10 Ways to Decorate for Christmas on a Budget

Decorate for Christmas on a budget with these simple tips & tricks to create a warm, inviting, and festive home for the holidays.

It is officially the most wonderful time of the year with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror and Christmas less than one month away! Yikes…writing that makes me realize I need to get a move on my Christmas shopping!!!

As a blogger & content creator, our halls have been decked for Christmas for over a month now. But, I know most of you do not start decorating your home for the holidays until after the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone. If you’re starting to pull out your Christmas décor from storage, or are shopping online retailers looking to purchase the latest Christmas décor trends, hold on!

In this blog post, I am taking you on a tour of our home to show you 10 ways to decorate for Christmas on a budget. It doesn’t matter how big or small your budget is, you will find tips & tricks in this post to either repurpose décor you may already have, or save money by utilizing everyday items in your home!

Bloggers’ Best Holiday Home Tours

To usher in the holiday season, I am joining 35+ blogger friends on a week long tour of gorgeous homes decked out for the holidays. I love taking a peak inside someone else’s home and finding inspiration! This Bloggers’ Best Holiday Home Tour is hosted by Kelly at The Tattered Pew. You can find links to the other home tours at the end of this post.

If you are coming here from The Country Peony, welcome! Elizabeth shares beautiful & unique crafting ideas that are easy enough for anyone to do. I know you will love the holiday tour of her studio where Elizabeth’s crafts are made. She has the most adorable pink tree in her studio, check it out here!

For those of you that may be new here, I’m Heidi, the creative mind behind ERH. (The furry little love nugget below is Eleanor!) I love creating a cozy home for my family with new & collected décor, natural elements, textures, and of course seasonal touches.

You can learn more about me, my family, and Eleanor Rose Home, here.

I’d love to have you join the ERH community. Sign up here to receive weekly newsletters, updates on new blog posts, exclusive email subscriber content, along with access to my printables & eBook vault!

10 Ways to Decorate for Christmas on a Budget

Who’s ready to decorate for Christmas on a budget?! Let’s chat about 10 ways to achieve a festive, cozy holiday home without breaking the bank.

Reuse & Repurpose the Christmas Décor Your Already Have

The easiest way to decorate for Christmas on a budget is to reuse and repurpose what you already have for Christmas decorations. In all honesty, most of what you will see styled in our home for Christmas décor, are items we have had for years. Each year, I might style something a little differently or use a piece in a new way. Reusing and repurposing décor you already have saves money and is less wasteful.

This wreath is a perfect example of taking something old (that I was honestly going to throw away) and transforming it into something that is fresh, new, and current.

I created this Anthropologie dupe wreath from an old evergreen wreath that had been sitting in a closet for years! I simply removed the embellishments from the wreath, added a little spray paint, and then attached small wooden houses & bottle brush trees. This is one of my favorite seasonal DIY’s to date!

You can find the full tutorial on how to make this Anthro Dupe wreath, here.

The best part about this DIY wreath? It only cost me less than $30 to make, which is far less than the $198 price tag of the original Anthropologie wreath! I call that a win!

Decorate for Christmas on a Budget by Hanging a Dried Orange Garland

If you have been here for any length of time, you know I loved dried oranges at Christmastime!

Dried oranges are such a fun and festive way to decorate for the holidays, and they cost only pennies to make. You can read this blog post on how to make oven dried orange slices.

Once your orange slices are dried, you can use them multiple ways. From ornaments, stovetop potpourri, embellishments, and garlands.

This dried orange garland is very easy to make. I took some brown twine and threaded that with a needle through the dried orange slices. Then, I placed the orange garland on top of a faux cedar garland.

I love how the oranges add a pop of color and a nice natural touch to the faux garland beneath. Simple, natural, cozy décor is my absolute favorite!

Tie a Ribbon On It

I tie a ribbon to anything and everything for the holidays…I should say anything that doesn’t move! Actually, I’ve been known to tie a ribbon on Eleanor but I digress.

Ribbon adds a fun, whimsical touch for Christmas and dresses up just about anything. I love to use velvet or satin ribbon for the holidays in either a thin or thick width (depending on where the ribbon is being used).

On our Christmas tree, I added a thin 3/8″ khaki velvet ribbon, along with a cream cotton “Noel” ribbon. I tied a length of ribbon onto a branch in a simple bow, and left long cascading ends.

You may notice the bust candle on the bookshelf is tied with a ribbon too!

I added ribbon to our living room dresser by tying it to one of the dresser handles as well as to the hanging Noel sign. You can read more on what inspired the décor around the dresser, here.

Even a lamp in the kitchen cannot escape ribbon! Here, I used the same velvet ribbon from the living room.

