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Holiday Decorating on a Budget

Last post 11-22-2008 3:55 PM by Joyous. 22 replies.
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  • 08-14-2008 12:53 PM In reply to

    • MarthaMFI
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    • Joined on 04-16-2008
    • New Westminster, BC, Canada
    • Posts 4,159

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    I decorated but not over the top. no breakables at the moment  I have wreaths for each season/holiday and change them every other month. besides the holiday wreaths I have for easter/valentines day. I made a xmas on from a mary maxim kit, and glued flowers etc on a grapevine wreath for summer.  wrapped a grapevine wreath in strands of gold beads with a big wired gold and burgundy bow for odd months like January.

    I have one more grapevine that I will decorate with poppies for Nov for remembrance day.   I got my spring wreath with fiber optic butterflies for $5 at liquidation world last year.

       I have gotten items at dollar stores, michaels end of holiday clearouts are great. made some, thrift stores, kids crafts too.  dd made a very cute navitity scene at preschool.  cling vinyl window decorations etc.

    Got two fancy big santas for $8 a couple of months ago from value village.    Also I loved the moving decoration from avon. the plush ones that play music.

    Halloween is a weakness. between xmas and halloween that is the most boxes. besides the wreaths the rest of thanksgiving,easter, st patricks and valentines day fit in one tub. 

    After a couple of years I had lots of xmas stuff.  My mil was a great crafters so lots of xmas ornaments and decorations.  The only thing that runs out is the lights. 

    have a small artifical tree because dh is allergic to pine.  my xmas theme is colourful!

  • 08-14-2008 5:31 PM In reply to

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    For cheap decorating, nothing beats Victorian tree decorations.  Pop corn and string it.  When Christmas is over, throw it out for the birds and then there's nothing to pack!  If you have a source of nuts and/or pine cones, spray paint them gold or silver and hot glue ribbons to them to hang them up on a tree, or do as I do and lay them out loose in some pine boughs on the mantle.  Make cookies (just flour and water) in Christmas shapes (put a hole in the top before you bake!) and let them go stale and then spray them with a sealant.  You can paint them and then hang them up.  You can also find pretty pictures on the internet or from magazines and glue them to posterboard and cut them out. 

  • 08-17-2008 12:40 AM In reply to

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    I used to think I wanted to be a decorating type person, but have decided I am not that person!  We have stockings and a tree for Christmas, the kids make cut out snowflakes and I have an Advent type stocking decoration.  I have things people have given me that I don't take out.  We like to cook and do things, that's the kind of family we are. 

    I admire decorated houses, I've just stopped striving to do my own!  We also have a few gingerbread boys outside, and I still have a string of chili pepper lights up in my family room.  

    What's the term, born organized?  That, I am not.  I really enjoy the holidays, and like to have lots of people over for dinner-

     

    Tracy
    Beginning Debt Slayer


  • 08-18-2008 7:18 AM In reply to

    • babs
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    • Joined on 04-02-2007
    • Vermont
    • Posts 4,365

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

     Tracy, I, withyou. The older kids used to decorate everything. I still have the Christmas village sitting on the piano from last year. No point in putting it up now. Will dust it in the fall and add a few things. we do a tree and door wreath. Here with the snow, wreaths stay up on houses until Easter. My MIL used to have a fit over that one. She always lived in the South. Decorations were all put up on New Years Day. Babs

  • 08-18-2008 11:36 AM In reply to

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    Sorry, I'm already mentally hung-up on Christmas (its just around the corner, argh)!  In the springtime I have a lavendar themed welcome flag that goes out front, along with a resin frog, turtle & snail that go around it. I need to work on something for the door.

    Halloween is big decorating outside, nothing really inside. Lots of webbing, orange & purple lights.  Porch light is exchanged for a black-light bulb. Skeletons that stick in the ground and look like they're crawling out, etc.  Most of the kids love it (some are too scared to come ring the bell, so we wait to hear them whining and come out with candy - maybe this year I'll dress up mwahahahahah!).  We're been considering throwing a small halloween party for the kids this year, and doing "haunted houses" in some of the units. If so we'll decorate inside.

    Thanksgiving we put pumpkins and grouds out front. I have a thanksgiving door hanger with "real" teddy bears holding it dressed as pilgrims for the door.

     I think we decorate a little less because we don't have kids of our own. It'll be different once we have some that are old enough to get excited about the holidays, I'm sure.

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  • 08-18-2008 12:11 PM In reply to

    • Pat
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    • Joined on 03-06-2007
    • Colorado
    • Posts 11,090

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

     I've been avoiding this thread because I hate to admit what a Christmas decorating nut I am. Half of my store room is filled with Christmas decorations. Most of it's for the inside. I love Christmas and love the colors so every room in the house has at least a little decoration and usually more than a little. 

    A lot of the Christmas decorations are hand made, from plastic canvas or knitted. There are a few from when the kids were in school, and a set of bright red bows. Natural pine cones and real candy canes go on the tree as well as in baskets around the rooms. I have a collection of Santas that continues to grow, several from thrift stores and a some gifts, as well as more expensive ones. I allow myself one each year. They're usually displayed on the piano, but it's getting crowded! 

    Easter is much less, and only for one day. I do like to change things like wreaths and area rugs in the spring, summer and fall and I really enjoy decorating for fall with "winter" bouquets and so on. I don't do Halloween, but Thanksgiving is another one or two day thing that I add to the general fall decorations. 

    I spend very little money on decorations, preferring natural or hand made instead.  

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  • 08-18-2008 10:41 PM In reply to

    • MarthaMFI
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    • Joined on 04-16-2008
    • New Westminster, BC, Canada
    • Posts 4,159

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    too late Pat!!  us long timers know you outed yourself last yearBig Smile

  • 08-18-2008 11:05 PM In reply to

    • Pat
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 03-06-2007
    • Colorado
    • Posts 11,090

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    MarthaMFI:

    too late Pat!!  us long timers know you outed yourself last yearBig Smile

     

     

    Shhh....  

    Community Facilitator
  • 08-18-2008 11:47 PM In reply to

    • gayla50
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    • Joined on 09-24-2007
    • Western North Carolina
    • Posts 3,213

    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    We have decorate for almost every holiday , My DH is Mr Christmas he decorates for Christmas we have lights all over the house he does one tree in front yard that is so pretty .. we have a tree in the livingroom and  a big one in the family room

    Gayla

    Officially Recognized Stretchpert in Frugal Food and Cooking



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  • 08-19-2008 11:42 AM In reply to

    • Edey
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    • Los Angeles County, CA
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    Re: Holiday Decorating on a Budget

    I used to do tons of decorating for Christmas, but not so much now. I hate putting it all away afterwards and sometimes it's still there in February. Each year I put out less, and almost feel guilty because of it. I don't decorate for any other time of year. Edey

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