4 budget-friendly Christmas decorating tips

Nothing gets you into the holiday spirit quite like festive decorations. But who has money to spend on decorations when you're probably already spending a small fortune on gifts? If you're on a strict budget this holiday season, here are four tips for decorating your home that won't cost a lot.

[Photo Credit: iStock.com/merc67]

If you look around your home, you'll likely find many objects that can be transformed into Christmas decorations.

• Items such as candlesticks, colourful serving bowls and dried (or fake) flowers can be the start of a fun and creative decorating project for you and your family.
• If you remember where you put last year's holiday decorations, dig around to see if there are elements or pieces you can incorporate into this year's theme. It will give your decorating a sense of tradition.

Instead of hanging the same old ornaments on the tree, grab a handful of pine cones and use them instead. Decorating your tree with festive pine cone ornaments is a breeze. To do this:

• First, decide on a theme for your tree. Then gather all the pine cones you'll need. If there are none in your yard, ask a neighbour if you can collect from their garden.
• If you're decorating the entire tree from top to bottom, you'll probably need more pine cones than you might think – although this number will vary based on the size of your tree.
• After you've gathered the pine cones, decide how you'll use them.

For a rustic look
If your theme is rustic, you can simply tie a bit of bright ribbon or twine to each one and hang them from the branches.

• Make a loop in the ribbon and use a pushpin to attach the ribbon to the pine cone.

For an elegant look
If you want a more refined-looking tree, spray paint the pine cones or cover them in glitter.

• You can paint the cones any colour you like, including metallic shades such as gold and silver.
• If you decide to glitter the pine cones instead, brush or spray glue all over the pine cone, then douse liberally with glitter and shake gently to remove excess. Allow your pine cones to fully dry before attaching a ribbon and hanging them on the tree.

Some greenery grabbed from your garden is perfect for making garland and wreaths.

For example, evergreen branches can be used just as they are to decorate doorways, tables and other surfaces. They add a homey, natural touch to the décor.

• Add embellishments to the evergreen branches, such as ribbons and lights, for a pop of colour.

To make an attractive wreath,  simply bend supple branches into a circle and tie the ends together with strong twine or a zip tie.

• Cover the tie with a pretty bow, add some ribbon or other small items, and then hang it on your door.

One of the more striking and original Christmas decoration ideas is a miniature village set on a table in your home. If you buy the pieces retail, this setup can get very expensive. Fortunately, you can often purchase items from yard sales, thrift stores and dollar stores to make up a complete set.

• If the village looks mismatched or if some pieces appear worn, you can remedy the problem by simply spray painting them all the same colour.
• A miniature village that's completely white, for example, is especially striking against a pretty red cloth festooned with a few ornaments.

There are always ways to decorate on a budget if you have some ingenuity and a little bit of time. So before you spend any money, see which items you may already have on hand, and create a decorating strategy based on those things.