Are you ready to deck your halls, but instead of sugar plums, you are seeing visions of dollar signs? Stress no more about your holiday decor. Lighten up because we have some great low-cost, full of frills decorating ideas. With just a few simple items, you too can create a winter wonderland. (And still have money left over for after-Christmas steals.)
You’re likely to find any number of the items used for the following projects right beneath your nose. (Or at least in the innumerable holiday bins impatiently waiting to be rescued from storage.) Rifle through what you have before you buy new. At last check some (or one) of us had six extra boxes of unused lights last year (ahem, will the holiday hoarder please stand up?)
Moving right along…
1. Brilliantly Simple Vase
For those of you who are a bit decor-shy, we’ll start out super simple. And it doesn’t get any easier than this. If you don’t already have a large hurricane or even an oversized clear serving bowl in your stash o’stuff, you can find one most anywhere. We purchased ours from Target. Stop into any craft store and you’ll likely find one in a size to suit your taste. Be sure your vessel is large enough to make a statement and hold a strand of lights and garland.
You won’t be using the entire strand of garland. (Check out our list of quick decorating ideas below to see how to put the rest of that garland to good use.) First, unravel your string of lights, plug them in and be sure they work. Nothing fizzles our nerves more than a new, uncooperative strand of lights. Remember to leave the plug end of the light strand outside the hurricane. This decoration is meant as a side/entry table or counter display and you will want to have enough cord to reach your outlet.
With lights in one hand, garland in the other, haphazardly lay the two inside your hurricane vase. See, we told you this was going to be easy. You will want the lights to show through the garland; be frugal with the garland so as not to overcrowd the lights and dim their display. Fluff up the garland and move the lights around until you’re happy with your lights-to-garland ratio, cut the garland and lay the end in your vase. (Do not cut the light string – especially if they are still plugged in. It would completely ruin this craft and your day!)
Secure your cord to the vase using decorative ribbon. Plug it in and stand back and marvel at your decorating prowess.
Shopping list: Hurricane vase ($15), tinsel garland ($6), 50-count string lights ($2.49) from Target.