10 Beautiful Christmas Decorating Ideas On A Budget

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I don’t know about you but I LOVE decorating for Christmas! However, I don’t like the price tag that can sometimes come with it. Today I am here to share 10 beautiful Christmas decorating ideas on a budget that won’t break the bank.

You will love these 1o beautiful Christmas decorating ideas on a budget!

Bonus: I am also sharing a gift card giveaway that some of my friends and I have teamed up to give away!

A $125 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Each month I get together with the Thrifty Style Team hosted by Julie over at Redhead Can Decorate and we share DIY projects and decor inspiration that won’t break the bank! Well this month we wanted to make our posts extra special and bless one of our followers with a $125 Amazon gift card!

Thrifty Style Team $125 Amazon Gift Gard Giveaway

The rules for winning this giveaway are simple : You must be a subscriber to my blog and leave a comment below with your favorite budget friendly decorating idea for Christmas on this post.  The giveaway will run for 1 week beginning Friday Dec. 11th at 8am EST and closing at noon on Friday Dec.18th EST. This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. The winner will be notified via email. Let me know if you have any questions!

10 Beautiful Christmas Decorating Ideas On A Budget

It’s no secret that decorating for Christmas is what I look forward to all year long. Today I am sharing my secrets about how I achieve beautiful Christmas decor on a reasonable budget. They are in no particular order and I am sure I have way more than 10 but these were the big ideas I find myself using year after year.

1. Buy Decor Off of FB Marketplace or At Flea Markets

My two favorite places to shop for budget friendly Christmas decorations are FB Marketplace and flea markets. The large candle holder you see below I scored off of FB Marketplace for $20. It is originally from Pottery Barn and looks great as a centerpiece!

Sometimes you have to be willing to dig and scour the flea markets for items to use in your home around the holidays. My go to’s at flea markets for Christmas are nativity sets, vintage ornaments, plaid blankets and old Santa mugs. Actually there are a million other things but those were my favorites this year.

And don’t forget, you can also sell your items you no longer want on FB Marketplace or at a garage sale to help you stay on budget!

2. Get Creative With Your Wrapping

One inexpensive way to add some color and charm to your Christmas decor is to change up your wrapping paper yearly. I love to hit up after Christmas sales for wrapping paper and I also find some of the best and most affordable wrapping paper at Home Goods and TJ Maxx.

Comfort and Joy holiday gift wrapping with my new Cricut Explore Air 2.

You can even get creative with vinyl words, gift tags and ribbon! On the gift below I added a mini brass horn for some extra charm.

These simple and pretty Christmas wrapping ideas are easy to do especially if you have your Christmas shopping done early!

Red, and white Christmas wrapping with pretty ribbon!

3. Make Your Own Ornaments

Making your own Christmas ornaments is a great way to save money. I made these blue ones using nail polish the year I decided to go from reds to blues. It was an inexpensive way to add a new color with out breaking the bank!

DIY blue ornaments for Christmas.

I was even able to get the kids involved which made it even more fun! If I decide to start decorating with pinks next year I will just make my own  ornaments again…I bet my girls would love pink. My husband and boys, not so much! Ha!

Come see how we added touches of blue to our Christmas tree.

4. Buy Faux Garland and Real Garland

I always love using garland at Christmas whether it be real or faux! My secret trick to buying faux garland is to buy it either after Christmas when it is marked down or to buy it in the off season when there are big sales. The garland above our pew was from a local shop here in Northern Colorado and normally it was over $100! I snagged it at their after Christmas sale for almost 70 % off. I love a good deal.

As for my live garland that I like to use on our porch…I buy mine at either Home Depot, Trader Joes or Costco. All of these places sell live gorgeous  25ft garland for under $20. So affordable! Also, places like Home Depot will let you take their tree clippings for free if you just ask!

5. Use A Non-Traditional Tree Skirt or Collar

When decorating for Christmas I like to think outside of the box. I am constantly looking for basket, boxes, crates or anything that a tree can fit in. This year I found this gorgeous square shaped vintage basket that my tree fit in perfectly. It was less than $30 and so stinking cute. I placed an old chenille bedspread in there to soften it up. Sometimes I even like to use tablecloths. Everything is fair game when it comes to decorating my Christmas trees.

For several years I have placed our huge 9ft tree in this old tree crate. I loved how unusual it was! You can see the full tree HERE.

