You’d like to deck the halls with boughs of holly, but you can barely afford two turtle doves, let alone five golden rings (or in this case, golden ornaments). Don’t worry; you can enjoy all the parties for hosting and marshmallows for toasting in an apartment that resembles a winter wonderland. And when the season is over and you’ve had yourself a merry little Christmas while staying on budget, it’ll be the happiest time of the year!
Christmas Tree Alternatives
Let’s start with the star of the season: the Christmas tree. If your apartment is small, you may be wondering where you’d put a tree (we won’t even mention trying to rock around it). Sure, skinny trees are a thing, but they still require floor space and they can be pricey. Rather than buying a tree, consider some of these alternatives:
Chalkboard tree
If you have a chalkboard, you can draw a tree. Even if you aren’t artistic, you can make this look great with a few wispy lines in a triangular shape. You can “decorate” your tree by cutting artwork out of Christmas cards and taping them on, or by covering cardboard with wrapping paper to resemble tiny presents to place in front of you “tree."
Card tree
Find an empty space on a wall to create a card tree. Attach the cards using removable mounting putty in the shape of a tree, with several cards across the bottom and tapering up to one card at the top of the tree (this shouldn’t damage your wall but test a spot to make sure).
Plywood tree
If you’re crafty, you can make a rustic, free-standing tree out of some plywood cut into a triangular shape. Attach a base with some nails and leave it natural or paint it a bright, cheery color.
Pinecone tree
Get a foam cone from the craft store and stand it so the pointy end is at the top. Using floral wire, attach pinecones around the form to make a rustic tree. If you want some sparkle, brush the pinecones with glue and sprinkle them with silver glitter before attaching. Fill any empty spaces with acorns
Firefly lights tree
Create a magical glow in even the smallest of spaces by using firefly lights arranged in a tree shape along one wall. Use transparent tape or removable hooks for quick, easy takedown after the holiday season.
Just the branches
Go on a hike and collect some fallen branches. Arrange them in a flowerpot or vase. If you don’t like the natural look, spray paint the branches white. String lights around the branches and hang some ornaments for a deconstructed Christmas tree.
DIY Tree Decorations
If you have a tree (or if you're using a houseplant as your tree) but lack decorations, think old-fashioned and rustic. For example, you can:
- String popcorn and cranberries to use as garland. This is a long tradition dating back to the 1800s and it still looks great! Let the popcorn sit out for a day or two so it doesn’t break as easily. String the popcorn and cranberries using a large needle and thread.
- Bake a batch of gingerbread cookies, adding a small hole at the top before baking (a straw works great for this). When they’re cool, use ribbon to hang them on the tree. Hang these out of reach of pets or kids who might be tempted to nibble on your decorations.
- Paint some pinecones using silver or gold metallic spray paint. Attach them to ribbons and use them as decorations.
- If you know how to sew or crochet, make some simple ornaments with fabric or yarn.
- Cut snowflakes from paper (pages from old books or sheet music work great) for easy tree decorations that will remind you of Kindergarten art projects.
- Use red, green, or plaid ribbon to tie large bows onto the tree branches and make a giant bow to use as a tree-topper.
- Candy canes are inexpensive and perfect for decorating your tree, thanks to their built-in hook. (A bit of trivia: the candy cane originated in 16th century Germany, when a choirmaster handed out sugar sticks to young singers. He bent them to resemble a shepherd’s crook. Decorating with these combines history, tradition, and holiday cheer with a delicious treat you can add to your hot cocoa.)
Brighten Up Your Walls
A cheap, easy way to make your apartment look festive is to use wrapping paper, ribbon, and bows. If you have photos hanging on your walls, take them down and wrap them like presents. Then hang them back up for a quick, festive update.
If people send you Christmas cards, turn them into art. Attach them to wide ribbons in varying lengths and hang them over the fireplace or on the wall.
Cut shapes from card stock and decorate them using glitter, wrapping paper, or ribbon. Punch a hole in the top of each and use twine or yarn to create a banner you can hang over your couch or fireplace.
Sometimes, all you need is a festive wreath, and making one is affordable and easy. Get a wreath form from the craft store. Then, gather your materials. You can use ornaments, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, bits of greenery, or whatever else you can think of. Use hot glue or floral wire to attach your decorations to the wreath. Hang your wreath with ribbon or prop it up on a table.
Hunt and Gather
If you aren’t handy or you don’t have time for DIY projects, you can still decorate on a budget. Get the word out to friends and family about what you’re looking for. You might be surprised by how many people offer items to you. This is because holiday décor tends to build up over time and it’s something many people don’t think to sort through and get rid of until it’s time to pull everything out of storage.
Scour second-hand stores, flea markets, online marketplaces, and garage sales. You’ll likely find some real treasures this time of year, and at a cheap price, too.
Wait for the sales. For example, you’ll likely score some good deals on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). You can also plan for next year by buying discounted holiday décor in January.
Don’t overlook dollar and discount stores. You can find some terrific items to decorate with, and they won’t break the bank.
You don’t have to leave your apartment during your décor hunt — you likely have more than you think!
- Toss some cranberries around a candle in a glass vase and you’ll have a beautiful centerpiece for your table.
- Put some oranges and cinnamon sticks in a bowl and put it on your coffee table. It will smell as good as it looks!
- Find a clear, glass jar (like a mason jar) and mix in some Epsom salt and glitter to resemble snow. Make or find some miniatures (think tiny snowmen or trees) to place on top of the “snow” for a cute winter scene in a jar.
- Gather items you have in holiday colors and display them together. Look for things that are red, green, gold, blue, purple, and white. For example, if you have a green coffee mug, a red vase, and a gold star, putting them together in an arrangement will evoke that holiday feeling simply by sitting next to each other, especially if you add some white flowers and greenery to the display.
- If you have some wine glasses, turn them upside down over sprigs of holly, an ornament, or even just some red ribbon, and place a tea candle on top of each stem. This is a great display for your mantle, dining room, or coffee table.
- Make your apartment smell like holiday cheer with scented candles, a diffuser and seasonal oils, or a stovetop potpourri. This involves taking items like whole cloves, orange peels, or cinnamon sticks and putting them in simmering water. Make sure you keep an eye on this and turn it off before leaving your apartment or going to bed.
Having a tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t have fun decorating your apartment for the holidays. And when you’re done, you might just be ready to go caroling out in the snow. Or dashing through the snow. Or forgetting about the snow and just relaxing in your (affordably) decorated apartment with a warm blanket, a cup of tea, and cheesy holiday movies. Now it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
