Decorating for Christmas on a Budget
Holiday style without the cost.
When it comes to the holidays, everyone wants to make a festive statement, but doing so can be quite costly. But that doesn’t mean you should have to minimize the Christmas cheer in your home! Decorating for Christmas on a budget has never been easier – keep reading for the best tips for decorating for Christmas without breaking the bank.
1. Prioritize the Basics
One of the best ways of decorating for Christmas on a budget is putting your money towards the most obvious holiday decoration – your Christmas tree! Christmas trees are the staple of the season. Since Christmas trees are so big, they’re an instant focal point that amps up the Christmas joy in any home with no other decorations required. While some homes have a holiday tradition of buying a live tree every year, this expense can add up overtime. Opting for an artificial tree to use for years to come actually saves money in the end, since you won’t have to buy a new tree every year. For standard homes with 8- to 9-foot ceilings, the best tree height is 7 to 7.5 feet, so your dream tree fits perfectly even when styled with a topper.
Sometimes the best way to decorate for Christmas isn’t by purchasing extra decor items, but by crafting a scene! Decorating for Christmas on a budget means choosing decorative details that convey the holiday’s approach, such as throw pillows and blankets in the colors of the season. Having home classics in Christmas colors decorates the space for the holidays and instills a cozy vibe. And you can use them all year if you wish! Top it off with one holiday-printed pillow as budget decor.
Decorating for Christmas on a budget with one attention-grabbing piece of decor is a great way to minimize your expenses while making a statement. Consider opting for a pink artificial Christmas tree to steal the show in your home like in the picture above. This unique take on the standard green Christmas tree is a decor twist that can be used over and over again each year.
When decorating for Christmas on a budget, thinking of the Christmas aesthetic you want to evoke before buying your pieces is crucial. If you want to keep the look glam and minimal, the best colors to look for are gold and black. These hues are glamorous and sleek and fit in the minimal/modern homes. If you’re trying to make a holiday statement without breaking the bank, put pieces in these shades to put front and center on your tables, mantel, or other areas around your home.
If your goal for decorating for Christmas is to create a holiday vibe for your guests (per our tip above!), consider keeping the decor contained to one area. We suggest displaying your Christmas accents and decor in the living room since this is where a lot of entertaining happens. This makes the most of your budget while creating the appearance of a fully completed holiday tableau. The living room is fair game for every kind of holiday decor, since this room typically has a mantel, side tables, and coffee tables waiting to be decorated.
Instead of buying Christmas garland that stays in storage for the most of the year, consider hanging a piece of garland that’s reusable year-round. Greenery garland shines in a variety of places. Use it to line the side of a door frame, a mantel, or a table as an accent that can double as Christmas or everyday decor.
Instead of purchasing single decor items, extend your Christmas decor budget with sets. Sets of decorative accents come with several pieces to display around your home. Having multiple accents allows you to fill your home’s empty spaces without having to purchase individual items that will then cost you more in total. You can keep the sets together, or split them up and place them in different rooms of the house. This allows you to decorate various rooms with one purchase instead of having to select separate pieces for each space.
When you find yourself entertaining this holiday and watching your expenses, figuring out where to invest your decor budget is crucial. For that reason, we suggest opting for drinkware that contains the sparkle and elegance of the season – like the above glasses that are rimmed with gold. Instead of investing in holiday drinkware that you’ll only use once this season, add some glam to your cabinet with the inclusion of drinkware like this that can add sparkle to your seasonal gatherings, but that you can also use year-round!
Christmas is all about coming together with family and friends, so create a gorgeous tablescape to gather around together! Displaying holiday linens with festive prints and colors brings the seasonal spirit to this room and is an elegant substitute to any paper napkins that are used year-round.
If you already have a Christmas tree and a few holiday staples, use your budget for a set of holiday dinnerware. Whether you’re feeding friends or family, festive plates make dinner fun and are a unique place to show holiday cheer. Christmas dinnerware patterned with holiday figures or in holiday colors is a great way to bring the seasonal feeling to your whole meal. Plus, all sets usually come with enough items for four people, so your investment will be used by multiple individuals.
