The holiday season is a magical time of year, but party planning can also be stressful and expensive. With some creativity and advanced planning, you can decorate for your Christmas party on a budget that makes spirits bright without breaking the bank. Read on for over a dozen festive and affordable decoration ideas to make your holiday celebration memorable.
Christmas parties are all about spreading holiday cheer with friends, family, and coworkers. However, between food, gifts, and other expenses it's easy for party budgets to get out of hand. Focus your dollars on great company and lean on these thrifty decoration tips to deck your event space with Yuletide sparkle.
Shop Discount and Dollar Stores
Dollar stores, discount shops, and post-holiday sales are excellent sources for party supplies on the cheap. Stock up on holiday linens, candles, platters, cutlery, and table scatters marked down after Christmas. Raid dollar store aisles for wreaths, garlands, bows, gift wrap, lights, mini trees, and more to instantly infuse festive decorative flair.
Go For Natural Decor
Natural elements like pinecones, holly, evergreen branches, and poinsettias invoke the essence of the season at little or no cost. Clip greenery from your own yard or gather pinecones on a nature walk to style mantels, stair railings, table centerpieces, and other displays. Opt for poinsettias over pricier blooms for pops of festive red on every table.
Craft Handmade Ornaments
Provide supplies for guests to craft simple ornaments as an inexpensive party activity. Set out pom poms, felt, glitter glue, markers, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, and other kid-friendly materials. Participants of all ages will enjoy making handmade holiday mementos to adorn your tree or take home. Display the creations around the party space for charming DIY decoration.
Deck with String Lights
Nothing says Christmas like twinkling lights. Pick up a few strands of LED string lights and use them to create instant ambience anywhere. Drape around fireplace mantels, stair banisters, shelves, or windows. Outline walkways, line roof edges, or swag between trees outside. Place inside clear glass vases or jars for soft table lighting. Lights illuminate holiday spirit at very little expense.
Style with Spare Decorations
Check your holiday storage for decor items leftover from previous seasons, like ribbons and bows, floral picks, bead garlands, table runners,dishware, candle holders and unused candles. Reuse what you already own in new creative ways rather than purchasing anything new. Upcycle by spray painting dated items like wreaths or ornaments in trendy metallic finishes.
DIY with Foraged Elements
Look for free foraged items to fashion one-of-a-kind nature-inspired holiday accents. Create wreaths, table centerpieces, and wall displays using greenery, berries, pinecones, and nuts collected on walks in the woods or at the park. Add spare holiday ornament baubles, mini faux gift boxes, or metallic floral picks for whimsical wintry charm at no cost.
Showcase Children's Artwork
Transform your kids' holiday masterpieces into festive decoration and money-saving party trimmings. Frame colorful drawings, paintings, and crafts to display throughout your event space. Mount paper creations on strips of ribbon to hang as impromptu wall garlands and table runners. Nothing conveys the spirit of the season quite like showcasing a child's unique yuletide handiwork.
Set Out Seasonal Produce
Festive fruits and winter vegetables make for stunning edible centerpieces and embellishments that don't bust the budget. Arrange clementines, pomegranates, pineapples, pears, artichokes, chestnuts, persimmons, and gourds in bowls or vases for natural and nourishing decoration. Surround with clipped greens, pine, sprigs of rosemary, cinnamon sticks or mini pumpkins.
Sprinkle Thematic Confetti
Pick up a package of inexpensive plastic snowflake, tree, gingerbread or poinsettia confetti to scatter as tabletop accents or along your buffet. Use sparingly sprinkled atop table linens, along stair banisters, or on fireplace mantles and sideboard tops. Avoid glitter, as it can shed onto floors, clothing, and food. Stick to large confetti shapes that are easily cleaned.
Show Off Collections
Display your treasured holiday collections like Santa figurines, snow globes, nutcrackers, or historic ornaments to instantly infuse nostalgic cheer. Group items in vignettes on shelves, sideboards, mantels, and side tables to create charming conversation pieces that celebrate the season. Just be sure to safely secure delicate items away from rambunctious party guests.
Raid the Recycle Bin
Before throwing away product shipping boxes, examine them for printable decorative outer sleeves to repurpose. Soda, cereal, pasta, and other food brands often have holiday versions of their packaging you can cut out and use as ready-made decor. Adhere printable sleeves to plain brown craft paper or cardboard to make your own custom party placards, signs, or tabletop easel displays.
Show Off Greenery Inside
Snip a few branches of cedar, pine, magnolia, holly, or fir to display in large clear glass or vases as inexpensive DIY holiday centerpieces. For tabletop trees, cut bare branched twigs from your yard and wire them together in a cone shape. Add string lights and a tree topper like a bow or paper star. The organic evergreen elements reflect the essence of the season.
Thread Festive String Lights
Create a canopy of twinkling light above dining tables or seating areas by threading string lights through sheer fabric. Use lightweight holiday-themed curtains, swaths of tulle, or white bedsheets secured with binder clips to allow lights to shine through. The ethereal radiance instantly amplifies cozy Christmas magic. Use lighting timers to control when they turn on and off.
Adorn with Ribbons & Bows
No need to splurge on elaborate holiday wreaths, swags, and sprays. Simply transform inexpensive ribbon into festive flourishes. Loop lengths of wired ribbon around stair banisters, mantles, chairs, or chandeliers. Craft oversized bows to top balusters, affix to wreaths, tree tops, or adorn packages and gifts displayed as decoration.
Wrap String Lights Around Displays
An inexpensive way to highlight decor items like poinsettias, greenery, figurines, vases, or small trees is to wrap clear lights around the base. Outline rails, banisters, fireplace edges, and buffet lines by threading lights through decorative garlands. The strategic uplighting creates a magical radiance sure to wow guests.
Budget-Friendly Christmas Party Decorating FAQs
What are some cheap Christmas decorations I can make at home?
Some budget-friendly DIY decorations you can craft at home include pom pom garlands, paper snowflakes, handmade paper chains, wooden bead strings, popsicle stick frames for family photos, and tree ornaments from salt dough or clothespins.
Where can I buy inexpensive Christmas party supplies?
Dollar stores, discount department stores, craft stores, and post-holiday sales at major retailers offer affordable party supplies like napkins, plates, cutlery, candles, banners, balloons, confetti, and more. Shop sales and bulk packs for the best value.
What are cheap ways to decorate a Christmas tree?
Affordable Christmas tree decorating ideas include making homemade ornaments from paper, felt, salt dough, or clothespins; using scraps of ribbon, fabric, lace, or paper chain garlands; stringing popcorn or cranberries; displaying food items like oranges studded with cloves; and highlighting your existing ornaments with mini string lights.
How can I decorate my home for Christmas on a small budget?
Focus on natural elements like fresh greens, pinecones, and poinsettias. Raid closets and storage for unused decor from past holidays. Craft handmade DIY ornaments and displays. Shop dollar stores, discount retailers, and post-holiday sales for party supplies. Repurpose what you already own in creative new ways.
What are thrifty ideas for throwing an inexpensive Christmas party?
Have guests make their own ornament crafts. Decorate with greenery, pinecones, and food items on hand. Use your holiday collections as tabletop displays. Showcase children’s homemade decor. Shop sales and dollar stores for supplies. Display string lights and recycled packaging for inexpensive decoration.
Conclusion
Making your Christmas party magical and beautiful doesn't have to break the bank. By using budget-friendly decorations, such as wrapping clear lights around decor items, crafting homemade ornaments and displays, shopping at discount stores, and repurposing what you already own, you can create a festive atmosphere without overspending. With these ideas and some creativity, you can throw an amazing Christmas party that your guests will remember for years to come.
