Christmas and decorations go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, Christmas decor can be extremely expensive. Is it even possible to decorate for the holidays on a budget?
The answer is yes, and in this blog post, you’ll discover 15+ ideas for cheap Christmas decorations that will still look absolutely amazing in your home!
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How To Decorate For Christmas On A Budget
If you are on a budget, you might be feeling frustrated that you can’t decorate your house the way you see it done on Pinterest or Instagram. Or perhaps you know it can be done, you just have no idea where to actually start.
Listen, there are a ton of great ways you can make your home look and feel amazing for the holidays, no matter what your budget is. Here are my top tips.
Related Read: Start Now and Have a Debt-Free Christmas
Tip #1 – Use What You Have
First, use all the decorations that you already have.
If something feels out of style, or you simply don’t love it anymore, think of how you can revive it. Are you able to paint it? Can you layer it with something else? Get creative with how you can bring these decor items back to life.
You can even take this a step further by using non-holiday home items to decorate for Christmas. For example, use festive wrapping paper to create book sleeves, and then put those books out on display. Or you could paint an old vase a festive Christmas color.
Tip #2 – Keep Your Decorations In The Main Living Areas
While it can be tempting to want to decorate your entire home, this may not fit your budget right now. Instead, focus on decorating your main living areas as much as possible.
After all, this is where you will be spending the majority of your time when you’re at home. Plus, this is the space that your guests will see as well.
Tip #3 – Decorate For Winter, Not Just Christmas
Oftentimes, we think we need to decorate with Christmas-specific items in order to make our home feel festive. But layering winter decor together with your Christmas decor can make your home feel equally festive.
Plus, with winter decor, you get an added cozy vibe which is always a nice perk.
What’s great about this tip is that it is easy to decorate for winter on a budget. Add some extra throw blankets, string lights, and candles to your space, and your home will feel super cozy in addition to feeling festive for the holidays.
Tip #4 – Add Lights
If you look closely at the pictures of Christmas decor on Pinterest or other sites, you will notice that most of them incorporate a lot of lighting elements like string lights from the Christmas tree, a fireplace, or some candles.
Well, the good news is that you can add additional mood lights to your home really easily on a budget. Utilize string lights, candles, lanterns, lamps, and anything else you can find around your home to brighten up your space.
If you don’t already have these items, you can get some budget-friendly options at Amazon, Walmart, etc.
Tip #5 – Look For Used Items
A great way to save money on Christmas decor is to buy used items. Be sure to check out your local thrift store or even Facebook Marketplace. Here, you are sure to find beautiful Christmas decor pieces that people don’t want anymore because they have changed their theme, downsized to a smaller home, etc.
Some pieces you can simply clean up and put on display right away, while others you might need to fix up a bit.
Tip #6 – DIY Your Decor
If you love crafting, then consider doing some DIY projects. I have shared some DIY project ideas in this blog post, but if there is something else you want to make yourself, do a quick search on Google or YouTube and see what you can find. There are a ton of DIY resources out there on the Internet, complete with detailed material lists and step-by-step instructions
15+ Ideas For Cheap Christmas Decorations
1. Snowflake String Lights
Looking to add more light to your space? These string lights on Amazon are shaped like snowflakes, so not only are these great for decorating for Christmas, but you could actually leave them up all winter if you like.
They are battery-operated and come with a remote for easy on/off functionality.
2. Window Curtain String Lights
You can also add light to your windows by hanging string light curtains. These are lights that come on multiple strands and hang down like curtains. This can add a lot of mood lighting and ambiance to your home during the holiday season.
This set comes with different modes for the lights like a wave, twinkle, etc. This will allow you to further customize the light in your space.
3. Garland
Adding elements of nature is a one of the top ideas for cheap Christmas decorations. You can do this with a Christmas tree, but it can also be nice to add some garland around your home for that added festive touch!
This faux tree garland is the perfect place to start. It comes as a 50ft long piece which makes it extremely versatile for decorating your home. You can…
- add it above your kitchen cabinets.
- wrap it around your banisters or columns.
- drape it over your mantle, bookshelves, etc.
You might also try layering the garland with other decor pieces like string lights, beads, pinecones, or even Christmas tree ornaments.
4. Christmas Tree Decorations
Dressing your Christmas tree is one of the best ways to decorate for the holidays. Plus, there are a ton of economical options to help you stay within your budget and achieve the look you’re going for.
Here are some sets from Amazon to get you started.
The nice thing about these decorations is you can do more with them than simply adding them to a tree. As I mentioned above, you can add them to your garland, but you can also add them to wreaths, jars, or even decorative tabletop arrangements.
5. DIY Knitted Tree Skirt
If you want a quick DIY project that will be fun to make, but also look really great, then check out this DIY knitted tree skirt from Play Hooky With Me on YouTube.
Adding knitted elements to your Christmas decor will give your home a really warm and cozy feeling. Plus, it is fun to be able to say you made something.
What is great about this particular project is that you don’t need any crochet or knitting needles. The entire project is done by finger knitting. (Don’t worry! You will learn how to do this when you watch the video.)
All you need is some yarn.
6. Christmas Stockings
Stockings are a very traditional part of Christmas decor, and they don’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
Don’t wait until you have stocking stuffers. Go ahead and hang them up. Stockings will add a cozy touch and a bit of whimsy to any space.
