By: Katherine Petrunia

Decorating your home at the holidays can be a daunting task.

But, stepping back and looking at what you already have is a simple & great place to start.

One of the things I have always loved and enjoyed about Christmas is the decorating. I love how you can transform your home from every- day cozy into a holiday abode. I know not everyone enjoys the work & effort that decorating requires as much as I do- especially the take down afterwards- but you don’t have to be Martha to inject some holiday cheer into your décor. It can be simple, quick, & inexpensive And better yet, you can use items you already have. And with Christmas fast approaching it’ll save you precious energy you’ll need when the big day arrives. So, to help get your Christmas decorating creative juices going, here are some suggestions using materials that you may already have, or are budget friendly & easy to obtain if you don’t.

Use household items in your holiday decorating

Creating a beautiful table scape is one of the focuses for many in their holiday décor. It can be as intricate or simple as you like. But it doesn’t have to cost a lot to look good. Using existing items is an inexpensive & novel way to dress up your holiday table. Use upside down wine glasses topped with tea lights as a simple & light centerpiece; add curls of wire ribbon as a playful accent. Incorporate items such as pine cones, ornaments, and greenery to add texture & colour as necessary. Decorate to your taste and use colours you enjoy. 

Appeal to the senses with colour, texture, & aroma

Liven Up Your Holiday Display

While you might not think of items that are usually staples on your grocery list as decorating fodder, there are countless options available in the aisles of your local super market. Stroll through the produce section and stock up on items such as oranges & other citrus fruits, fresh cranberries, chestnuts, & pomegranates to create a colourful, natural display with a variety of textures to draw the eye.

It’s amazing how something as simple as a piece of citrus fruit can liven up a holiday display.

When you pass through the spice section, pick up some cinnamon sticks, cloves, & star of anise- ingredients perfect to create scented sachets to tuck into an artificial tree- or to create your own brew of room scents (pierce an orange with cloves and you’ve got an instant holiday air freshener).

It smells like Christmas

There’s nothing better than entering somewhere that looks, feels, and smells like Christmas, the combination of holiday baking, Christmas greens, and the myriad of scents that accompany the season (homemade apple cider anyone?). Think of what scents you associate with Christmas and seek items that will help you incorporate  them into your décor: scented candles, greens,  room diffusers, etc. Think about what you have at home that you can use and buy inexpensive accents such as artificial snow, tea lights, and mirrors to help make your décor festive (mirrors & glass ornaments will reflect the light from candles and add that warm sparkle and glow to your décor).

Create holiday vignettes throughout your home

Carry your holiday theme & décor throughout your home by creating festive vignettes- or groupings of objects- on side tables and  bathroom vanities, in entry ways, and other areas guests will interact with. Think of how you can inject a little holiday cheer into surfaces that may otherwise be overlooked. Use a variety of heights and textures to create visual interest in monochromatic displays, and consider simpler, cleaner lines if colour is your favourite decorating tool. A simple holiday DIY is to fill a glass container with artificial snow & place a festive plant inside. Surround the plant pot with snow, maybe add an ornament or festive accent and incorporate into a holiday display in your home.

Katherine Petrunia is a blogger based in Vancouver, BC. She’s a lover of all things creative & DIY and loves the challenge of making budget friendly look amazing.  You can check out her blog, The Pampered Baby.