When it comes to decorating for Christmas on a budget, finding details to invest in is the best way to conserve money and still decorate. If you don’t have the budget to outfit the table with holiday plates, drinks, napkins, and more, a seasonal table runner with holiday colors, prints, or figures will do the trick. Table runners add a festive element to your dining without costing much. Christmas table runners can also be used to style an entryway table in your foyer.
Stockings are another seasonal staple to include in your holiday decorating. Stockings come in a variety of colors and styles that fit every aesthetic, and their use isn’t limited to your mantel. If you’re looking for other spots to place your stocking, consider hanging them on the sides of a doorframe in the hallway, bedrooms, or foyer. A benefit to choosing stockings when decorating for Christmas on a budget is that they are very wallet-friendly!
Decorating for Christmas on a budget doesn’t have to require buying new fixtures or shifting furniture around. When decorating budget-style, usingChristmas decor to decorate the furniture you already have is the best way to minimize your expenses. Bookcases are the perfect playground for Christmas decor since they feature several tiers and tons of flat surface. Use decorative accents like snow globes or holiday signs to create a Christmas display next to your books to showcase your style without splurging.
Trying to stretch your holiday budget? Don’t have space for a large Christmas tree? Solve both problems at once with a tabletop Christmas tree. Going with a tabletop Christmas tree still displays this holiday staple in your home without consuming too much floor space. Plus, these tabletop trees elevate the rest of your table decor when paired with candles and other Christmas figurines for a complete scene. You can use a tabletop tree in any room of the house, as these are the perfect size for an entryway table, bedroom nightstand, living room table, and more.
If you’re hosting a party this Christmas, opting for statement pieces is a great way to style party decor on a budget. While most people think going all-out with large decor pieces is what makes a statement, sometimes it’s in the details where the biggest impressions are made! Display Christmas tree-shaped serving platters with holiday treats for your guests to enjoy when they come over. Novelty-shaped trays differ from the standard rectangular trays found at most parties, so it’s sure to make an impression on everyone who attends.
Maybe you’re not into actual Christmas figurines, but you love the ambiance and warmth of the season. If this is you, adding gold touches to the space is the best way to subtly decorate for Christmas on a budget. Gold is associated with the season and becomes an understated decoration, so instead of cluttering your home with a jolly Santa figurine or several bottle brush trees, consider adding golden barware glasses and a glam-inspired cart to your living room. This elegant color is shimmery enough to reflect the sparkly element of the season, and gold also evokes the feeling of luxury in a space. This gives your home a sophisticated take on the season.
Choosing colorful versions of your favorite figurines and traditional holiday shapes is a smart way to maximize your budget. Celebrate color in your home by choosing a tree with colored lights, green/red ornaments, and other decorations in various hues – boldly colored decor distracts the eye and makes your home seem more decorated than it is. You’ll create a wonderfully festive environment with less decorations required.
Arguably the ultimate option for decorating for Christmas on a budget is creating some DIY decor. Dry out oranges for a unique decor element that’s easy to make. Oranges have a tie-in Christmas due to an old story about St. Nick dropping gold down a chimney – over time, the myth changed to be about orange slices instead of golden spheres.
To create your own orange garland, slice your oranges in their peel to ½ inch-thick slices. Pat your slices dry before arranging them flat on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Bake the slices at 275°F in the oven for about 3 hours, flipping your slices several times throughout. When the slices are done baking, you can string them together to drape over a garland like the picture above, or to craft into homemade ornaments.
For a minimalist and budget-friendly take on decorating for Christmas, display a wreath on your wall for all to see. If you aren’t interested in bedecking your home with an abundance of Christmas gear, hang a large or extra-large wreath on empty wall space in your living room, dining room to absorb a lot of wall space.
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Now that you’ve seen the best tips when decorating for Christmas on a budget, it’s time to get your festive juices flowing (budget-style)!
