Christmas Decorating On The CHEAP!

I don't know about you, but this year, I have zero dollars to spend on Christmas decorations.

I like to put up Christmas decorations each year to set the mood and get excited for Christmas. So what am I going to do? I'll tell you. I am going to decorate for Christmas on a budget. (ps. I write for a living and it's so nice to be able to write CHRISTMAS! - instead of "decorate for the Holidays on a budget" - I just feel so much freer.)

Anyways, here are some creative ways I plan on decorating for Christmas on the CHEAP, using many things I already have around the house (or that I can pick up really cheap).

For the table, I like to do elegant place settings. I picked up placemats last year at the dollar store, and they are just as nice as anything you'd find at any overpriced department store. They are a silky Christmas red with some structure to them and a subtle design. I have white dishes, so I'm going layer the red and white for a festive look. First, the red placemat, then a white dinner plate, then a red napkin (from the dollar store or left over from last year!), then a white teacup and saucer. Inside the teacup, some peppermint candies will complete the look.

(ironically, my red and white idea inspiration came from looking at this blue and silver display - picture taken from www.christmasiscoming.co.uk). I saw it and thought, "I can do that... with red!"

I firmly believe that no table is complete without a centerpiece. So I have an idea for one that's inexpensive... I have this oversized glass vase that I'm going to use for my dining room table. I'm going to fill it with red and silver ornaments (baubles from last Christmas) of all different sizes and textures. Afterwards, I'll sprinkle in some more peppermint candies to tie it in with the place settings. On either sides of the vase, I'll position a couple of red candles (either votives or taper candles, I haven't decided) - in any case, a finishing touch that will only cost me a couple of bucks.

For the kitchen counter, I have a really pretty, white porcelain cake pedestal. I want to do something with that, but I haven't decided yet. Some ideas I have are to do an ornament topiary, fruit display, gingerbread house, candle arrangement or stack of wrapped faux-presents on top of it.

For the side table, I want to gather branches from outside and position them with sparkly Christmas sprigs in a nice vase. (If I don't have a nice vase, I will wrap an ugly one with wrapping paper or colorful tissue paper to create one!) This is a nice display to stand on its own, but if the branches are sturdy enough, I might even drape some tinsel and mini candy canes from it. Around the display, I'd like to sprinkle some more peppermint candy and a few pine cones (in keeping with the organic look of the centerpiece). If I don't like how brown everything is, I might spraypaint the branches and pinecones a nice white or bright red.

This picture (at right) was borrowed from the Happy Mundane blog: happymundane.blogspot.com

For the shelf, I'm going to clear away everything that's up there now and stowe it away until the season's over. I got a bunch of these black and silver frames from the dollar store (not super good quality, but fine from a distance on the shelf). I'm going to dig through old pictures for seasonal pictures of family and friends to fill the frames and add a festive look to the shelf. In between the pictures, I'll add some cute little Christmas boxes, ornaments, candy canes and other decorations I have lying around.

My manger display is going on the window sill you see when you first walk in the door. I want everyone who enters to be reminded that Jesus' birth is the reason for Christmas. Because we always have our blinds drawn, I am putting a large mirror behind the manger to reflect the light and create added depth.

From each of the curtain rods, I am going to hang a single ornament. These will probably be a few of the nicer ornaments that I have with intricate designs and glitter.

And voila! Those are the ways I'm going to decorate on a budget this Christmas. If you have creative ideas or suggestions for decorating on cheap, I'd love to hear them!