The Holiday Season on a Shoestring!

Look to Nature

Nature provides us with beautiful ornaments that need little to no fussing. Take a walk through a preserve and collect pine cones, or fallen evergreen tree branches. Collect some holly leaves clippings

TIP:Turn this into a cash-earning endeavor. Get some side jobs cleaning a few yards in the Fall; pocket the money, and collect the natural treasures at the same time.

(get permission from the bush owner), a nice-size log as a Yule log, or even bare sticks to bring the beauty of the winter outdoors into your home. Always beware that you're not bringing in poisonous plant clippings, or objects that might have tiny residents. With a little care and some quick research for to identify plants, you probably have the makings of some awesome decorations right in your own back yard.

Check Thrift Shops

A great way to stretch your dollar, going thrift store shopping is a little like treasure hunting. I have found silver candelabras, trays, bowls, ornaments, fabric, sweaters, pajamas, figurines, ornaments, and more.

TIP:Try to befriend employees and find out when the new trucks come in, or merchandise goes out, so you can get first pick!

You never know what kind of things you'll find, so make regular trips. Look discriminately at things- some things that don't particularly seem like a decoration, with a little tweaking, makes a great look. Can you tie a ribbon around it, spray paint it, or glue something to it?

Grab Some Paint

Some spray or craft paint can spruce up lots of things for the holidays. Consider some of the things you've collected from nature, dollar stores, and thrift shops already:

TIP:Check with your local dump to see if they have a chemical recycling program. You can go by and pick up other people's leftover paint-- for free! Not as many color choices as Home Depot, but you never know what you can find that might be useful.

- spray pinecones gold; set them
out in a bowl

- spray bare sticks silver; put them
in a vase

- paint used thrift shop ornaments and
trinkets to give them a lift

- paint some dollar store fodder so that
they are seasonally themed

I found a little family of wooden carved bears once for about $3 that I spray painted white, colored their black eyes and noses in with a sharpie, tied red ribbons around their neck, and I set them up with a little snow scene on a shelf using a miniature tree and leftover white cotton batting. Viola-- instant holiday scene.

Spray glitter can also spruce up anything from candle holders to dollar store picture frames for your holiday ornaments.

Collect Fabric

When you go to a thrift shop, or if you know of a place that sells discount fabrics with a dollar bin, raid it! Fabric is a great way to spruce up a room.

Anything in reds, greens or golds, or white prints with these colors works well, especially if they are shiney or velvety. Of course, any holiday prints specifically designed for the season are often abundantly available.

TIP:Don't sew? just use iron-on hemming tape on any edges that are unraveling or unsighly. Or, melt 1/2 cup sugar in 1 cup water. Brush on the edges of unraveling fabric; fold it over if you like. Run an iron over it. All set.

Use big drapes of fabric or blankets like tapestries to cover walls or unsightly cluttered book shelves. Cover that plain old brown recliner with a seasonal print. Toss a green scrap as a swag over curtain rods with neutral panels. Drape fabric over coffee tables, end tables, or even milk crates for a quick, colorful pedestal to place your holiday statuary or flowers. Place sheer fabrics over lamp shades. There is no end to how useful fabrics can be. And don't forget to raid the discount bin in January; holiday prints will be at bargain basement prices, so you can start stocking up for next year. You'll be glad that you did.

Add Ribbons, Bows and Do-Dads

Tying a ribbon or a bow on just about anything can make it look seasonal, from stuffed animals to flower pots. Little holiday themed buttons, imitation berries on a wire, and strands of garland also work great.

Use Mood Lighting

TIP: Use flower pots to cluster candles. Fill it with sand or gravel and stand the candles in it. Tie a ribbon on it, paint it a holiday color, or stencil it, and you're all set. Long wooden window boxes are especially nice for this.

Raid dollar stores for cheap candles. They don't burn as well, but if it's mainly for show rather than lighting, they'll work fine. Try to find festive colors. Dab them with paint them or spray glitter on them. Tie a ribbon or holly leaf sprig around them if you're not burning them.

Put your old used food cans to work to create some beautiful luminaries. This costs you nothing, but looks great lighting a walk place or lined up on a mantle.

Use Old Christmas Cards

You probably have a box full of them somewhere. Try some of these ideas with your old cards, or try to collect old ones from family or friends.
- Cut out the pretty pictures on them and paste them to a piece of cardboard to make a collage.
- Make a garland out of them by hanging them on a string.
- Put the pictures in small dollar store frames and hang them on the tree as ornaments.
- Enclose them in contact paper to make coasters or place mats.
- Decoupage them (a technique lot easier than it sounds!) to serving trays, old tables, vases, wooden crates and even chairs.

Look for Freebies-- They're Out There!

Keep a watch on free public forums, where you can find postings in your local area. People post things they are giving away, or you can post a request for something. Sometimes it pans out, and if you keep searching for what people are offering you won't believe some of the unexpected treasures you'll find-- free!.

TIP:Check Out These Free Listing Sites; just look up your local section:
Craig's List
FreeCycle
Kijiji

*photos by nkzx (candle and greens),
melodi2 (quilt), alainap (card); all
at sxc.hu

Get the Cheap Wine

Fancy beverages can take a serious bite out of our holiday food budget. Save some serious dollars and go for the cheap supermarket wine, and then mull it for a special holiday drink. Below you will find a link that instructs you how to mull wine and make other inexpensive holiday beverages.

