Christmas can be an expensive time of year and if you’re like me it’s also the time of year when the universe decides to shit on you and give you all your bills at once! But I have realised that Christmas decorating doesn’t have to be an expensive affair.
This year I am celebrating Christmas for the first time at my house and of course I want to make an impression but alas my bank account isn’t really allowing me the freedom I’d like to make my house look amazing. So in true tight (and creative) fashion I have decided to use things that are readily available and free…..nature.
I have been amazed at how much inspiration I’ve got from just walking around my local neighbourhood. On my daily walk I came across gum tree branches and gum nuts and decided these would make perfect Australiana decorations (minus the spiders!).
I thought the gum tree branches would make a beautiful centerpiece either as they are or paired with some cheap bling so I added some sparkly copper ribbon that was $3 from Woolworths and hey presto I’ve made my first Christmas decoration and it cost me next to nothing.
I decided my centerpiece needed some colour with it seeing its Christmas so I added some greenery to the scene using succulents. They’re easy to maintain and almost impossible to kill. They also seems to grow in abundance at my place and around my neighbourhood (yes I am that person that carries scissors in their bag for such an occasion that I might need an off cut from someone’s yard or to steal the whole bush 🙂 
My cheap bling also came in handy for decorating the Christmas tree. I never realised that my husband was so anally retentive on the decorating of a tree (and I thought I was obsessed with interior decorating!). He decided that tinsel was tacky and that he would make his own by cutting the ribbon into thin strips and using alternate colours in gold, silver and copper to spritz it up. Apart from the mess he made it looks pretty good.
Don’t feel like you can’t have the best looking space this Christmas because purse strings are tight, it’s amazing what a bit of everyday inspiration from mother nature, some cheap shiny ribbon and double sided tape can do.
Be brave and get creative.