Pro Tip: When decorating your home with ribbon, make sure to use the same ribbon or coordinating ribbons throughout. Do not mix and match different ribbons in different rooms. Pick three ribbons that are either the same but in coordinating neutral colors, or three that are the same color but in varying widths and use them throughout your entire home. This will make your home look cohesive & balanced, and not cluttered & messy.

Decorate for Christmas on a Budget With Star Anise

Have you ever thought to decorate your home with a spice?

I hadn’t either. Until one day I was adding a few whole star anise to a stovetop potpourri, and thought, “These are so pretty, how I can I use this in our Christmas décor?”

The answer…in wreath form! I took a gold hoop, hot glued whole star anise to that, and then attached that to a faux juniper wreath I had in storage. I hung that from the pegs in our kitchen, and the star anise wreath has filled our home with it’s delicious, subtle licoricey scent.

Remember when decorating for Christmas or any other time of the year, to utilize what you already have in your home. Decorating on a budget can be fun because it makes you think outside the box!

Make a Popcorn Garland

I have found memories of making popcorn garlands with my family as a little girl. It was something we did each Christmas while watching Christmas movies on the television.

I had not made a popcorn garland in many years, but decided to give it a try this holiday to decorate for Christmas on a budget. This will definitely become a yearly tradition for me, I loved the childhood memories it evoked in me.

However, next year I will make sure Eleanor is not at my feet eating each kernel of popcorn as I strung it onto the garland (that was fun to discover after about 5 minutes)!

This garland cost me nothing to make, and looks so adorable on the small tree we have in the kitchen!

What You Need to Make a Popcorn Garland

• Popped Popcorn: I air popped the popcorn I used for our garland. You could use already popped popcorn but it should not have any seasonings or butter on it.
• Fishing Line: You want to use a clear, flexible string or line so that the garland can easily be hung & manipulated on a tree.
• Sewing Needle: A small needle is best to poke through the popcorn.
• Fresh Whole Cranberries: This is optional. I had some in our fridge so decided to add a pop of red to our popcorn garland.

How to Make a Popcorn Garland

1. Cut a piece of fishing line to about a 4-5′ section. I do not recommend working with fishing line any longer, since it can easily get tangled. You may need to make multiple garlands depending on the size of your tree.
2. Tie a knot on one end of the fishing line, large enough that the popcorn won’t fall off. Thread a needle through the other end of the fishing line.
3. Begin threading the popcorn onto the fishing line by poking the needle through the popcorn and pulling the popcorn to the end of the line.
4. Continue adding the popcorn until the entire line is full. If using cranberries, place the cranberries an even distance apart (I just eyeballed it, but you could count and add 1 cranberry for every 5-10 pieces of popcorn).
5. Tie a knot at the end of the line, and place garland on tree!

Use Wrapped Gifts as Christmas Décor

You’ve spent all that money on Christmas gifts so why not use those gifts as part of your Christmas décor?!

Christmas is the one time of year I believe the outside of the package is just as important as what’s on the inside. So, instead of throwing your thoughtful Christmas gift in a bag filled with tissue paper, wrap it in beautiful wrapping paper and display it under your tree. Use that present as décor!

I like to choose three to four coordinating wrapping papers to wrap our Christmas gifts. Then, I tie our gifts with bows and add one or two fun embellishments to make each present festive & unique. Yes, this will take you a little bit of time to wrap each gift. However, I promise the extra time you took to wrap the gifts will be noticed and appreciated by your gift recipients!

Also, you can admire your beautiful gift wrapped presents all month long under the tree.

Don’t forget to grab my collection of Christmas printables that include Christmas gift tags and a Christmas gift planner!

Decorate for Christmas on a Budget Using Everyday Items

Decorating for Christmas is easy and inexpensive when you use everyday items you already have in your home.

My family loves pomegranates, so we always have an abundance of them this time of year. Not only are they delicious, they also make great Christmas countertop décor! Instead of throwing them in the fridge, add a bunch of red pomegranates to a bowl, and you have easy & festive (delicious too!) Christmas décor.

Have a collection of Santa mugs or mugs in general? Take them out of the cabinet and display them on a shelf or hutch for the holidays!

Decorate for Christmas on a budget with fresh cranberries. Cranberries are the perfect colored fruit for the holidays with their deep rich red, maroon, and burgundy hues.

Use them in a popcorn garland, or like I styled here; on a plate with a fresh rosemary, and a Christmas scented candle.

Mix Old & New Christmas Décor

This is my favorite way to decorate all year long. I love a combination of old vintage pieces mixed with new pieces in our home décor. Decorating this way adds character and a story that only our home can tell.

If you are looking to start adding antique pieces to your home, Facebook Marketplace and your local antique stores are a great way to begin searching for and collecting those pieces.

Pro Tip: When antiquing, shop with something specific in mind otherwise you can get overwhelmed with all there is to look at. When you find something you weren’t looking for, it’s like finding a long lost treasure!

