A well decorated Christmas tree is certainly something to be admired. There's just one problem. It could cost a small fortune to get the ' glamorous ' look that we see in department store windows.
A budget friendly option is to buy your decorations at Boxing Day sales, op shops and discount retail stores.
A SUPER budget friendly option that costs zero is to make your own. Here are some ideas that will get you started. I personally have used some of these ideas when we were trying to fill our newly purchased ' big ' tree about 20 years ago.
* Use craft ribbon or scraps of material to make bows. Thread a loop of cotton or a paper clip to the back for ease of hanging on the tree.
* Make a paper chain out of Christmas wrapping paper.
* Leftover craft wool can be made into cute pom poms. Attach a ribbon bow and a hanging loop with a hot glue gun or craft glue.
* Cupcake patty cases can be made into all sort of decorations. Glue on a button in the centre to form a flower.
* Scrap material can be cut into Christmas shapes. Stitch together with large stitches and add a tiny bit of filling. Sew on a ribbon loop and you have a cottage style decoration.
* Paint three icypole sticks and hot glue gun them into a triangle. Attach a cardboard square to the bottom to make it look like a Christmas tree. Decorate the sticks with glitter glue, pom poms or any other craft item you have on hand. Glue a star to the top and a loop for hanging.
* Collect pine cones, spray with a little white paint or paint with glitter glue. Attach a loop for hanging. If you like the rustic look, keep it plain and just add the loop.
* Fashion old broken Christmas tree branches or an old wreath into mini Christmas wreath decorations. Glue on a few buttons and a small bow. Attach a loop.
* Do you have craft beads or broken bead necklaces on hand? Thread the beads onto craft string or fishing line to make icicles.
If all else fails and you are not crafty at all, thread popcorn onto string or fishing line to make your own garland.
How have you decorated your Christmas tree on a budget ?
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Decorating on a budget is as easy as your imagination. Find 3 jar lids of different sizes glue together you have a snowman paint, dress, plait a thin scarf and you have frosty. If your using eggs pierce the shells each end and empty the contents, a simple paste of flour and water 1 or 2 light coatings of paper and your ready to decorate glue a ribbon onto one end and its ready to hang.
ReplyDeleteSave your large pumpkin seeds. Glue together side by side to make a circle paint either red or white add some green cardboard leaves and put a small button or frilled paper disk in the centre add a hanging ribbon. Looks lovely if you have glitter to sprinkle onto the centre. Wrap up match boxes or tic tac boxes add a pretty ribbon and a tiny gift tag, presents for the tree.
Use icy poles sticks and glue into a square use as a picture frame. Put in a pretty christmas card front or Christmas family photo add a lovely bow in Christmas colours and add a hanging ribbon.
Use empty cardboard tubes cut to size wrap in paper add a false paper frill to each end gather the paper ends in and tie with a fancy thin ribbon or colored wool add hanging ribbon you have mini bon bons.
Dry out orange slices and tie a nice little bow with hanging ribbon. Beautiful on the tree. Make popcorn garlands it is easier to make when the popcorn is stale as it softens a bit. Pop your corn put in a large bowl leave for 2 days and then get threading!
Make Christmas wreaths from used Christmas cards lay your cards in a circle then with glue add a second layerglueing on top of the 1st layer. Make it as big or small as you want add a big Christmas bow on top use any bits and pieces you have, a bit of curling ribbon and you have a lovely wreath for the front door.
Uncooked cheap pasta makes lovely garlands. If you have paints buy a cheap set of largish plastic baubles and paint your family names on them.
Glue bottle tops together in half cirles paint add greenery fake or real add some red berries (roll up paper into balls paint red).
My favourits cut out circles of cardboard paint brown with darker patches to look like a pudding add cotton wool to look like poured cream add cardboard holly some paper berries or artificial holly onto the top. Add your hanging ribbon.
I love Christmas, I love my tree and i have 849 decorations that go on my tree.
This year I am knitting Christmas baubles. I have bought a pattern but search on Ravelry has provided some free versions. The beauty of these is that you can scale the decorations and use whatever you have. Also I don't think it is so great here but there is the popcorn garland idea and you could also bake biscuits to put on the tree before young people visit.I am sure either of these ideas would enchant small people in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI fill in our tree with fake poinsettias. I got them free from our church when they updated their decorations. The rest are simple red and clear balls and other simple crocheted stars & snowflakes and a few special ornaments we were gifted over the years.
ReplyDeleteI found a nice selection of decorations a few years ago at a local Salvo's. For very little I have small Xmas trees, lovely stockings, candle and bauble set on a mirror and they make my small lounge look festive. I also picked up some led light ornaments which look sweet shining out from the front windows sills. I also have gel stickers which brighten the other windows. All the festive touches cost less than $30 and have been celebrating for years. I also have some cute fabric bunting across the doors. My house os ready for the season. Cheers
ReplyDeleteWe have an artificial tree that has been going strong for 8 years now, and is still looking as if it's new. It was bought in the January sales at a very steep discount.
ReplyDeleteI reuse all the ornaments I have, and claim the theme 'colourful' year after year. It's tradition (because I made it so :)) to decorate the tree with my daughters at the evening of my birthday (13 December). We reuse baubles from when I first moved out of my parents' house, gifted baubles, decorations made by my daughters over the years. We reminisce, appreciate the handwork, and have fun.
Hello Wendy I do enjoy your blogg thank you. Years ago I worked in childcare and one mother gave us a wreath of a coat hanger bent to a round shape then covered with lollies each wrapped in cellophane . It looked very colourful. I guess there would be other things you could use like greenery and paper flowers.Your grand children will soon be colouring in your cut out bells and stars to hang up . Best wishes nana from Horsham
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI once made a Christmas wreath from a wire coat hanger bent into a circle, covered it in tinsel and added some decorations or wrapped lollies. You have some great ideas here.
Plain brown cardboard stars are really effective. Adding a gold twine/cotton hanging loop and outlining the star in gold glitter paint takes them up a notch. Another favourite is newspaper angels. My friend makes decorations out of discarded toilet paper roll innards.
ReplyDeleteMy kids are in their 40s, but I still use the decorations they made in school! What a trip down Memory Lane! My old Christmas balls were looking tatty, so I bought a LOT of balls at thrift stores for next to nothing. I have enough that I can do 3 distinctly different colors (red and white, multi and white and silver) which I use as the base...and then the homemade and special ornaments go on. We have beautiful trees now. My chiropractor and I have the same tree (ran into her at the sale) and she does bows, and it's lovely.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you for sharing your frugal tips and wisdom. I look forward to reading more in 2021.
Thanks so much. Rachel:)