about 4 feet tall, and very squatty. We used the clay ornaments, as well as some we made ourselves from clay and other stuff I had lying around from craft projects. We handmade all the gifts we gave that year. We still call it our Charlie Brown Christmas. It was one of the best Christmases I ever had.