Perhaps you are starting to panic. Christmas is drawing nearer and you still have not decorated your house for the season. Maybe you are low on money, time, or both. Maybe you are hoping for a new look this year. If you are like me, you just like to celebrate the spirit of the season with creativity and fun.
Need a little Christmas? Fear not, some simple and inexpensive decorating ideas are here!
While I am no Martha Stewart by any means, here are some of the ideas I have devised for the lack of time and money I possess, especially with a toddler running through the house. Find your scissors, craft wire, wire cutter, tape, glue, and panic no more.
Put up the tree.
Problem: My dilemma this year was to decorate a tree with items safe for a toddler.
You: Other than the normal lights, we used red Christmas bows, striped candy-canes, and small, silver cookie cutters to decorate the tree. Yards of white lace, garland of red beaded blocks, or stringed pop corn also add a nice touch. Then I used a special safety plug to lock the electronic cords into the wall.
Family: Make paper snowflakes or trace cookie cutter shapes (or gift tags) onto wrapping paper and cut them out for ornaments.
Deck the halls.
Problem: I want to only purchase inexpensive items to decorate the house.
You: After cutting some branches off the bottom of the live Christmas tree to re-size for the holder, I wired some greenery together and stuck on some plastic poinsettias and a recycled bow from last year's wreath for a wall hanging.
Family: Cut a circle out of a paper/plastic plate. Take gift bows and tape them on for a wreath to display. Tape your received Christmas cards to some string or clip them to a wire for garland above the mantle.
Haul out the holly.
Problem: What do I do with the sentimental, breakable items I still want to put on display and yet manage to keep them out of a child's reach.
You: Take your shadow-box frames that houses campaign buttons year round and replace with your homemade ornaments to hang on the wall.
Family: Make homemade ornaments, painting and glittering, to display around the house or on the tree.
1 cup salt
2 cup flour
1 cup water
2 cup flour
1 cup water
Roll dough evenly with rolling pin. Use cookie cutter for shapes. Use toothpicks to poke holes. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool and then varnish on both sides. Use acrylic or tempera paints to color. Tie with ribbon through hole to hang.
Fill up the stocking.
Problem: Your kid is just trying to help you but can reach the heavy, stockings hanging from the mantle or is ripping up the wrapping paper and you are not in a position to get more.
You: Find greenery to make a garland for the stair banister and hang your stockings from the banister from an adhesive hook hidden in the garland. To wrap gifts, take old shoe boxes and tape random scraps and leftover pieces of wrapping paper covering the outside of the box like a collage. Recycle brown paper bags to use as gift wrap by stamping designs on them.
Family: String your own garland using your scrap book pieces of colored paper approximately 1 inch by 6 inches, linking them to create a paper garland for your tree. Take finger painted paper to use as gift wrap.
Candles in the window.
Problem: I want to use items I already have instead of spending more money.
You: Take a clear flower vase and fill it with your red and green glass ball ornaments for the counter. Take another glass bowl and fill it with green, dried split peas and place a red candle in the middle as a centerpiece. Add ribbon around the vase for an additional touch.
Family: Decorate, paint, or stencil designs on candles or candle holders and give them as gifts to friends.
Anyways, I hope this gets your brain flowing again with ideas while maintaining a safe and fun holiday season. Remember to hum a "We Need a Little Christmas" while putting on the finishing touches.
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