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Holiday Décor on a Budget

© L.C. Dumke

Is it really December again? Each year, as I'm running around looking for last-minute gifts and decorations, I vow that next year will be different. "I'll start preparing in August-I mean it!" I exclaim to family and friends over holiday dinner, with the intention to do just that. They all nod in agreement, saying they too won't get caught in the holiday rush another year.

Then, life happens. School begins, and between work schedules and the kids' school and sports schedules, time just slips away. Before you know it, Halloween and Thanksgiving are history. Then one morning you wake up to find that Christmas is around the corner and there's just not enough time to get everything done.

Does this sound familiar? If it does, what in the world are we all going to do? Should we throw our hands up in the air and say "forget it, I'm not decorating for the holidays this year"? You can, but there's no need to. There are plenty of fast, easy and (best of all) inexpensive ways to decorate for the holidays year. Here are some of my favorite:

* Stairwell décor- Make descending your stairwell a magical event by wrapping inexpensive metallic garland around the hand rail and through the spindles.

* Wreaths- You can make a wreath out of anything. Try wrapping grapevine lasso-style a few times and cinching it with a ribbon. Or try pine cones, the holidays cards you receive, or even leftover gift wrap bows glued to a mold.

* A Glimmer of Light- Fill your fireplace with candles for a simple, romantic alternative to a real fire.

* Light up Your Greenery- Wrap your large indoor plants and trees with tiny lights (just like you do for your Christmas tree).

* Kids' stuff- Raid your kids room and borrow a few stuffed animals, especially chubby little bears. Dress them up for the holidays by giving them red ribbons around their necks, and little wrapped gifts (empty of course) to hold. Set them out on bookshelves and tables and they're part of a fun, kid-friendly holiday look.

* Wire Ornaments- If you're running low on ornaments, grab a spool of wire at the hardware store and get out your pliers and wire cutters. Twist the wire into festive shapes likes stars and angels, and they'll add an interesting, folksy-shine to your tree.

* Easy Centerpieces- Fill bowls and vases with ornaments (especially old-fashioned glass ones) for holiday centerpieces.

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