Inexpensive Christmas Decor

Decorating for Christmas is so fun, except for paying for it! Over the years I have found inexpensive christmas decor ideas! Let me share with you what I have learned.

Christmas wreath hanging on door with red ribbon

Natural elements are low cost or typically free!

Even though buying faux trees, wreaths, and potter plants allow us to have great decorations from year to year with little effort, they still cost something up front. If this is a year where your finances don’t allow of any extra spending, consider using natural elements!

Using things found in nature from around your property, or a parent’s or friend’s, is can be free!

This year I did some free decorating by collecting pine cones, and tree branches that had fallen on the ground at a nearby park. When I got home I put the branches in a small vase, put it on a pretty gold plate, and placed the pine cones around it. It makes a perfect centerpiece on our table!

Because the branches are an ever green, they will hopefully last all season!

pine branches in a small vase on a gold plate with pine cones around it.

Change your bed sheets to a darker color, or Christmas color!

There some cheap bed sheets at Goodwill that I have bought in the past. They aren’t the highest quality, but I bought dark red ones this fall. They add a great cozy Christmas feel in our bedroom.

These sheets pictured below I got on a great Black Friday deal at Kohl’s! The red and green flannel sheets are just a perfect way to make our room feel like Christmas!

Bed mad with red and green Christmas plaid bed sheets, a white comforter and a white throw pillow

Pinecone popurri in cookie tins!

If you have cookie tins left over from last year, or if you have a collection of them from over the years, use them as a bowl for pinecone popurri.

You can make your own pinecone popurri by collecting pinecones from your back yard (or park, as mentioned above). Place them in a big ziplock bag and shake a few drops of your favorite Christmas essential oil.

In the picture below I have used the Christmas Morning essential oil from Revive.

Ask family or friends if they have old Christmas decor they plan on throwing away.

This year my mom graciously gave me some old garland she hadn’t used in a while! I have added to our railing and banister going up the stairs!

Red ribbon tied on garland and around a white banister

Save the wooden stub of your christmas tree and make an ornament!

See ours below from our first year of marraige!

faux christmas wreath with red ribbon, and a piece of wood hanging from from the wreath with a family name written on it.

Reuse a old wreath

In my post How to Make a Seasonal Wreath, I talk about how you can use the core of a wreath to make a new wreath for each season. If you avoid hot glue you can put real or faux elements into the wreath, then when the next season comes around, pull them out and make a new wreath.

You can see me changing my fall wreath to a Christmas one on my YouTube Channel.

This is a great way to save some money on Christmas decor.

Red and green construction paper chains!

We all loved making paper chains didn’t we? It is such an easy craft for kids to do and enjoy. Also, it’s a great way to build anticipation for Christmas to arrive.

If you are someone that celebrates advent, and are building the anticipation of Christ’s birth this is an easy project to do.

While the look of paper chains bring in a more kidsy craft than stylish decor, it still tells the world “hey we are a family, and my kids belong here.”

Paper Snowflakes!

I LOVE making paper snowflakes! I love cutting them all up and seeing how they will turn out! These can be very beautiful on a window with light shining through them!

Yule Log on the TV through out the day!

This has become a trend in the recent years with most homes no longer having fireplaces. The sound of the crackle and the sight of flickering flames dancing is just so.. moody!

If you have a TV with YouTube or a cast option, putting on a video of a crackling Yule Log is a free way to add a little atmosphere to the home.

Think of the 5 senses

I have covered most of the five scences expect for smell.

Simmer apple cider or mulled wine on the stove throughout the day.

Make Christmas cookies, or chocolate chip cookies regularly through out the season to give the home a warm and sweet smell.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough on a tray with parchment paper and a christmas tree in the background.

Popcorn, cranberry and orange garlands!

Spring for an old fashion Christmas!

Don’t buy a tree until near christmas when they will be alot cheaper.

Make popcorn, cranberry and dried orange garlands as decoration. Keep a bowl of mixed nuts to crack on the counter at all times. Make homemade iced cream.

Tips on saving money

I have some more general philosophical tips on inexpensive christmas decor.

1. Don’t be so dedicated to a certain style of Christmas.

When you want to stay on trend you really are committing yourself to spending money. It can be so tempting to do the latest and gratest thing with any decor. However, unless it is your DREAM style, chances are in about a year or two that trend will be over and you will want the next thing, starting over and spending all kinds of money.

Now, I know there are some true artists out there who would argue they thrive in being able to decorate something new every year. If that’s you, by all means have at it. But for the marjority of people, this isn’t us. We can avoid spending money unnecessarily when we start out small, collect over time, and in ten years we are still using the same red and gold christmas ornaments.

Which leads me to my next tip.

2. The best Christmas decor is collected over the years

In my opinion, most people I know are so worried or put so much effort staying on trend that we miss the cozy, nostalgia of a collected Christmas. Going into an Aunts house who has had the same christmas decorations for decades, and has added to her snowglobe collection sends warmth into our hearts.

As the world is constantly changing, when we have things like this that we can count on to never change, it is comforting.

So why chase the trends. Allow your family, or yourself to enjoy pulling out the same christmas decorations year after year, and adding to them a bit at a time.

Nothing is more comforting. Also, nothing costs as little as using the same decorations year after year. This may not be popular, but it is by far comforting and frugal!

3. Simple is usually cheaper. Don’t have to over do it.

A tree with lights and a sign on the door that says merry Christmas is still cheery!

If you are starting out for the first time as married couple, or if you are fresh out of college and enjoying living in you own apartment for the first time, keep it simple. You will be able to add things as the years go on.