6. Use Books and More Books

Books are my go to when it comes to decorating all throughout the year. I have even made a book garland before! But at Christmas I think decorating with books is a budget friendly way to pop color. I love to look for red and green books at the flea markets all year long and save them for Christmas. To spice them up a bit I also like to wrap them in ribbon like the books you see below.

And sometimes I even like to wrap them up in wrapping paper! So easy and so budget friendly and beautiful!

Advent devotions and Christmas Crafts for Families

7. Make Your Own Wreaths

Who doesn’t love a good DIY at Christmas? One of my favorite things to make are wreaths. This large outdoor Christmas wreath was simple and fun and I already had almost all of the supplies. It literally cost me under $30 to make.

I also had fun making this DIY moss and glitter wreath with items from the Target dollar bins!

Moss and glitter wreath DIY

8. Change Up Your Ribbon

Each year I like to mix things up just a little bit when it comes to my Christmas decor. The first place I start is always my ribbon. My trick for good ribbon is to search for it not in the Christmas section but rather in the normal ribbon section of places like Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Also I have found some of my all time favorite ribbon at Home Goods, like the plaid ribbon you see below!

Pretty ribbon is a must when it comes to wrapping Christmas presents!

Mixing and matching ribbons and wrapping paper has quickly become a favorite way to spice up my decor on a budget. In our Christmas home tour I wrapped and placed fake presents in our printers cabinet with different ribbon for some budget friendly decorations. Cute, right?! My kids like to ask each year if they are real presents or my fake ones! They have learned my tricks!

9. Display those Vintage Ornaments and Family Heirlooms

Vintage ornaments and family ornaments are absolutely beautiful and special especially when displayed for the holidays. I love adding them to bowls, trees or centerpieces to make them a focal point! The Shiny Brites on the tree below were my husband’s granny’s ornaments and we treasure them.

Welcome Home Sunday: Our Christmas Home Tour

The large jar of all silver ornaments on my counter I found at a local flea market for less than $20 for the entire jar! I didn’t have to do anything with them except place them in a wreath on my counter and BOOM…instant centerpiece! They steal the show on their own.

10. Use Free Printables

For me I love to search Pinterest and other blogs for fun and FREE printables. This year I created a Free Holiday Printables Bundle for everyone who subscribes to my blog. You can check those out here!

10 Beautiful Christmas Decorating Ideas On A Budget

Hopefully I gave you a few good ideas for Christmas decorating on a budget. My hope is that you found that it is possible to have a beautifully decorated home for Christmas even if you are on a budget! GIVEAWAY CLODED Remember to leave me a comment below with your favorite budget friendly Christmas decorating tip and subscribe to my blog for a chance to enter to win the $125 Amazon gift card. I appreciate you stopping by by today and I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

XOXO,

Kelly

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104 Comments

  2. It is hard to pick one of your ideas. But I think the mini tree in the checkered box is mine. When I was 16, I was home alone for the holidays (long story) and I chopped down the equivalent of a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. It was 2′ tall, and the only thing I had for ornaments were blown out eggs rolled in cake decorating beads. It even tilted a bit like his! This tree reminds me of that one, and I only wish I had a camera for a good memory of that day.

  4. hello!!! thanks for this giveaway….could use it for Christmas, for sure!!! I use fresh greens cut from my trees and bushes in my decor, inside and outside!!! I also use store bought (dollar store) garland and use it as a valance (kind of). thank you!! and Happy Holidays to everyone!!!! (I am a subscriber as well)

    Angela from NJ

  5. I’m a subscriber and love your ideas for Christmas. I love to stack anything up, books, quilts, pillows, and then tie with a ribbon to make it look like a present. Thanks for the giveaway!

    1. Kelly, everything looks like a million bucks! No one would say the words “budget friendly” when looking at these ideas… but they are just what this frugal Mom needs. I know I have some red and green books around here somewhere?!! Just need that gorgeous velvet ribbon. Thanks for the inspiration. Merry Christmas to you and Yours.

  6. Kelly I found your blog through an incredibly lovely lady, Paula @SweetPea!!!! I think this is such a lovely gift you all are putting out there. God bless your Christmas and love your ideas!!!!

  7. I’m a subscriber all and love your inspiration. To decorate on a budget I find all you need to start is greenery (picks or fresh from your yard) and ribbon. That will make anything look festive. From there you can add fake snow, lights, ornaments and pinecones depending on the budget.

