Christmas Decorations for Beginners

As I mentioned in this post about fall decorations I grew up in a house that was decorated to the nines for the holidays. So for me to feel like I was at home during the holiday season I wanted my spaces to feel decorated for the holidays. But being that I was/am broke I had to be seriously creative to get the look I wanted. Here is what I came up with.

In 2008 I bought an 18" pre-lit (is that how you spell it?) tree from Target for about $20.00 and I had about seven ornaments that my mom gave me to put on it. Not the greatest looking thing but it was my first year on my own and I was happy to have something.

Fast forward to 2011. Same tree but with significantly more ornaments. My big tip of the day? If you patiently wait until the day after Christmas there are massive deals in the Christmas aisle at every store. Before Christmas ornaments are $3.99 and after Christmas they are $.50! Every year I go to the Christmas aisle and pick out a few ornaments that I like.

Last year I bought a wreath form for about $12 and used yarn to create a holiday-ish wreath. It isn't super Christmasy but it has a holiday-vibe with the bells.

These two images are of little garlands that I made. Like I said, I was broke so I got creative. I used ribbon, a $5 pack of mini-ornaments from Target, and a pack of vintage looking gift tags. I strung them together and hung them around my room. I loved the look! Another tip: Use gift tags as ornaments. Some of those gift tags are seriously cool looking and you can get a pack of 100 for $5.00 which is much cheaper than real ornaments!

My first few Christmases on my own I didn't have a lot of money but I wanted to get that cozy Christmas feeling of home. I think I accomplished my mission. This year I have my own home and a little more money than I did my first year out. I think I will get a real tree this year (and one that is bigger than 18"). Stay tuned for pictures!

Happy Christmas Decorating Day (as it's known to those of us who decorate instead of shop on Black Friday)!