Have a Pot Luck

If your family is heading to your house for the holidays, instead of springing for a huge dinner party, tell everyone it's a pot luck. It takes the pressure off of you to pay up to several hundred dollars for one meal, and everyone gets to bring and share their favorite dishes.

Do Your Own Baking-- Or At Least Fake It

So you may not consider yourself much of a cook, but just about anyone can get a Betty Crocker box of cake mix, some white frosting and red sprinkles for the top.

If you really dread turning on the oven, take short cuts:

Get a box of plain vanilla or shortbread cookies, and a bag of chocolate chips. Melt the chips in the microwave. Dip the cookies in them and spread them on wax paper. Sprinkle with red or green sprinkles and place them in the fridge.


Get a box of plain sugar cookies and canned icing and decorate your cookies yourself.


Get pre-made dough in the freezer or dairy section of the market, just follow instructions to throw them in the oven and bake them. Add a few touches first, like brush them with egg whites and sprinkle with chopped nuts, raisins, cinnamon or other spices.

Choose Simple Dishes with Traditional or Powerful Flavors

Some foods are just cheaper than others, but there is no reason they can't be just as tasty as long as you season and spice them well with traditional holiday flavors.

Some inexpensive ingredients to consider using are eggs (casserols, deviled appetizers), canned meats (crab, shrimp, ham), pasta, rice & noodles (side dishes), frozen veggies (soups, baked side dishes), seasonal fruits (pies, ice cream toppings, drinks).

Food Gifts

People enjoy their treats. You don't have to be a great cook to give a food gift. Jars of spice blends, drink or baking powdered mixtures, tins of cookies, sugared nuts or home-made candies, or baked goods make delicious, heart-felt gifts.

Gift Baskets

Make your own gift baskets filled with a mixture of home-made items and bargains items found in your treasure hunting endeavors.

Re-Gift, with a Twist

Regifting within your own family or friend circle is always risky- all you need is for grandma to see that sweater she knitted you last year on your cousin, or to give your boss back the same brief case he gave you three years ago. But, there's a way to do it.

Hold a gift swap-meet with a group you are acquainted with-- parents at your children's school, people at church, work, or neighbors. Ask everyone to bring the gifts they've gotten that they've never opened or that they don't plan to use. Lay them all out and swap. Everyone takes home their new gifts, ready to go to it's new owner.

That way you can honestly say you went out and got a gift for them-- you don't have to mention you didn't pay for it.

Keepsake Ornaments

Another thing people treasure are their Christmas tree ornaments that have special meaning to them. There are so many different types of ornaments that are easy to make even for the most un-artsy/craftsy people out there. Use some of the home made ornament ideas above to create beautiful treasures that your loved ones can enjoy year after year.

Make a "Present Pact" with Your Family and Friends

It seems this year everyone is going to be hurting a bit in the wallet, and will surely jump at the chance to reduce their holiday spending. See if your family and friends are open to alternatives.

Start a "Secret Santa" with your family, friends or co-workers. That way, everyone is sure to get one nice gift and no one has to feel too much purchase pressure.


Arrange aWhite Elephant Gift Exchange. This is a fun way to still enjoy presents, without the pressure.


Talk to people you regularly exchange gifts with and agree to a maximum price-- agree to get something nice and meaninful, but not showy or extravagant.


For an even cheaper option, see if you can get everyone to agree to home-made gifts, or gifts from the heart that they have to find rather than buy.


One final option I offer is taking the opportunity during these rough years to get everyone's focus off of gifts and material goods. Make an agreement with those you usually exchange gifts with to make donations to charities in each other's names-- or buy stuff together for a family you know is in need and deliver it, anonymously. Watch their faces from a distance as they find your gift sitting on their doorsteps. The true meaning of the season will overshadow all the holiday fad gifts you've ever coveted.

Picture Perfect Presents

If your house was on fire, and all your family and pets were out safe, and you could grab only one thing on your way out, what would you grab? Would you believe that almost 90% of people say their photographs? It's true- people treasure photos. That's why they usually make a great gift item.


Make a nice collage of your leftover pictures and put it in a pretty frame. Can't afford a pretty frame? Get one at the dollar store and dress it up with paint or glue-on some do-dads. Make a little pocket brag book for grandparents. Children especially love seeing themselves in pictures.

* photo by elvinstar (presents); ugurv (ornament); lusi (photo album); all at @sxc.hu

When it comes down to it, it really doesn't matter if you spend thousands of dollars, or not one red nickle-- what makes the holidays great is doing things together. Here are a few ideas to make that time special:

- Go for a walk through a festive neighborhood and take in the lights and decorations
- Decorate together
- Have some hot cocoa and watch it snow
- Do crafts: then decorate with them, or give them as presents
- Sing carols together
- Bake cookies or treats
- Make a gingerbread house, even if you only have graham crackers and candies on hand
- Watch some old holiday cartoons and movies
- Volunteer to help at a shelter
- Go caroling through your neighborhood, or at a hospital or assisted living facility
- Go to a church service,even if you don't normally go to church
- Go to a mall, even if you don't have money, and do some window shopping; visit Santa!
- Get out your old holiday photos for a walk down memory lane. Scrapbook them, or put them in an album if they aren't already.
- Write out cards for the troops
- Write letters to Santa- even if you're an adult (you DO believe in Santa, right?)


* photo by claudmey, Juliaf at sxc.hu

photo by Ale Paiva @sxc.hu