Make Your Home Festive on a (Very) Small Budget
We have lived in our house for a little over three years, but I have never really decorated for the holidays before. Unlike many people, I don’t have a box of Christmas decorations that comes out of storage each year. What I do have are ribbons, coniferous trees outside my house, and a bit of time. This year, I decided I wanted to decorate for the holidays in a way that felt minimal, inexpensive, and a little homemade.
In this week’s blog, I want to share a few simple ideas—especially if you’re running behind on decorating and don’t want to spend unnecessary money.
What I Used
As I mentioned, I already had some velvet ribbon on hand in red, green, and brown. I bought a few oranges and a bag of fresh cranberries from the grocery store (about $6 total). I also had twine at home, along with some Christmas-themed metal cookie cutters that I thought I could incorporate somehow.
I spent $4.99 on electric tea candles and less than $10 on small brass bells. Finally, I had a large wicker basket and plenty of old books that I wanted to repurpose.
1. Book Tree
I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it would be easy to replicate. All you need are old books and a candle holder. I added a bow made from velvet ribbon, some branches, tea candles, and a cranberry garland to bring everything together.
2. Dried Orange & Cranberry Decorations
With a sharp knife and cutting board, I sliced the oranges evenly and placed them on trays to dry in the dehydrator. I dried them at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for about nine hours. Then, using twine, a large needle, and fresh cranberries, I created different garlands and hanging decorations to use throughout the house.
3. Cookie Cutter Ornaments
This one is very simple. I used red velvet ribbon to hang the cookie cutters from the curtain rod.
4. A Basket Full of Presents
Since we opted out of having a Christmas tree, I still wanted a small, dedicated space to gather presents. I used the wicker basket and wove in green velvet ribbon, alternating with brass bells and dried orange slices.
5. Random Bows Everywhere
To fill in a few empty spaces and add more holiday cheer, I tied bows of different colors around the house. They’re small and understated, but they make a surprisingly big impact.
I hope you enjoyed this short blog and are able to relax and truly enjoy the holiday season ahead. If you liked any of these ideas — or have ideas of your own — I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
