Thrifty Holiday Decorating Ideas

When it comes to Christmas decorating I lean toward the tradition of what I've always done.  I only see those decorations once a year so I like to use them every December.

Sure my tastes may change or I see something at the store or on Pinterest that I think would be a nice addition to what I have, but I certainly don't want to go out and buy new decorations every year.  Our memories are caught up in the familiarity of the season, and the decorations I have always used set the scene for that.

To change up the look it can be as simple as using what I have in different areas or give something a new look without adding cost to my wallet.

November's Thrifty Style Team has a holiday theme, and I'm offering up 7 decorating tips to frugally turn your home into a place that says Christmas is coming.  From easy instant atmosphere and reusing what you have, to making it yourself for simple DIY.

It doesn't have to be expensive to change up your holiday home, but it might take an investment.  What do I mean by investment?  Well for example seasonal pillows.......

*This post contains affiliate links. Full Disclosure {HERE}*

Change out the pillow covers

Decorative pillows can be expensive to buy.  If you can sew of course you can make your own.  I can't sew. This is an item to think of as an investment, just like your ornaments, you will use the covers every year.

Find some quality covers that you love like these from Sew A Fine Seam.  I was changing from mostly red and green to coppery colors that were more in the tone of our family room.  These pillow covers are used year after year, spreading out any initial cost of the covers. They aren't a use once type decoration.

Sew A Fine Seam had the perfect plaid with warm copper tones.  I can use the two animal silhouettes all winter here in the frozen north, and when I'm ready to change it, all I have to do is take the pillow covers off.

Change out your coffee cups

Garage sales, thrift stores, and the dollar store are full of Christmas coffee cups. When people stop over during the holidays, serve up something hot in a winter coffee cup for an inexpensive way to proclaim the holidays are here.

It is a special time of year, so why not drink from winter themed mugs.  Even better if you have a little coffee station that is in view, the cups will be on display as Christmas decor that is actually used.

Flock Your Own Tree

I have always admired the beauty of flocked trees but thought I preferred the all green natural look.  I figured if I wanted to see snow all I had to do was look outside and that's where I wanted the snow to stay.

And even if there was a Christmas tree farm within an hours drive that flocked trees, which there is not, flocking is an additional fee that the budget could live without.

Then it happened.  I decided I wanted a flocked tree.  We decided to just order the flock and do it ourselves.  It is very doable, and if the temp isn't below zero, it's really a fun job.

Depending on how big your tree is each year, and if you want a dusting of snow or the 'we just had a blizzard look', you can get 3 to 10 flocked trees out of a bag of pro flock.  A great way to save money and still get the look of a snowy tree.

After flocking for the past 4 years I haven't looked back, and this is one of those holiday examples of where my tastes have changed.

There are a couple brands out there, above is a 25 pound bag of Pinnacle Flock.

Santa Hats

I'm not really sure how we came to have so many of those typical red and white Santa hats, but we do.  Probably elementary school programs.

These days you can pick them up for a buck at the dollar store, change them up if you like, add a little soot, and by simply hanging them around the house you have added holiday spirit to areas you might not otherwise decorate. 

Using these Santa hats is a very easy, cheap, way for instant atmosphere, and an uncomplicated set up and clean up!  Bonus, as a couple of my sons actually leave the house in the weeks before Christmas with a Santa hat on their noggin, so the hats get used as well.

Somewhere I have a pair of red long johns, I think I'll hang them this year off another hook by the hat.  It's just as cold in Minnesota in December as it is in the North Pole.

Spray Paint

Do you have Christmas decorations that have passed their prime or you would prefer in a different shade of green or red?  Silver or gold?  Copper?  Well there's a spray paint for that.

When I decided to use copper colors in our family room I wanted to change up a box of plastic ornaments I got at a garage sale.

I sprayed copper paint to change the look.  It was like getting new decorations for the price of a can of paint, well three cans as I used several brands version of copper, each a little different.

I also sprayed some ornaments that I didn't particularly care for that I held no emotional attachment to. 

The non-copper ornaments still went on the tree, and the glass ornaments in all colors look wonderful interspersed with the copper. With the abundant addition of copper tones, the whole room now takes on a warm coppery glow. 

Make What You Want

I realize not everyone has or think they have, the talent or time to try making holiday signs.  But give it a try.

Scrap wood is good for practicing on, and there are tutorials all over the web with step by step instructions for different methods of getting the design you want on your surface of choice.  You have nothing to lose by giving it a whirl, and you just might find you're pretty good at it.

My girls like to hand paint their signs, but I don't have that kind of talent or a steady hand, so using Old Sign Stencils is the way for me to go.

There is a new batch of 11 holiday and winter stencils that just hit the Old Sign shop, so you can bet we will all be using some of those in the coming weeks.

The girls do not only hand paint signs, they like to use the stencils too, but tend to add in their own touch.

For the sign above, the steady-handed people went back in and added snow capped letters, and below they shaded the letters.

Stencils make fast work of Christmas signs, and for a fraction of the cost of purchasing one sign we can inexpensively DIY our own. Plenty have also been gifted.  It is fulfilling making something with our own hands for the people we love.  DIY is my most thrifty way to gift.

Add Christmas to Existing Decor

You don't have to DIY decor, buy new things, or change the look of what you have with spray paint to give your home a festive look.

One of the easiest ways to deck the halls is simply by adding what you already have, to what you already have out.

Instant holiday warmth doesn't have to be more complicated than to add the usual components of the season without moving anything around.  This can be bows or ornaments, candy canes, artificial or real greens or whatever is in your Christmas bin.

Just mix it in!

Since we live in a woods with a few pine trees, I can set out a bowl of collected pine cones (that have been baked so they open up) then tuck in ornaments with the pine cones.  Nothing difficult for those years when you are short on time or just don't want to go all out.

Sure there have been years when I've gone wild using every piece of whatever that's tucked in my Christmas bins.  Over the years I have decorated every corner, and there have been years that are subtle with well placed Santa hats to ring in the holidays. No matter how much or how little decorating goes on, Christmas isn't about the lights and gifts anyway.

Now in plenty of time for the Holidays, the rest of the Thrifty Style Team is exploding with frugal ideas you can use in your home.  So come along with me and lets go see what everyone else has come up with to add some thrifty Holiday style.

DIY FELTED ACORN GARLAND from Chatfield Court

DRIED ALLIUM CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS from The Creek Line House

DIY UPCYCLED SNOW GLOBE from The How-To Home

DIY WINE BOTTLE LUMINARIES from Postcards from the Ridge

FROSTED CHRISTMAS LUMINARIES from DIY Beautify

EASY DIY PERSONALIZED CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS from 2 Bees in a Pod

THRIFTY HOLIDAY DECORATING IDEAS from Bliss Ranch

REPURPOSED PILLOWCASE SCARF from Redhead Can Decorate

EASY HOLIDAY HOOPS from I Should Be Mopping the Floor

DECOUPAGE & FRAMED CHRISTMAS CARD ON CANVAS from What Meegan Makes

DIY BIRCH LOG CHRISTMAS TREE CANDLE HOLDER from Unskinny Boppy

PERFECTLY FLOCKED PINE CONES from Duke Manor Farm

MERCURY GLASS PUMPKIN TABLESCAPE from Jennifer Rizzo

TERRACOTTA CHRISTMAS TREES from Salvage Sister and Mister

CANNING RING SNOWMAN from Cottage at the Crossroads

Quick Links:

Sew A Fine Seam

Earthy Holiday Pillows At Bliss Ranch

Flocking The Tree Using Pro Grade Flock 

Old Sign Stencils

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