Some of the most creative and unique Christmas tree decorating ideas are actually the cheapest. Don’t think for a minute that decorating a tree, whether it’s an artificial tree, a wall-mounted tree, or a real tree, has to be boring! The key is to use your imagination to come up with ideas that reflect your interests and personal style. When it comes to Christmas tree decorating ideas, necessity really is the mother of great inventions!
Here are some inexpensive and creative Christmas tree decorating ideas for revelers on a budget.
Christmas Card Images – This is one of the simplest Christmas tree decorating ideas. Cut out the images you like best from last year’s Christmas cards and color the back with gold or silver magic marker. Then hang it from the tree with a sparkly ribbon. This look is especially nice on a wall-mounted Christmas tree that is placed next to the main entrance.
Colored Glass or Plastic Balls – Adorning ordinary colored glass balls with glitter paints or spray flocking (fake snow) is one of the most tried and true Christmas decorating ideas. You can also glue glitter or jewelry from the craft store and string braid or ribbon onto a cheap glass ball and turn it into the penny store equivalent of a Fabergé egg. Stickers, sequins, and ribbon can also be used to make inexpensive decorations look more unique. A bit of glue and a bit of glitter is also a great way to freshen up the look of old or scratched Christmas decorations.
Cookies – Decorating your tree with cookies is as old as the tradition itself. Simply make gingerbread or shortbread cookies and decorate with icing. Be sure to leave a small hole in the candy so you can hang it from a fishing line or ribbon from the tree. Gingerbread men or butter snowmen look great, especially on a natural green tree.
Glitter Decorations: Almost any small object, sphere, or disc can be dipped or painted with glue and then rolled with glitter. This is one way to turn “junk” into Christmas decorations that can be hung on the tree. Glitter is very inexpensive and can be used to transform everything from old keys to cereal box prizes and golf balls into holiday decorations.
Origami – Origami is the fine art of paper folding. You can find instructions for making everything from snowflakes to Origami storks on the Internet. There are many sites that specialize in offering origami Christmas tree decorating ideas. One idea is to make larger and smaller versions of the same design to create a balanced, minimalist look.
Party Streamers – Simply stretching the ends of your branches with party streamers can create a very modern and minimalist looking tree. A string of Chinese lanterns from the dollar store also nicely complements this look. This type of look is also very attractive on an upside down Christmas tree or a wall mounted Christmas tree as a little breeze brings the tree to life with movement.
Pipe Cleaners – This is one of those Christmas tree decorating ideas that is great to do with the kids! Chenille pipe cleaners have to be one of the most versatile craft items ever invented. Simply twist them into the shapes of snowflakes, stars, angels, or anything you can imagine. Best of all, pipe cleaner Christmas decorations can be attached directly to the tree. This makes them ideal for trees that, for safety reasons, cannot have too many hanging decorations, such as the wall-mounted Christmas tree or the upside-down Christmas tree.
Popcorn Christmas Tree – There is nothing cheaper than popcorn and it is a great source of inspiration when it comes to Christmas tree decorating ideas. Any kind of Christmas tree, including real, artificial, or wall-mounted Christmas tree, looks great decorated with popcorn garlands. Popcorn can also be shaped into balls and hung like giant snowballs from the branches of a tree. Don’t forget, too, that you can easily stain or paint the popcorn with food coloring.
Ribbon and Lace – One of the easiest ideas for decorating a Christmas tree is to simply tie bows made from pieces of ribbon and pieces of lace and tie them to the branches of a tree. This is also the safest way to decorate a tree if you have a wall-mounted or upside-down Christmas tree. Decorating a Christmas tree with ribbons that are securely tied to a tree is also safest for a young child.
Snowflakes – This is one of those Christmas tree decorating ideas that are great to do with the kids. Remember those folded paper snowflakes you made as a kid? You can decorate them with any color of glitter. For best results, hang the smallest paper snowflakes at the top of the tree and the largest at the bottom.
Toys – If you’re on a budget, you can find plenty of Christmas decorating ideas in the toy section of your local toy store. As long as it’s miniature, it’ll probably look great on a tree. You can tie heavy items to the branches and hang light items with colored ties. Trains, dolls and fish look especially good on a Christmas tree. This idea is also good for a small wall-mounted tree in a child’s room.
Translucent Wired Bows – This is one of the more minimalist Christmas tree decorating ideas, but the effect is absolutely beautiful. Buy translucent wired ribbon in two colors (silver and gold are all the rage right now) and simply tie them to your tree. The wire keeps the bows big and stiff so they look really attractive. This look is also perfect for a tree you don’t want people tripping over, like a wall-mounted Christmas tree or an upside-down Christmas tree.
