Decorative Ribbon
Ribbon is a cheap material to buy, but it can instantly upgrade your entire decorating setup if used properly. Whether you need to fill space on your Christmas tree, adorn your mantel, or spruce up a boring space like the kitchen, decorative ribbon looks classy and festive without any extra effort. This Christmas, make decorating easy for yourself.
Popcorn Garlands
These sound tasty, but they'll look so good you won't want to snack on them. Stale popcorn works best for these cozy old-school garlands, and you can thread them onto wreaths while watching a Christmas movie or just hanging out with your family. When they're done, you'll feel like you've stepped into a vintage Christmas card.
Floating Candles
Instead of buying expensive candlesticks that will just end up in the cupboard gathering dust after Christmas, try this Diwali-inspired hack. Simply fill a bowl or vase with water and pop in a few tealights. You can even add a few cranberries or something else for decoration. Floating candles give the room a warm, romantic glow.
Newspaper Gift Wrap
Wrapping gifts in newspapers is an old hack that works well as a rustic throwback today. It’s cheap, eco-friendly, and surprisingly chic, especially if the gifts are tied with string. This Christmas, skip pricey gift wrap and give your family and friends some interesting “mystery” parcels instead.
Edible Decorations
Decorations are among the most expensive and mentally taxing parts of Christmas, so why not make things easier and more fun? Edible decorations, such as candy canes, small chocolates, gingerbread men, and dried fruit slices, look cute on the tree and offer the bonus of providing snacks throughout the festivities.
Tablecloth Tree Skirt
No Christmas tree skirt? No problem! Just repurpose a festive tablecloth and drape it around the base instead. This does the job just as well and looks good, too. Even non-Christmassy tablecloths work, and that way, you won't be spending a cent extra, leaving more money for gifts and food.
DIY Paper Snowflakes
Paper snowflakes are the ultimate nostalgic Christmas craft, and they're still a fun and affordable way to decorate your home for the festive season. All you need is paper, some scissors, and a few precise folds, and then you can decorate your rooms and windows to your heart's content. Get the whole family involved.
Natural Centerpieces
Fancy centerpieces look nice, but will you really get your money's worth out of them? Instead, try making your own with natural things, including spare tree bark and greenery. This hack brings the woodland vibes indoors, creating a warm display that's unlike anything you could get in a shop.
Jar Gifts
You don't need to spend a lot of money to give a meaningful gift. Mason jars have long been used as containers for edible and inedible gifts, allowing people to reuse items they already have at home. Add some bath salts, cocoa, or cookie mix, then add a bow and a personalized gift tag. Voila, the perfect gift!
Salt Dough Ornaments
This hack is particularly fun if you have kids. You can create entirely new ornaments using just flour, salt, and water. Make the mixture, roll it out, then use festive cookie cutters to get fun shapes. Once they’re baked, you can paint and decorate them, giving each family member their own unique and personalized ornament for the tree.
IOU Coupons
Handwritten IOU coupons are one of the sweetest gifts to give if you don't have much money to spend at Christmas. Offer things like breakfast in bed, cleaning, free car washes, and coffee dates. Couples can make them for each other, or kids can make them for their parents. These coupons are heartfelt, easy to make, and tailoring them to the recipient is sure to make them smile.
Old Cards as Gift Tags
Before you toss out those old cards, consider how you could reuse them. An old-school hack for saving extra pennies is to cut the pretty sections out of old cards and use them as tags for new gifts. Punch a hole in the corner, thread some ribbon through, and you've got beautiful one-of-a-kind labels to use.
DIY Angel Topper
Instead of buying a generic plastic angel that will likely need to be replaced in a few years, why not make your own? You can use any materials hanging around your house (cardboard, sticks, feathers) to make the star, then add any sequins, glitter, or other decorations. This is a fun, affordable craft that adds some personality to your tree.
Sticky-Back Hooks
Sticky-back hooks are the unsung heroes of Christmas decorating. They’re a great little hack to try if you have no permanent hanging fixtures for stockings, lights, or wreaths, and you can remove them without damaging them after the holidays. If you’ve got too many, use them to hang up your visitors’ coats!
Butterfly the Turkey
Butterflying a turkey is an old kitchen hack that still saves millions of Christmas dinners around the world today. It cooks faster and more evenly, preventing the meat from drying out. Even better, it frees up valuable oven space for all of the holiday side dishes and hot desserts. It’s a simple trick disguised as culinary brilliance.
Framed Christmas Cards
Framing Christmas cards is a simple yet beautiful way to decorate your home for the holidays without spending a dime. Pick a few of your favorites, put them into frames you already own, and create a festive gallery wall. This one comes with the bonus of your relatives seeing how much you appreciated their cards.
Wrap Empty Boxes
If you need to fill out your tree before the big day, try this handy little hack. Use old wrapping paper to wrap empty boxes, then arrange them for an old-school department-store aesthetic. They add height, color, and festive anticipation. Just don’t let your kids open them!
Lemon Juice On Tree Trunk
This is an underrated old tip that sounds weird but actually works. If you brush a little lemon juice onto your fresh tree trunk, it’ll stay hydrated for longer, preventing dryness and splintering. It also gives the room a fresh citrus scent that goes surprisingly well with the smell of pine needles.
Simmer Pot Scents
Speaking of gorgeous scents, you can get 24/7 festive scents without any fancy candles or expensive air fresheners. Simmer pots are pots of boiling water flavored with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and cloves; all classic Christmassy scents. Within minutes of bubbling, your home will smell like pure holiday nostalgia.
“Candy Roll” Wrapping
Have you always struggled to wrap awkwardly shaped gifts but never found a trick that works? The candy-roll method is a lifesaving hack that people have been using for a long time. Wrap the item in paper like normal, then twist the ends instead of folding them, and fasten them with ribbon. For best results, use candy-striped paper to really sell the effect.
