You don’t have to spend a fortune on Christmas decorations to make your home look festive. Here are some great ways to save on Christmas decorations—we promise that none of them involve using a glue gun or making tacky cotton-ball santa beards.
Shopping for Christmas decorations
Actually the best time to buy holiday decor is after Christmas, when stores slash their prices to get rid of stock. That’s one way to snag that really beautiful and really expensive Christmas decor that you would never have bought at full price. In this same principle, keep an eye out of Christmas decor the whole year. Online stores and the clearance sections often hold a treasure trove of beautiful ornaments at amazingly low prices.
Get basic pieces at dollar stores
Sure you want to pay top dollar for certain ornaments that showcase fine craftsmanship and durable materials. But there are basic pieces that you can get at dollar stores and no one will know the difference! For example, colored Christmas balls, garlands, candles are pretty much the same—and are often decked out in lights, so who’ll know the difference?
Reinvent what you have
Pile Christmas balls into hurricane glasses. Use extra wrapping paper to wrap empty boxes and then stack on a buffet table for an instant centerpiece. Wrap extra ribbon and a tiny Christmas ball around existing candle holders or even glasses, and then fill with red and green Christmas candies.
Focus decorations in one area
You don’t have to decorate the whole house, just key areas like the foyer, the dining table or one side of the living room. Concentrating items in one area creates more visual impact and also lets you slash your list of things to buy.
For more holiday saving tips, read how to throw a party on a budget.