This vintage sled was an accidental find last year while out antiquing. I love the character it has with it’s old chippy paint and metal runners. I also used this sled as a base for a hot cocoa station, you can see that here.

Vintage mercury glass Christmas ornaments are one of my favorite things to search for. The light of the tree sparkling off the ornaments is just so beautiful!

This old wooden dresser is so fun to decorate for the holidays. The rich wood tones of this dresser add warmth and character to our living room.

Decorate for Christmas on a Budget by Shopping Your Yard for Fresh Greenery

Mother Nature provides the most beautiful décor right in our own backyards!

Natural décor will add a cozy, fresh element to your home for the holidays. And really, is there any better scent than freshly cut evergreen?!

Last year, I made this fresh evergreen wreath with pine boughs from our backyard and mixed in a few fresh cedar stems from the store.

Here in our downstairs bathroom, I placed a small bouquet of roses and a few fresh pine boughs onto the sink. This small arrangement added a lovely, fresh scent to this small space!

Fresh greens are not just for the inside of the home! I love to create Christmas planters filled with greens, winter berries, and pinecones that I place at the entrance of our home. It’s such a beautiful way to welcome guests to our home for the holidays.

Don’t throw away those miscellaneous pine pieces from trimming the tree! Save those and add them to a stovetop potpourri!

Download Free Christmas Printables

Who doesn’t love free?! I know I do!

I love finding free Christmas printables on Pinterest that I can use in our home. There are beautiful signs, tags, lists, and so much more that are free to download and use.

I created these free printable tags that are perfect for labeling jars of hot cocoa toppings for a hot cocoa station. Download your free tags, here.

For access to more free Eleanor Rose Home printables, click here!

Where can I shop to decorate for Christmas on a budget?

If you’re looking to purchase décor to decorate for Christmas on a budget, these are some of my favorite budget-friendly retailers.

Amazon is one of my favorite resources for Christmas décor. The selection is enormous and most of the prices cannot be beat. If I find something I like on another website, before purchasing, I will check Amazon to see if they have the same item at a lower cost. This is a great way to save a few dollars when you can!

Target’s home décor year round is amazing (in my humble opinion), but their Christmas décor is absolutely amazing! There are multiple collections to shop from (Target Dollar Spot, Threshold, Studio McGee, Hearth & Hand With Magnolia), all at very affordable prices. Most of the new Christmas décor pieces I have purchased this year are from Target.

Facebook Marketplace & local antique stores are a great resource for second-hand Christmas items.

Some of my other favorite retailers for inexpensive holiday décor; Wal-Mart, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, & Joann Fabrics.

Christmas Home Tour

Thank you for taking a tour of our holiday home! I hope I inspired you to be creative when decorating your home for Christmas on a budget. I’d love to have you follow along with me as I share more budget friendly DIY’s & home décor inspiration! You can join the ERH community, here.

Now head over to Emily of LeCultivateur for her gorgeous holiday home tour! Then, scroll down to find links to the rest of the ladies joining the holiday home tours.

More Eleanor Rose Home Christmas Inspiration

For more Christmas & holiday ideas from me, click here. And, follow along on Pinterest as I pin new holiday & Christmas inspiration daily!

Shop Our Home

Links to products featured in this post can be found in our “Shop Our Home” page. I hope this page makes shopping our home a little easier for you! I earn a small commission when you make a purchase from one of our LTK links. Your support helps me continue to create meaningful content for you!

I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to have a well loved home! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LIKEtoKNOW.it.

Bloggers’ Best Holiday Home Tours

This week I am joining some of my blogging friends for the Bloggers’ Best Holiday Home Tours 2022. Thirty-five talented and creative women will be opening their homes up for you to tour all week long. You can visit each Christmas home tour by clicking the links below.

Monday’s Tours

The Tattered Pew // Cottage On Bunker Hill // StoneGable // My Wee Abode

Open Doors Open Hearts // Cottage In The Mitten // My Thrift Store Addiction

Tuesday’s Tours

Midwest Life & Style // She Gave It a Go // Sand Dollar Lane // Bricks n’ Blooms

Pasha Is Home // Robyn’s French Nest // The Ponds Farmhouse

Wednesday’s Tours

Shiplap and Shells // White Arrows Home // This Is Simplicite // White Lilac Farmhouse

Peacock Ridge Farm // Cloches and Lavender // Simply2Moms

Thursday’s Tours

County Road 407 // Country Peony // Eleanor Rose Home // Le Cultivateur

Thistle Key Lane // My Family Thyme // Follow The Yellow Brick Home

Friday’s Tours

Southern Crush At Home // A Life Unfolding // Southern Home and Hospitality // WM Design House

Dabbling and Decorating // Lora Bloomquist // Vintage and Grace Living

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