Naomi Howard
While trimming the tree, stringing the lights and hanging the stockings are on the Christmas checklist, we’ve found some sustainable, DIY and budget-friendly ideas to bring the merry without breaking the bank. Fresh garland and pine wreaths can be expensive when purchasing from nurseries and big box stores, but there are budget-friendly ways to spruce up your home. This garland hack is sure to be an easy and affordable way to decorate your mantle or table centerpiece.
Once purchased and placed in your home, you can add to the garland with actual fresh clippings of a pine tree, or even eucalyptus leaves, which dry beautifully. Places like Trader Joe’s sell these clippings for an affordable price and once woven into your fake garland, a full and natural centerpiece is created for a fraction of the cost of a living piece. From Lemon Cypress to Thyme to Myrtle, topiaries make a big statement in a small form.
Adding festive ribbon to the bark of the topiaries, as well as planting them in ceramic pots that are green or red will add to the seasonal decor in your home. Topiaries can grow all year long if you continue to maintain and water them, possibly even staying fresh for the following Christmas season! Look for sales at local craft stores and stockpile ribbon in your favorite color, material or print.
Not all Christmas ribbons have to be green or red, pretty blues and whites look striking against the greenery of the season. A cost effective way to decorate your real or fake Christmas tree this year is with ribbons. Once you have found some ribbon you like (velvet is a very pretty option for this time of year), you can take all the Christmas cards you have collected and display them throughout your home.
The constant shuffle of art from school to home can be overwhelming — to say the least — but it is possible to turn these masterpieces into framed decor. Save the frame and artwork for the following season, or swap out the art for another holiday, either way your artist will be very proud to see the fancy display. Kids and adults alike will love creating their own ornaments to grace the Christmas tree this year. One of my favorite ways to add color to my green garland or my tree is a dried orange, which is very easy to make and brings with it the most incredible scent.
‘Tis the season to cherish the memories made in the spaces you create — whether it’s a dried orange peel or a faux garland wreath, joy comes from sharing your home with those you love!
