Christmas Decorating – Be Festive Without Spending A FortuneFirst, I would suggest that you use an artificial tree, garland, and wreaths. This saves a lot of money. Six years ago we bought a real tree. The cost for the tree was $40. Then, the wreath for the door was $15. Garland would have run us an additional $15-20. This comes to a total cost of $75 per year (more in some areas). Buying an artificial tree, wreath, and garland will cost less than $100 if you buy it after the season. If you use them for five years, that averages $20 or less per year—a savings of $55 per year! Artificial Christmas trees and leaves look more and more realistic, and even come prelit with lights that change color. Another inexpensive holiday decorating idea is to purchase baskets at the Dollar store and put glass balls and little sprigs of pine in them. Set these around the house as decorations. They are classy and beautiful. Glass balls are fairly inexpensive, but I have found the best way to get them is to look for classic, antique glass balls at yard sales during the summer. I have gotten boxes of beautiful hand-blown glass balls for 10 cents or a quarter. You can also find pretty baskets for nearly nothing at yard sales. They are great tools for Christmas decorating.
Then, you mix common acrylic paint found in the Walmart or Target craft section with about a teaspoon of dish-washing soap. This makes the windows easier to clean after the holidays. To make the painting more classic looking, I would recommend using either gold or silver metallic paint. Another idea is to do snowflake sponge-painting on the windows with white paint. Always search yard or rummage sales for Christmas decorations. Some things to look for include: older classic Christmas cloth tablecloths, fancy garland, and Christmas lights. Often you can decorate your whole home for a fraction of the cost of going to the store and buying decorations. These are just a few suggestions, ideas to help you get started with your Christmas decorating while living debt free. If you have additional ideas for adorning your home for the holidays, feel free to contact me and let me know. Most of all, have fun and enjoy the season. Easy Ideas for Homemade Holiday Gifts
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