Holiday Decorations that Won’t Break the Bank

Decorating your home for the holidays can be a great way to get your family into the holiday spirit.  But when you look at the price tags on some of the pre-made decorations in the stores, your holiday smile may quickly change turn to a “Bah, Humbug!” frown.  With a little creativity and some DIY holiday decorations, you can have the holiday home décor of your dreams without breaking the budget.

• Use natural items– head outside and clip some fresh pine or holly branches to use in centerpieces and wreaths. Fill clear glass vases of varying styles and sizes with pinecones you find in the park.  Make your home smell wonderful by simmering orange peels and vanilla on the stove.
• Repurpose older items– instead of throwing away broken ornaments, make new decorations out of them. Carefully add broken glass ornament pieces to a jar filled with glycerin to make a snow globe.  Instead of throwing away that old sled that doesn’t work anymore, tie a ribbon around it and lean it on your front stoop.
• Check Halloween or Thanksgiving Clearance– some Halloween items are perfectly good to use as winter holiday decorations at a fraction of the cost. Use purple lights meant for Halloween to decorate a silver garland.  Place black plate chargers under plates on a table set with red and gold to accent the theme.  And those Thanksgiving decorations don’t have to all come down.  Incorporate them into a Christmas theme by adding white fairy lights.
• Have a decoration swap with friends– chances are your friends are probably in the same boat as you. Set aside a day where you can all bring your unwanted decorations to one spot to trade.  Make it a fun event with games and drinks!
• Check yard sales– you can sometimes find some great buys on holiday décor at yard sales or on yard sale websites. When people get new decorations, they will most likely want to sell the old ones to make room in storage for the new!

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