Want to fill your home with Christmas magic without spending a ton of money? Here area bunch of easy ideas for how to decorate for Christmas cheaply!
Christmas is such and fun and magical time of year. But, it can get expensive, really quickly.
If you want to save money, you have a few options.
You can go full on Skipping Christmas and abstain entirely.
Or, you can make an effort to go handmade and DIY yourself the Christmas aesthetic you love – on a budget.
You can absolutely share the joy of holiday decorating with budget-friendly ideas to get into the festive spirit without over spending. Today I am excited to share a ton of ideas to inspire you on this mission!
Planning Your Budget-Friendly Christmas Decorations
The most important aspect of budget decor for Christmas is planning ahead. Impulse shopping and saving decorating for the last minute usually just leads to shopping regret.
First, set a realistic budget for decorations. Even if it’s just a few dollars, be real about what you can spend. If it will help you, consider withdrawing that much cash and putting it in an envelope to spend from.
Consider shopping from these places to get new items at a low price:
- Dollar tree
- Thrift stores
- Target dollar spot
- Neighborhood facebook group
- Local Buy Nothing groups (a goldmine for free stuff!)
Utilizing Everyday Items for Christmas Decor
One of the best ways to save money on Christmas decor is to not buy it. You heard me, resist the urge!
Re-using existing decor and re-purposing non-Christmas decor to have a holiday feel are by far your best bets for zero-cost Christmas decor.
Instead of spending money on something new, try:
- re-purpose everyday items like mason jars, gift boxes, and mirrors for festive decorations.
- gather natural materials like pine cones, evergreen branches, and even cinnamon sticks as decor.
- grab something simple you already have on hand – like ribbon, wrapping paper, or extra ornaments – and use small touches to add a festive touch to your space.
DIY Christmas Decorations on a Budget
Here are some of my very favorite DIY Christmas decorations that you can make for cheap!
DIY Christmas Decorations on a Budget
Here are a ton of ideas for how to decorate your home beautifully for Christmas - without spending much or any money!
All you need is cardstock, glue, and scissors to make these 3D paper ball ornaments. They can hang on the tree or go in a bowl or vase as festive filler.
Got boxes? Pair cardboard with sticks and make these super cute wall hanging reindeer heads!
Upcycle toilet paper rolls into metallic starburst tree ornaments!
No budget for a tree? No problem! Grab a strand of lights and some hooks or thumb tacks and make a tree on the wall with lights!
If you have pine cones in your yard, you will love crafting these pine cone Christmas trees!
This wooden tree box is one of my favorite hacks. It requires a bit of building, but raises your tree a foot up - which saves you $$$ at the tree lot.
Got sand? It's super easy to use sand and/or shells to make these beach ornaments!
All you need is glue and food coloring to give regular old clear ornaments a high end sea glass look.
No tree skirt, no problem. Here's how to upcycle a bucket into a Christmas tree collar!
Grab some sticks and make this simple rustic angel tree topper!
This tabletop Christmas tree is made with sticks and a drill! Super easy!
Another branch project - this is a starburst tree topper from gathered sticks!
Upcycle old sweaters into winter pillow covers - no sewing required.
How fun are these felt fruit slice ornaments! They are easy to make and inexpesive to craft from felt.
Update old decorative houses with white spray paint so that they all match and have more of a modern look!
This is such a fun and chic idea - can you believe that these concrete trees are made from disposable cups?!
Another fun craft made using cups - these faux jingle bells! Super easy to make a ton and use for cohesive decor around your house.
Have a basket or bucket you can re-use? I love this idea for upcycling it into Christmas decor!
How To Make Giant Christmas Ornaments From Plastic Balls
Grab old balls - not ornament balls, actual playing balls -a nd turn them into jumbo fabric ornaments!
I love the simple and chic look of these light up paper Christmas trees!
This is another super creative Christmas craft - twinkle christmas trees on top of wine glasses!
This is a sweet and simple way to update a frame you already have for the holidays - make yard tassels into tree art!
Easy DIY Gnome for Christmas Decor Using Dollar Store Materials
How adorable is this lil christmas gnome? He's super cute and easy to make yourself!
How To Make Cheap and Easy Paper Bag Snowflakes with Lunch Bags
Woul you believe that these 3D snowflakes were made from paper bags?! Such a high impact decoration idea from recycled paper!
Add a snowy aesthetic to your decor - using cotton balls!
These wooden trees require a little bit of power tools but are simple and chic to make from scrap wood!
Put all of those recycled boxes to use by cutting out and painting these jumbo cardboard ornaments!
Another great use of recycled cardboard - cut out these gingerbread house garlands!
Make a wire cursive word and add it to an existing wreaths and centerpieces to give them a fresh look.
Remember that there are endless possibilities for budget-friendly Christmas decorations. There are tons of ways to save money on Christmas decor – especially if you are willing to get crafty!
Other DIY Christmas tree shaped decor ideas
Don’t miss some of our other tree-shaped DIY Christmas decor ideas to keep you busy this holiday season!
- DIY wooden tabletop Christmas trees
- DIY outdoor slatted Christmas tree
- DIY dowel Christmas tree
- Boho wall hanging Christmas tree
- DIY Christmas tree poinsettia stand
- DIY Christmas tree shaped card holder
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Hello, I’m Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I’ve transformed three homes and now I’m dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let’s turn your house into a home together!