Decorating for Christmas on a Budget

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Decking your halls this Christmas doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank! If you’re looking to spend wisely, there are a plethora of inventive ideas for holiday decorating that don’t require maxing out the credit card. So, we at Santa.com  have rounded up this handy list of fun and festive Christmas decorations that are sure to fit any budget.

Decorate with Old Family Photos

Got years of family photos in shoe boxes? Bust them out and use them to decorate! Put them in frames, on photo easels or make a Christmas collage. You can even take some fun family selfies together to print out as well. If you have large frames that can fit multiple photos, simply set a sheet of festive paper on the backboard and place your photos on top to create a wonderful collage. This can even be a fun project with the kids, and is a great way to decorate on a dime while giving cherished photos of family members, past and present, a whole new way to be enjoyed.. 

Christmas Cards as Decorations

If you’ve kept lovely Christmas cards from Christmas’ past, attach them to a red ribbon or some twine and hang them above a door, or create a magical montage on the wall.  Also, vintage Christmas cards found at local flea markets can be a fun decorative item as well.  

Use Ornaments to Decorate

There are oodles of options when it comes to decorating your home with Christmas ornaments to create a festive feel. You can use your own ornaments that are not going on the tree this year, or purchase some inexpensive ones from a thrift or dollar store. You can also organize an ornament swap with friends and family - it’s a great way to pass around ornaments for a fresh look…and it’s free!

Fill decorative bowls and vases with ornaments to show them off or make your chandelier even more dazzling by loading it up with sparkly decorations to help it shine even brighter. 

Garland is gorgeous and a relatively inexpensive decoration as well. Wrap it around your stair banister, over the mantle or around a door to add some pizzazz. A festive real or faux pine  garland can also be hung on walls, and you can avoid making holes by using adhesive hooks that stick easily. There are also sturdy garland hangers you can use to hang the garland easily above any entry way. 

Get Crafty with the Kids

Kids love a project, so why not ask them to help decorate the house for Christmas? There are so many fun and simple ideas out there, from paper snowflakes (come on, adults love making these too!), to clothespin angels, and chain link garlands. Set aside some time out to get these projects done ahead of the season, or better yet, something to do while they are home from school on Christmas break.

Use Food to Decorate for Christmas

There are many traditional Christmas decorations that you can easily make with food and candy for little cost, and fun to do with the kids. Here are a few ideas for inspiration:  

• Hang up candy canes. Just like a string of cards, these naturally shaped hooks hang perfectly from a string across a doorway or wall, or hang them on your tree.

• Popcorn garlands. Add some dried cranberries for extra holiday flair.

• Make a gingerbread house or cookie ornaments.  This kit from Amazon comes with everything you need to make a small village! 

• Fill a pretty jar with little peppermints or other festive-looking candy.  

• Melt peppermint candies inside cookie cutters to make little ornaments. Here’s a wonderful tutorial from One Little Project.