Let’s be straight about it - the holidays can be busy, exhausting and expensive. Even when we do our best to keep within budget, unexpected events or gifts can come up that end up emptying out our wallets. ’Tis the season for consumerism, yes. But also, and on a more cup-half-full frame of mind, ’tis the season for generosity, connection and rest - and that’s pretty special. Even so, having a few tricks and tips to keep costs down is generally welcome in any household, so for this week’s post, I’m going to talk about my creative decorating hacks.
My list is short and sweet but can add a little bit of warmth to your home and at nearly no cost. Chances are, you’ve already done your decorating. But given the number of people I’ve seen doing very last minute shopping over the past few days, I’ve come to believe that there are people out there who are frantically trying to set up their tree as I write this out. If that’s not you, that’s great! You are probably sitting by a festive yule log (digitally, of course) and drinking hot cocoa. That sounds fabulous. In that case, enjoy this read and book mark it for next year. If you are among the few still trying to get the house ready for company, then I invite you to dive in and have some fun creating something special. Without further delay, I present to you my creative holiday decorations.
Popcorn tree garland. First of all, how can you go wrong with anything made out of popcorn? It’s delicious which means that your home will feel like a salty treat. On top of that, you get to make popcorn in order to make the garland. On top, on top of that, you get to eat whatever popcorn is left over. Plus, it makes your tree look like it’s been tickled with cartoon-like snow. The only down side, it can take some time. The plus side, you can use that time to pop on a Christmas movie in the background. Once you are done your decoration, you can sit back and watch the rest of your movie with the rest of your popcorn.
Film Canister tree ornaments. I do understand that in order to accomplish this you need to have an abundance of film canisters around. My gift to you - another reason to start shooting film. I pop a little hole in their lids and then slide them on top of my LED Christmas lights for a funky little light show. If you decide to go ahead with this one, please be sure that you aren’t popping them onto Christmas lights that heat up real bad. No one enjoys the smell of melting plastic on Christmas morning, trust me on that one.
Book Page Himmeli. This was a new one for me this year. It is a Scandinavian craft that is traditionally used around the holiday season and at weddings. All that is required is some string, some glue, a kebab stick and some old paper. I was fortunate enough to acquire some old book pages for crafting from my local library. Have I mentioned lately how wonderful libraries are? If you haven’t visited one recently, you ought to. But back to the Himmeli. These crafts are delicate and interesting and really fun to build. Truthfully, I like mine so much that I’ll probably keep them around long after the holiday season.
This list is brief and there are obviously a few more I could dive into - paper snowflakes, interesting centre pieces, gingerbread palaces, but I need something to write about next holiday season so we’ll leave it there. Happy holidays to all. May you be filled with joy and warmth this season.
