Have you ever looked at tv shows, magazines and YouTube videos where people put on high end luxurious Christmas celebrations ? They look so pretty and glamourous don't they ? Bet they spent a fortune too.
If you are after a similar look but don't have the extra dollars to splash around, here are a few ideas for you to try. I've personally used most of these tricks in our home to make it look extra special.
* Is your tree a little on the small side ? Make a timber riser to stand your tree on. Use a stack of books as a platform to lift the tree up. This is a great way to add more room under the tree for presents as well as giving extra height.
* If you have old tinsel that looks thin, wrap two strands together for a fuller look.
* A magazine worthy table decoration doesn't need to cost any money. Place odd, tired looking baubles into a clear glass bowl for a high end look. Add a candle each side to complete the look.
* Not enough decorations for the tree ? Don't decorate the back of the tree if you can't see it.
* Frame a Christmas card for your mantle, buffet or lamp table.
* Cut greenery from your garden to fill a vase. Tie a Christmas ribbon around the vase to finish it off.
* White bedsheets make great table cloths. Add a Christmas tea towel to the centre if you don't have a table runner.
* Op shops can be a great place to buy new or near new kitchenware, books, toys and homeware. Sometimes the item just needs a quick wipe over. A wonderful place to stretch your dollars for presents or to update your tableware.
* Get more bang for your buck by cooking and baking your Christmas meal from scratch. For example, sticky date puddings are expensive to buy. Make them from scratch in muffin size and you'll get a whole lot more for less.
* Candles can be expensive to buy. Pop a tealight candle into a small glass.
* Fairy lights add glamour and sparkle to a home. The cheapest battery operated ones cost $6 in Kmart or you can wait until Boxing Day to buy them half price. These lights can be added to a glass vase, bowl, table, mantle, bookcase or greenery for a simple luxurious look.
* Christmas cushion covers are super easy and cheap to make. If you can't sew, use a Christmas pillowcase and fold the extra material over the back.
* Choose a Christmas dinner / lunch to suit your budget and plan how you'll serve it for the ' WOW ' factor Serve it on your special platters and crockery. If you don't have any special occasion tableware, they can be picked up quite cheap at op shops. Classic white platters never date and can be used for years.
* Pick a color theme and repeat it throughout your home. For example - if you pick red, add red bows to your tree, red serviettes to your table and red wrapping paper on the presents.
Here are some of the color themes from years gone by -
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| Wrapping everything in the same paper |
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| A simple yet festive table |
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| Christmas lunch on a budget |
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| The tree riser box underneath |
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| Table decoration |
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| Handmade bows to decorate a garland |
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| Fairy lights in a Kmart garland |
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| More table decorations |
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| Our tree colors this year. |
Great job with the decorations and I love your tips.
ReplyDeleteVery good tips!
ReplyDeleteThank you Wendy, some fantastic tips you have shared. Wishing you a happy and blessed Christmas and New Year.
ReplyDeletexTania
Merry Christmas from the other side of the bay. Thankyou again for the tips. I've just realised that putting our tree on something to elevate it will make all the difference! Op shops often have some good quality deco also.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas. My husband bought some tiny fairy lights for a kitchen rack that holds the pans on the wall. It looks really nice and uses battery power.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions! It is sometimes very easy to recreate the looks you see in magazines on a tight budget.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy,thanks for sharing your tips,, This year I went out & bought a tree you can grow all year trying to get into the Christmas buts it's hard at the moment with my father in hospital wishing you & your family a wonderful Christmas
ReplyDeleteHappy and blessed Christmas you, your family and your readers.
ReplyDeleteMy grandchildren are young and we have a small prelit tree on a table has sufficed formally years now as I like glass baubles.Therefore over the last few yearsI have bought little balsa work time houses, churches and so forth. I try to buy one special ornament each year. Buy pillar candles on sale and use them in hurricane type vases. Our piano has candleholders and now it has become our focal point. the little houses, trees and lights and used make a Christmassy theme on the lid of the piano top.
Over the yearsI have greatly scaled back our food at this time of year. Instead of one huge feast there are many meals that will have one or two treats as I hate leftovers and find this less wasteful.
Be slightly careful with putting the decorations on one side. My kids did that the first year and our tree fell over.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly it was a $25 discount plastic tree but it lasted us 12 years. We learnt from that year to spread the decorations evenly. Allie
Wonderful ideas thanks Wendy
ReplyDeleteWendy i can see you taking the photo of your tree on the bauble lol😄
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Wendy :). You can tell how much you love Christmas by how beautiful you make everything. Lauren
ReplyDeletehi wendy, i really miss your blog entries, are you coming back? soon?
ReplyDeleteMiss your posts - hope all is okay!
ReplyDeleteI too keep checking to see if you have a new post, enjoy reading what you are doing
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy looking forward to when you start blogging again.
ReplyDeleteI’m another reader checking in often. Hoping all is well
ReplyDeleteHi wendy
ReplyDeleteMy first time post and l love looking at your post l keep checking to see if you put up a new post
Just a question is there any chance you are going to publish a book on all your info
Missing your post
Is everything ok
Miss reading your blogs. diane
ReplyDelete