Decorating for the holidays can be a daunting task. Many of us have a hodge-podge of Christmas decor…some new, some old, and a whole-lotta random!  So how do we make sense of grandma’s hand-me-down decorations or how do we focus our Hobby Lobby shopping trips so that we don’t spend hundreds (or even thousands).  I have a few tips that have helped me over the years:

1. Choose a theme and/or color palette

If you took last week’s style quiz, that should be your starting point.  Your Christmas decor should be a natural extensive of your overall decor. If your style is in any way country or rustic, you may want to consider a natural themed Christmas using mostly pinecones, berries and things found in nature (or made to look that way).  If your style is modern or minimalistic, consider silver, blue or white as a color palette.  For many of our homes, the traditional red and green color palette is most practical, but depending on your decor you may want to make it more formal or casual.  Your theme and/or color palette should match your home and personality!

I choose a rustic theme for my entry with red and white as my colors

2. Take inventory of your decorations

Let’s be honest, most of us have NO IDEA what is in most of those Christmas boxes in the garage.  Some haven’t been opened in a decade.  Time to take EVERYTHING out and decide if it can be used somewhere, if it is theme/color palette appropriate, and if it is still in working order (mainly true for lights or battery operated items).  There are some items you may need to rework or repurpose. For example, my mother-in-law had about 10 outdoor wreaths that she had created with garland and wire frames over a decade ago.  She passed them on to me, but I only needed the largest one. I unwound the rest of them and used the garland on my front porch and entry.

Repurposed Garland and large wreath

I also rarely throw away ribbon, silk flowers or berries/beads.  Ribbon can easily transform any project, and flowers and beads can all be painted a different color if needed (yes I have painted silk flowers and they turned out great).  Fabric is another, often overlooked, Christmas decoration.  I cut small strips of existing gingham fabric and tied it to my tabletop tree for a charming rustic look .  I ran out of ribbon and funds, and this was my solution…I actually like it better this way!

My simple family tree with handmade decorations and gingham fabric

3.  Shop Creatively

This year I knew I needed to add to my Christmas decor, but I also knew that there was very little extra money in my envelopes (we use the envelope system from Dave Ramsey…YAY) .  So this fall, I started keeping my eye out for decorations at garage sales and rummage sales.  I hit the jackpot at a church rummage sale.  It was the last hour and EVERYTHING was half off.  I purchased 2 boxes of decorations, a huge spool of linen ribbon, 3 small lit trees, AND an entry table for $14 total!!!  Those Christmas decorations ended up being used to decorate my large outdoor wreath, my foyer Christmas tree, my foyer garland, my kitchen chandelier, my dining room and my keeping room mantel.  What a deal! Also look in your yard for free decorations.  Pinecones, berries, sprigs of pine, and magnolia leaves are great natural decorations.

Garage sale ribbon, rafia and flowersRummage sale garland and berries and existing fabric for chain coverRummage Sale buffet table and small lit treesMantel with rummage sale garland and free pinecones

The only things I purchased new this year were lights, red berries (for 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby) a new rug and red ribbons for the front porch ($12 total at Walmart).

4.  Steal ideas

When it comes to actually putting up your decorations, many of you may not know how to create the look you want from scratch. So why reinvent the wheel?  Some of my favorite Christmas looks have come about because I copied something someone else created.  If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then HGTV.com should feel very flattered.  My entire foyer is copied from a picture I found on their website.  I also took and copied pictures of trees from last years Festival of Trees in Knoxville.  Inspiration is everywhere, so don’t be afraid to cut-out, print or take a picture of something that inspires you.  Chances are, you can recreate it yourself for the look you want.

Best of luck in Christmas decorating…and keep in mind, decorating for Christmas should be fun and add to your Christmas spirit.  It’s not about doing it bigger or better (like the Kranks), it’s simply about creating a warm and inviting place for your family to visit, share love and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of our Redeemer!  He is the original Master Decorator…creating beauty from our ashes and shame!

Many blessings to you and yours this Christmas.  And as you decorate, please link up below (or if you’re a non-blogger, send us your pictures).  Who knows who you may inspire?

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