  10. I love being a subscriber!! And I love DIY and saving money! So at my home at Christmas time I love going out around my house in the yard and cutting fresh greenery to use in old junky items that I have had around for a long time! Also love making easy oraments for my grandkids to do and I teach 2- 5 Sunday School so we are making oraments for them to take home! As you and tell I just love DIY! Thanks for sharing your home for Christmas! I love it! 🎄

  11. I just love all your painted furnitures and all your Christmas trees. I haveade my own decorations this year. Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful prize.

  12. Free printables are very handy for tags and yours are particularly nice. I make mine large so they are easy to see and read. Sometimes I go a step further and personalize the to and from before printing.
    Thanks for sponsoring the drawing.
    Sheila

  13. I love how your little things can make a big impact when you group them together. Over the years I have been given gifts of snowmen and angels. On their own, they didn’t seem to make much of a decoration impact until I gathered the snowmen together and did a table top scape of all of them together. The same thing was true when I gathered all my angels on my fireplace mantle. The variety of their composition makes the display more interesting — from fabric, to wood, to glass to stone, as well as style of modern, to artsy to primitive, etc.

  14. I’m a subscriber and I love to wrap empty boxes like presents and stack them around…even as a center piece on the dining table.

  15. My favourite thrifty thing I make at Christmas is my homemade Christmas crackers. I use toilet paper tubes and put in a dollar lottery ticket along with a few chocolates and this year I’m including a note saying why I appreciate that person. For my grandchildren I always put in a different pez dispenser every year. Everyone always looks forward to opening theirs at our Christmas dinner.

  16. Hard to choose one favorite!
    I’m going to try wrapping and using books!
    I’m excited for this!
    As an aside, I’m also getting ready to paint a chest like your green one!
    I’ve been eyeing yours for a while!

    Scary tho!
    Thanks,
    Melanie

  17. I am a subscriber & I love a bargain! I’ve gotten old red & green books, an old green lunch box & vintage ornaments from thrift stores to decorate with! Saved money & beautiful Christmas decor: Win Win!!!
    Merry Christmas!

  18. I love buying the fresh garland and wreaths at Trader Joe’s! They make the house smell so Christmasy!!
    I also love the printable tags! Thank you!

  20. My favorite budget friendly Christmas decorating tip is to use collect pine cones and cut them in half and paint them to make flowers to decorate your wreath.

  22. I love the wood crate used to hold Your Christmas tree; I have to admit I may have a box/crate addiction. For the past two years I have put my tree in a copper boiler which looks Great. Thanks for all your creative ideas not just for Christmas, but all year long. Merry Christmas!

  23. Love adding bowls and vintage boxes filled with old ornaments…the old ones have the prettiest patina.

  27. I’m a subscriber and I love finding items at garage sales and market place. You can find unbelievable items.

  28. I am a subscriber and I love buying Christmas paper goods – plates, napkins, cups, etc at the after Christmas sales and having them ready for entertaining the next year! Thank you for all of the great budget friendly ideas….Merry Christmas!

  29. The nail polish ornaments were so pretty, I wasn’t expecting them to be that simple.
    Happy to be a subscriber!

  31. You have such great ideas that it’s hard to narrow it down to one. I love to read and what a great way to get a little extra bang out of them when you wrap them. I really like the idea of finding antique books in green and red covers to display. I will be looking for some to use in 2021! Loved the added touch of a velvet ribbon. Thanks for sharing. I am a subscriber!

  33. Holiday Greetings Kelly~ I have been a subscriber……..although there are several budget ideas I have re this topic, I like framing the right kind of holiday card that has a snowman on it. The frames can be those I have around the house or purchased and redone from thrift stores. They’re placed about where a touch of holiday is needed!

  34. Christmas decorating always includes faux greenery…everywhere!! And, you can leave some of it up after the holiday as the winter moves forward! Create arrangements with balls and bows, tuck behind other decor on shelves, and wreaths on every door!

  36. Hello, I am a recent subscriber and I’m so glad I found your website. I have gotten so many ideas to try next year. I say next year because we’re in the process of selling our Victorian home right now but I couldn’t let Christmas go by without decorating some. I am a yardsale, dollar store. Charity store buyer. I couldn’t take my decorations out of the building to decorate with all the boxes sitting around but I still managed to put up a tree, decorate some areas around the room we live in. I found lights and bulbs for my tree and the Salvation Army store and greenery from outside. You inspire me to create items for next Christmas during the coming year so I can be ready to decorate a whole different style of home. Thanks for the ideas. I am saving them on my home screen so I can start making our new home really special next year. So happy I found your site.