If you would prefer to try and DIY your own stockings, then check out these two tutorials.
And, once you’re ready to fill those stockings, head on over and take a look at 50+ Of The Most Affordable Stocking Stuffers – Perfect For The Whole Family! for a bit of inspiration.
7. Christmas Pillows
Turn your regular throw cushions into festive Christmas pillows with some decorative pillow covers. You can find covers in various sizes and with different colors and themes.
There’s an amazing selection of pillow covers on Amazon to choose from that will help elevate your specific Christmas decor theme when you’re looking for ideas for cheap Christmas decorations.
Related Read: Cozy Christmas Pillow Covers on the Cheap!
8. Throw Blankets
As I mentioned previously, one of the best ways to decorate your home on a budget is to focus on making your home feel warm and cozy. A great way to do this is to add additional throw blankets to your space.
You can either add Christmas-themed blankets or everyday-use blankets.
Either way, these are sure to make your home feel even homier during the holidays.
9. Welcome Mat
Greet guests at the door with a festive welcome mat. This gives your guests a place to wipe off their shoes and adds some Christmas cheer to your home.
These mats on Amazon are highly rated and come in a few different styles that you can choose from. Here are a couple of our favorites!
10. DIY Christmas Wreath
Unfortunately, Christmas wreaths can be quite costly unless you can find a used one that you like. When looking for ideas for cheap Christmas decorations, I recommend making a DIY Christmas wreath instead.
In this YouTube video, DIY guru Lori Blye will teach you how to make 6 different-style wreaths that you can hang over your door, on the walls, etc. Each option is simple to make, stylish, and affordable.
11. Miniature Christmas Tree
Whether or not you plan to put up a full-sized Christmas tree, you might also consider adding mini trees throughout your home. They are budget-friendly and are great for adding some Christmas decor to your dining room buffet, bathrooms, kitchen island, or office space.
You can either add the mini tree as-is to your space or decorate it with mini string lights, ornaments, and more.
12. Wrapped Presents
Nothing says Christmas like having presents wrapped and on display. But if you’re not done with your holiday shopping, how do you do this?
Simply take some empty boxes and wrap them for display with some festive wrapping paper. This is an incredibly affordable way to decorate and will get everyone at home excited for their real presents.
13. Table Runner
Add a little festive decoration to your dining room table with a simple table runner. This buffalo plaid table runner is modern without being overly trendy. It fits nicely with any sort of rustic or farmhouse Christmas decor theme.
You can also add a festive centerpiece on top of the table runner if you want to add a little more punch to your Chrismas themed decor in the dining room.
14. DIY Centerpiece
Centerpieces are another decor item that can get very expensive very quickly. So, if you are willing to do a DIY project, then consider making your own centerpiece using budget-friendly supplies from your local craft store or dollar store.
To get ideas and inspiration for DIY centerpieces, check out this video from Ramone at Home.
15. Christmas Themed Anti Fatigue Mat
If you are going to spend a lot of time cooking and baking in the kitchen this holiday season, why not add an anti-fatigue mat to your space?
You can find these mats for less than fifteen dollars, and they come in all sorts of festive patterns to enhance your Christmas decor.
These mats are both attractive and practical. Not only do they make your kitchen more functional, but they also provide another decorative element.
16. Dish Towels
When it comes to decorating your kitchen, try to focus on finding holiday-themed items that you use every day. A great example of this is dish towels.
There are many budget-friendly options that you can get from Amazon, Target, or even HomeGoods. Here are a few highly-rate options from Amazon highly-rated to get you started.
17. Christmas Kitchenware
In addition to dish towels, things like dishes, canisters, and jars are another way to use practical items to decorate for Christmas. There are loads of cute Christmas-themed items that you can add to your kitchen for a pop of extra holiday theming. Some ideas include:
- A utensil holder
- Cookie Jar
- Christmas Mugs
- Candy Dish
- Mixing Bowls
Make sure to visit your local thrift store, dollar store, or even budget stores like HomeGoods to see what you can find that will match your budget.
18. Hot Chocolate Bar
Hot Chocolate or cocoa is a popular drink around the holiday season, so why not add a dedicated hot chocolate bar to your kitchen?
You can use a box like this one to keep all the items at your hot chocolate bar neat and tidy.
For the supplies, you might consider using glass jars or mason jars so that you can actually see the cocoa powder, marshmallows, etc.
Then, simply fill up your station with any other supplies you want like candy cane spoons, drizzle sauce, etc.
Before you go, I want to share one final tip with you; remember, you don’t have to buy everything you need right now.
One of the best ways to save money on holiday decor is by buying it when things start to go on sale. This can happen either right before Christmas (middle to end of December), or right after Christmas.
I’d love for you to join my Facebook Community where I handpick daily deals from popular retailers that will help you decorate for Christmas on a budget during the holiday season!
I hope that this blog post has given you hope and inspiration for ideas for cheap Christmas decorations that will make your home feel cozy and inviting.
Happy decorating!
Read Next:
Start Now and Have a Debt-Free Christmas
Decorating on a Budget: A Debt-Free Family’s Guide
A hand sewn mit was featured on the top of this page. Could you possibly give me the site where I could see how this mit was made? Many thanks for your help ~Paula