Cheap Christmas Decor?

[AFWife]

I think I want to decorate the mantle...It will be my first time to decorate for a holiday!

However, we're in the red because we're paying the midwife out of pocket.

So I need super cheap (or free) decorating ideas. I think I'm going to make a plastic bag wreath http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2010/04/recycled-plastic-bag-wreath-earth-day.html I also have some cheap ribbon...

That's all I can think of right now. I haven't Googled yet.

[FillingMyQuiver]

I was just looking up some inexpensive decorating ideas and I think this one is great.  If you already have some pretty pillars then you just need some citrus fruit   Place it on a grouping on your mantle and ta da.

[philomom]

The Country Living magazine this month was full of simple ideas. They borrowed the Scrabble letters to spell out Hello Santa. They put the colored light bulbs from the string of lights into a vase for a table centerpiece and there were some white flowers made of ordinary paper.

My mom did a tree one year with mostly red ribbons tied to it and popcorn strings. She also found all the house teddy bears, put red bows on their necks and put them all in a little red wagon in the foyer. Fruit is cheap to decorate with. Green boughs of evergreen and boxwood can be trimmed for free from your yard or the neighbors (ask first).

[Lisoula]

Pine cones, a few springs from a bush or tree with berries, a little greenery, and a strand of clear lights can do wonders! 

[EmsMom]

Don't forget the nice cut out snowflakes you can just make from a piece of paper.  I always love the way they look on the windows. 

[number572]

Every year I go to christmas tree sale lots and ask them for their scrap branches to make wreaths for my own home and a few neighbors.  They give them for free and they smell great.  I tie pieces of red ribbon and sometimes cinnamon sticks or little pinecones I find on the ground at the park in them.  My neighbors love them and they're free and don't take much time.  Just bend the branches and tie until you have a circular wreath.  

The scrap branches are perfect for the mantle too, lay a string of white lights within some free scrap branches and it's beautiful and smells nice.

[happyhats]

I LOVE that wreath, and I totally want to do something similar.  Not sure if I can get it done this winter or not since I am having a little one on the 16th of December and we are always busy, busy this time of year. I'm thinking I might have to make an easter or valentine's day wreath though if not. 

I too have used pine branches and pine cone to make natural and inexpensive decorations.  Also, just putting up all the old Christmas photos in the picture frames you already have really helps change the mood and lift your holiday spirits.  This year I made a tree on our wall with paper plates.  I didn't want to mess with a tree, plus I am slowly making/buying special ornaments since we have so few.  My daughter loves it, and it takes up so much less space in the small living room we have (and dd can play with it without me worrying about anything breaking, a whole tree coming down, etc.).  The tree cost me a whole three or four dollars, since I also bought a bow to tack to the top.

I'm going to be making some of those snowflakes tonight actually!

I took some leftover ribbons from the craft box and strung them up on an empty hallway wall we had.  Just an extra bit of festivity.

Really, this whole Christmas season has been very inexpensive. 

[Chicky2]

A big glass bowl filled with ball ornaments, w/a nice pillar candle in the middle is nice (or w/out the candle!).

A big glass bowl filled w/citrus fruits and some nuts looks nice.

A big glass bowl (see a theme here?) filled halfway with water and plop in some fresh cranberries.  If you have some floating candles you could add a couple.  PRETTY!  Just replace the cranberries every few days.  Float some orange slices too!

Get some pinecones, paint glue on the tips of the um, whatever the edges are called, lol, and sprinkle w/glitter.  Place in a basket w/a big bow tied on, or some big jingle bells tossed in randomly.

I put clear lights in my kitchen to make it more festive.  I like lights inside (and out!) because anything w/some glitter on it will sparkle merrily. 

I love the red bows on the teddy bears idea!  Cute!

[number572]

Don't forget to ask for anything you need on Craigslist...It's not begging at all, I feel great about being able to give my goods to someone who can use it... much better than filling a landfill with it!!

I've given away several hundred dollars worth of high quality papers, envelopes, ribbons, etc from an invitation business I used to own, but I'm now moving so I gave it all away to CL people for free.  And I ended up meeting some really neat people in doing that.

You never know what someone can give unless you ask!  People want to be able to give their items to someone who will truly appreciate and use them.