Our first Christmas in this house, I spent almost $400 on decorations before New Year’s Eve. Even after spending that much, half of everything looked cheap. Mark still reminds me about it every November.
Since then, I’ve made it a personal challenge to keep our Christmas decorating budget under $150 for the entire house. Some years I’ve even managed to stay below $100.
These budget Christmas decorations DIY ideas are the ones that truly lasted. They survived Biscuit’s wagging tail, two energetic kids playing around the Christmas tree, and even the North Carolina humidity that sometimes hangs around well into December.
Not every project worked. Some were complete failures. The ideas below are the ones we’ve repeated for the last three Christmas seasons because they actually held up.
1. Dollar Store Ornament Wreaths for the Front Door
This is the project I recommend most often. Start with a plain grapevine wreath base. It usually costs around $8 at Michaels, and you can sometimes find one for even less at a dollar store.
Next, buy a bag of inexpensive ornaments. Clearance sets after Thanksgiving often cost only $3 to $4 per dozen.
Instead of placing each ornament evenly around the wreath, glue them together in small clusters. That simple trick gives the wreath a fuller and more natural look. Ironically, perfect spacing often makes a DIY wreath look less interesting.
What I’d Change Next Time
The first year, I attached the heavier ornaments with thin craft wire. That worked until an ice storm hit during our second Christmas here. Several ornaments fell right off.
Now I use 20-gauge floral wire instead. I wrap it twice around the wreath frame before adding hot glue. It has held up perfectly ever since.
The finished wreath, including a new bow from HomeGoods, cost us about $22.
2. Mason-Jar-Free Mantel Garland
Mason jars had their moment, but I wanted something different.
Now I reuse empty glass bottles we already have around the house. Wine bottles, olive oil bottles, and other similar bottles all work well. I wrap them with leftover ribbon and arrange them with real or faux eucalyptus from Trader Joe’s.
Then I tuck battery-operated fairy lights into the greenery. The result looks polished without buying expensive decorative vases.
Budget-Friendly Alternative
If you don’t have a mantel, don’t worry.
This same garland works beautifully on a bookshelf or along a window frame. Just use small removable hooks. That’s exactly what we do because our fireplace mantel is much narrower than most.
3. Kid-Made Salt Dough Ornaments (With the Recipe That Doesn’t Crack)
My daughter and I have made salt dough ornaments every Christmas since she was five.
After plenty of trial and error, I finally found a recipe that doesn’t crack.
Mix together:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup warm water
Roll the dough to about a quarter-inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, then make a hole with a straw before baking.
Bake at 200°F for about two hours.
Low heat makes a huge difference. The batches I baked at higher temperatures were the ones that cracked.
Once cooled, paint them with regular craft acrylics from Michaels. A complete set usually costs under $10. Finish everything with matte Mod Podge for extra protection.
The total cost is minimal because you probably already have most of the ingredients.
4. Pinecone Fire Starters That Double as Decor
Every fall we collect pinecones from our yard.
Instead of simply placing them in a bowl, I dip the tips into melted crayon wax in festive colors like red and green. After they dry on wax paper, I arrange them in a wooden bowl on the coffee table.
They look beautiful throughout December.
After New Year’s Day, I use the leftover pinecones as fire starters. It’s one of the few decorations that actually serves a practical purpose after the holidays.
5. Ribbon-Wrapped Book Stacks
If you already own hardcover books, this project costs almost nothing.
Wrap the books with leftover wrapping paper or tie them together with red or green ribbon. Stack them from largest to smallest and place a small ornament or a sprig of greenery on top.
The display instantly makes a shelf feel more layered and intentional.
Where This One Goes Wrong
Avoid using tape that leaves sticky residue or damages paint.
I learned that lesson after decorating our hallway console table. The tape left a faint mark that I still haven’t completely removed.
6. Cinnamon Stick Bundles for Doorknobs and Cabinet Pulls
Bundle three or four cinnamon sticks together with jute twine.
Add a small sprig of real or faux pine, then hang the bundle from cabinet pulls or doorknobs.
A bag of cinnamon sticks usually costs around $4 or $5 during the holiday season.
These little bundles add a warm Christmas scent without lighting candles, which makes me much more comfortable with curious kids and a dog that constantly bumps into furniture.
7. Upcycled Tin Can Luminaries
Save a few empty food or coffee cans instead of throwing them away.
Wash them thoroughly, then use a hammer and nail to punch simple patterns into the metal. Stars, dots, and snowflakes all work well.
Place a battery-operated tea light inside each can and line them along a windowsill or your front porch.
This has become my son’s favorite Christmas project. He loves helping punch the patterns while I supervise closely.
Mistakes I Made Getting Here
Not every decorating idea was successful.
One year, I bought real garland without checking whether it was pet-safe. Biscuit managed to chew part of it before I noticed. Since then, I always check that any greenery or berries within reach are safe for pets.
Another mistake was buying an expensive pre-lit artificial wreath from a big-box store. When it arrived, half the lights didn’t work. I returned it, but waiting for the replacement wasted almost two weeks of the holiday season.
Now I test every strand of lights before decorating. It only takes a few minutes, and it saves a lot of frustration later.
