LIFESTYLE
| Deck Your Halls—for
Less! |
|
 Holiday
decorations: they're the stuff traditions are made of. Take
the pumpkins out of fall and the twinkling lights out of winter,
and our festivities wouldn't be nearly as—well, festive.
It's easy to get into the spirit of things when your home
is beautifully decorated, but you shouldn't have to break
the bank in order to enjoy your own lavish displays of holiday
cheer. Besides, spending less on décor means more money
for fabulous food and generous gifts—and who doesn't
want that? We've compiled some of the best ways to make your
home into a warm and inviting haven, at prices that put the
“wonder” in “holiday wonderland.”
Think ahead.
This one is hard for those of us with the “I want it
now” mentality (I'm guiltily raising my hand here),
but slowly amassing bits and pieces of décor throughout
the year can save you a substantial amount. Directly after
the holidays, the prices of decorations drop, and usually
continue to decline until the inventory is gone. By Valentine's
Day, you can snatch things up at deep discounts—we're
talking 50 percent and more. Sure, it's a bit of a bummer
having to wait a whole year to use something, but you'll feel
a little extra thrill when you think back on how much you
saved by buying early. You can also keep your eyes peeled
at yard sales for things that may not be decorating material
at first glance, but that can be valuable given a little imagination:
glass vases and wooden bowls, wayward candles, vintage cake
stands.
 Go
green.
Who needs plastic when you can have the real thing? This holiday
season, try turning to nature for some fresh inspiration in
decorating. Take advantage of fall's abundance of apples by
hollowing out the core, then tucking a pillar candle and a
few greens into the center (making sure that the flame never
touches the greenery, of course). Whole cinnamon sticks, cranberries,
pinecones, nuts, gourds, and pebbles are all great decorating
props; use them singly or mix them together to fill a glass
vase or apothecary jar, then tie with a festive ribbon. Fill
a transparent bowl with whole cranberries and water, then
float tea lights on top. Go for a long walk in the woods and
clip evergreen branches of varying types and sizes, and use
them in a bouquet or tie them together to make a swag for
your mantelpiece or tabletop. Or make a bowl of sparkling
sugared fruit: brush fruits with egg whites—or, if they're
to be eaten later, meringue powder mixed with water—and
then sprinkle them with a coating of superfine sugar, allowing
them to dry on a rack. (A bowl of sugared green apples, green
grapes, lemons and pears makes a pretty centerpiece.) Even
your wrapping can be naturally frugal; wrap packages in brown
recycled paper, and tie with raffia ribbons hot-glued with
cinnamon candies to look like holly berries—simple and
pretty. And don't forget to hang a sprig of nature's holiday
matchmaker: mistletoe!
 Ask
around.
If you're tired of your “same-old, same-old” décor,
chances are you've got friends and family members who feel
the same way about theirs. Instead of blowing your holiday
budget on a whole new setup, host a pre-holiday swap; invite
guests to bring a box of their own decorations to trade with
others, and share ideas. You never know what you could piece
together!
Picture it.
Use the pictures that are already hanging on your wall to
your advantage. Wrap them up like packages, complete with
bow, and re-hang. Or instead of a bow, glue a favorite holiday
photo in the center.
Get crafty.
A hot glue gun, some inexpensive ribbon, and a few packs of
shiny beads can make holiday decorating magic. Embellish cheap
pillar candles, placemats, and tablecloth edges, or hand-make
bows to place on doors or banisters. If you're not sure you've
got the crafting know-how to create your own décor,
not to worry—the Internet is a great resource. YouTube
alone has numerous step-by-step instructional videos; just
type in “how to make a bow” or whatever else you'd
like to learn.
 Color
scheme.
It doesn't take much money to create an eye-catching display—just
a bit of ingenuity. By using a color theme, you can impart
maximum drama with minimal décor. Warm metallics, for
example: fork over a few dollars for an inexpensive sheet
of shimmery bronze or gold fabric. Use it to cover a horizontal
surface such as a table or mantel (drape it over varying sized
boxes or small stacks of books to incorporate different heights).
On each level, place something different: an earthy amber-colored
candle holder, a clear glass vessel filled with metallic ball
ornaments. Weave a short string of tiny white or gold lights,
or metallic ribbon, throughout the display, or candles of
various lengths. By taking it a step further and switching
your throw pillows, tablecloth and other easily-changable
items to match the color scheme, you'll bring in a feeling
of consistency.
Less can be more.
You don't have to add sparkle to every corner in order to
set a festive holiday scene. Spending your holiday decorating
budget on fewer things—splurging on a couple of key
pieces rather than a bunch of smaller items—can make
just as much of a statement. Try scattering a few white poinsettia
plants throughout a room, for example (but be careful if you
have pets), and adorning the doorway with a deep green garland
entwined with twinkling white lights.
 Make
“scents” of the season.
It may not be the most obvious component, but holiday smells
are a big part of your home's ambiance—that's why store
shelves are loaded with limited-edition scented products,
from cinnamon and spice to peppermint and pine. Real fir trees
and branches will fill your home with their fresh-cut scent,
which is a smell that's easy to recreate even with faux greenery:
just add 20 drops of pine, fir, or juniper essential oil to
a spritzer with about an ounce of water and spray it on. Or
place three sliced oranges in a pan with three quarts of water,
a handful of cloves and three or more cinnamon sticks; bring
to a rolling boil, then decrease the heat and let it simmer
for a pleasant fragrance.
There's no denying that
a festive atmosphere can bolster even the most severely flagging
holiday spirits—and you'll be even merrier when you've
created that atmosphere with change to spare. Happy holidays!
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