This is a task, but cheap doesn’t give you permission to be tacky…blah! I have weaned out my tacky items from when I was younger over the years because it drove me nuts to see it up at Christmas. I am not into toys that sings, and dance, but enjoy more traditional décor. This year I gave in to my husband and threw away my favorite Christmas tree. I purchased it in 1994 at Ben Franklin craft store, it was 10 feet and very dimensional with areas to hang ornaments real close to the trunk. After we moved our ceiling was only 8 feet, no problem, I had Adam cut the bottom 2 feet. Over the years it started to shed like a real tree but I still loved it, call me Linus. Anyway, last year was it final one, but I wasn’t convinced until it came out of the shed for Christmas 08. It was shedding like a dead pine tree left in the woods during a hot summer. To soften the blow Adam offered me money to buy whatever tree I wanted, so out I went searching like you would if you were cutting one down yourself. I had to look from all angles and finally decided on a rustic green tree with pinecones, berries, and bare branches on it. I’m not a huge fan of pre-lit but you can hardly find any that aren’t now-a days. I like to change my colors from year to year, but had to settle on white lights. Putting it up and turning it on was like a winter sun rising, it was so bright, not what I like. So I put the blinkers on and that seemed to help. For days it sat undecorated, my sister said “you don’t even need to decorate that tree it’s so pretty”, she was right, it really was pretty. But I own so many ornaments that I had to decorate it somehow. I broke my own rule and bought some cheap plastic balls, 2 sets of 8, all matching in the same color scheme. I used “sets” of my rustic ornaments, home-made ones and plaid bows. The tree ended up better than I thought it would. I love it! I have collected Hallmarks and Disney ornaments for years and not one was put on this tree. The cost of the balls, small bows, matching ribbon for a topper, and other sets could have been done in under $50. I have been given some really nice hand made things over the years and they went perfectly on the tree.
My New Tree
Did I mention I have 3 other full size trees to decorate? Also some smaller ones, but I enjoy it. A great cheap way to fill your tree – cotton. The bag cotton works best; you can find some with shinny thread in it or glitter. Take a wad, using both hands pull in opposite direction, (make sure this is cotton and NOT angel hair), almost like you are making a log with dough. Have some at one height and the tail end go up or down, like snow on a tree. One bag is enough and under LED lights it is really pretty.
My Living Room Tree
I like to have a little Christmas all over. Another cheap thing to do is purchase bundles of holly / poinsettias and cut them. Take the pieces and place them random places, but do not be too cheap or it will look like it. Put a few together – like next to a picture frame, or on a shelf in the bathroom. I also use the same bundles outside near the mailbox.
Although many of us have no money after Christmas, it is a great time to get 1/ 2 off or even more on things for next year. I usually pick up something and then the next year when I get out all my decorations I find a gift for myself, and it’s something I like…that’s fun!
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