  37. Wow, you have so many great budget ideas! Some so easy and really transform room to a Christmas wonderland. I find just changing out my throw pillows and throws makes a complete change for the season. You can always find great throw pillows on Amazon, Target and at Pottery Barn when they are on sale 🙂

  39. This year I placed the tree in a large ceramic pot. Everyone who visits me tells me that that idea would not have occurred to him and they admire how beautiful it looks.

  40. As a book lover and big reader, I really like using books as decor! A great idea I haven’t seen before.

  41. I have a question 🙋🏻‍♀️. How do you get your Christmas tree to sit in the boxes/baskets? I cannot wrap my head around it. How does it stand up! I have tried all kinds of things, metal tubs, baskets, etc, but I can never seem to have room with the “feet “(stand) of the tree. Please explain? This has been a mystery to me 😁🤓. Also, love your holiday decor, it’s perfectly enough and not overwhelming.

    1. Hi Crystal! The trick is measuring the base of the tree stand before you buy or pick your tub, basket, box, etc.! My tree literally sits in this basket so it works perfectly! Now our big tree that I place in the old tree crate I literally had to shove in and wedge it in! It made me a bit nervous! Hope that helps:) Thanks for your kind comments about my decor too….means a lot to me! Merry Christmas!

      1. This helped me. Thank you for replying! I think I am going through the “40 something brain”, where sometimes things that are so simple do not compute..haha. Your blog has been an inspiration for me , I pray you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

        1. Oh good I am so glad! Girl I can relate…I turn 41 in a few days and I swear I am losing my mind most days! Ha! Thank you so much for your prayers they mean a lot. Merry Christmas to you and yours too!

  42. I think the best budget decor for me is sharing with my sister. We swap decor items all year, really. And when we are finished we send it back. No need for storage. Win Win.

  43. Hi Kelly, I love your blog, and I’m subscribed to it. My favorite budget-friendly decorating idea for Christmas is using items found in nature. I’ve been finding lots of tree bark this year, which I’ve put in my dough bowl with found pine cones, leftover greenery from our tree, and some sparkly ornaments. Beautiful, simple, and fun. Thanks for the give away. Merry Christmas!

  44. This lady buys only fabric ribbons to tie on presents and then collects it when the presents are opened and uses it again next year.
    As for decorating…shopping after Christmas sales, ebay, and facebook marketplace. Flea markets!
    I basicly copy whatever my daughter does!!!

  45. Love reading your blog. And I love the green colour on your dresser. I am a seasonal decorator and enjoy seeing how you make simple changes to the top of the dresser with such impact! Always inspires me!
    Sharon

  46. I love all of the antiques you use in your house! Your trees are beautiful and I can wait to try the nail polish ornaments. I’ve been a subscriber for several years and just look forward to see what you come up with next. Have a very Merry Christmas!!🎄🎁

  47. I like to mix live and faux greenery (garlands, picks, etc) together. It makes the faux greenery look more realistic and adds a wonderful scent to the house!

  48. I love the books covered in plaid paper to add a extra sytle of decor. Can’t wait to get my books covered.

  49. I love the suggestion to search FB marketplace for Christmas decorations. I never thought of that. Love the PB candle holder for $20! Also, to use it for selling my Christmas stuff so I can make room for new old finds! Love the plaids!

  50. I love cutting greenery and red berries out of the yard and incorporating them around the house and over cabinets.

  51. I have just become a subscriber, and I am really enjoying your post. There are so many good ideas, but my favorite is the creative ways that the packages are wrapped and the suggestion to purchase paper at Home Goods or Marshalls. Adding natural elements to the packages is inspired. I found myself purchasing papers that coordinated to tell a story beneath the tree. All of your ideas are lovely!

  52. I can’t believe it took me this long to subscribe to your fun blog!! I love your tree in the basket and wood box idea! I also love decorating with vintage ornaments and books!! I love using books year round and Christmas is no exception! Thanks for all your fun ideas and letting us see inside your beautiful home!
    Merry Christmas, Kelly! 🎄

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