(Bath and Body Works, through extensive scientific inquiry, found that newly fallen snow smells like sparkling citrus. The more you know…)
Although Christmas is my favorite time of year and I appreciate a candle or two that promises to make my entire home smell like the Christmas spirit (i.e. cinnamon), sometimes decorations that are solely devoted to the holiday season are flipping expensive.
In an effort to help you save money this Christmas season but still make your home worthy of a Martha Stewart Christmas extravaganza, here’s some easy, cheap but definitely not lame Christmas decor that don’t require you dipping into your gift fund. Now you can get grandma that ceramic Baby Jesus she always wanted.
Let it Salgar!
Don’t have a winter wonderland display in your house? Can’t have a winter wonderland because you’re at zero elevation and haven’t seen snow since you were two years old? No problem.
For this decor, grab those two household ingredients that Dr. Oz is always so fond of warning his audience will cause their slow demise to the grave: salt and sugar!
Mix the Dr. Oz Death Cocktail together in an apothecary jar (discount stores like TJ Maxx or HomeGoods are your best bets for finding these under $20), add any holiday figurine – a snowy cabin, Santa Clause, a mini Festivus pole – and put on the lid.
Boom. Christmas in a jar and salgar for all your sweet and salty fixes.
Tis the Season to Go Green…
We’ve all been there before: the trip to the Christmas tree lot, the search for the perfect tree, the chosen one, the discovery that the chosen one practically fits the width of your living room and grazes the ceiling.
So, Griswold family, what do you do with all that extra tree you have to trim off in order to put your child’s homemade angel that looks like the holy messenger suffered a nuclear attack on the top?
(If your first thought was to just throw those scraps away, you’ve lost your crafting badge. Now go on to Pinterest, make a wreath out of toilet paper rolls, and repent.)
Take those orphaned branches and give them a new home! Tie them together with a bow and create a swag. Lay them across your mantel for some holiday flare.
My favorite way? Use the spare branches to line a decorative tray filled with your favorite candles and pictures.
And yes, that’s me as a bae in a picture taken through the eyes of my then seven year old brother – hence why the top of my dad’s head is cut out of the picture.
Not-So Awkward Family Christmas Photos
Chances are at some point in your childhood, you found yourself sitting on a complete stranger’s lap, somewhat lying to him about being a good child, and giving a list of demands that probably included either a new baby sibling, a pony, or an Easy Bake Oven. (Whatever. I’m still not bitter over those unfulfilled demands…) And to mark that momentous occasion was a picture.
So, what do you do with all those photos? Temporarily get rid of those pictures of places you act like you’ve been to and replace them with those photos of Santa and you screaming for your mother at the top of your lungs.
Even better, find Santa pictures of the people you love.
This is my mom. She’s adorable and I get it from her.
However you decorate this Christmas time, have fun, be creative, and don’t forget to unplug the hot glue gun!
Have any Christmas decorations that are easy to make? Want to send me your embarrassing Santa photos to put in my house? (Not creepy at all…) Put your ideas in a message or a tweet!
