25 Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas for any Budget

Need ideas to cut costs while making your home festive this season? Check out these 25 easy Christmas decorating ideas that fit any budget.

Are you feeling the pinch this holiday season?

Let’s face it – I think we all have been in sticker shock the past year or so with prices rising on almost everything.

And it would be easy to become all Bah-humbug about it for Christmas.

Well, friend, I got you covered! I have always approached our holiday decor with a penny pinching mentality and today I’m gathering my favorite ideas that are not only affordable, but super easy, too!

25 Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas for any Budget

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You don’t have to spend tons of money to create that cozy holiday atmosphere you want to share with your family.

Have fun exploring some of these creative ideas I’ve used over the years.

You’ll find ideas for ornaments, Christmas tree filler ideas, wall decor, trimming the kitchen, creative garland ideas, tablescapes and more!

Let’s start with the focal point of any Christmas Decor – the tree! Here are some affordable Christmas tree decoration ideas.

DIY Christmas Ornaments

For me, the best way to get into the holiday spirit is to find a creative way to decorate my home.

It’s no secret that I love to get crafty around the Christmas season, and almost every year, I create some sort of DIY Ornament.

These chunky yarn covered ornaments are my favorite, but I have many more you can explore!

• DIY Christmas Yarn Ornaments
• Faux Crushed Velvet and DIY Rust Ornaments
• How to Make Your Own Tarnished Silver Ornaments
• Denim Christmas Ornaments – the DIY version
• 10 Must Try DIY Christmas Ornaments

The best part is that you don’t have to purchase new ornaments. Reusing extra ornaments for your DIYs will save you a lot of money.

Christmas Tree Filler Ideas

Whether you have a real tree or artificial tree, or an unlit or pre-lit tree, or even a flocked tree – no matter the type of tree, there are always bare spots that create an unsightly gap.

And while larger ornaments are an easy way to fill that empty space, here are some great ideas to help you out!

Add Extra Greenery to the Tree

One year, there was a Christmas where we didn’t even have a tree and definitely couldn’t afford one!

So I created our own tree using an old ladder.

So I went through my old Christmas greenery and added those elements to the tree.

It provided a solid base that I filled with Christmas tree garlands and wreaths.

This worked great with rustic Christmas decorations and our small children didn’t even notice the difference!

If you’re tree is skimpy and you need Christmas tree fillers, add natural elements, like sprigs of faux pine needles, cedar branches or even pine cones!

Add Floral Picks or Holiday Sprigs as Filler

One trick I always try to fill skimpy branches and create a full tree is to add floral picks or holiday sprigs.

You can enhance your color scheme like I did with this Red Tartan Christmas Tree.

It makes a huge difference and also gives the tree an elegant look.

Another great way to fill in an unsightly gap, use faux florals.

Last year, on this Moody Copper and Gray Christmas Tree, I not only added gold sprigs to the branches, but also incorporated faux flowers like these poinsettias and mesh garland.

By incorporating festive sprigs, you can create a balanced look that works with your color palette while also creating a unique look.

Hide Gaps with Unique Garland or Use Ribbon

One year, our faux tree was on the bare side and I desperately wanted a lush look.

Ribbon can hide lots of mistakes, like with this Buffalo Check themed tree.

Whether it’s thinner ribbon or wide ribbon, it’s a great way to create a starting point for your tree trimming.

I’ve used this knit ribbon many times and love how it adds warmth to the tree.

You can use ribbon to add a big bow or tie the ends of branches with smaller bows.

The options never end!

Here are a few more trees where I added ribbon:

• Red and White Christmas Decorations
• Casual Christmas Home Tour
• Denim Christmas Tree – the DIY version

Incorporate Holiday Themed Decor on the Tree

Check out this black, white and green themed tree.

There was a huge gap in the front of the tree, so I filled it was a festive frame.

I love how it pops against the white Christmas tree.

This isn’t the only time I’ve used a framed piece on our tree.

I also added a framed Holiday greeting to the middle of the “Christmas ladder“.

And if you look closely, you can also see that I filled in the gaps with different snowmen.

These are snowmen that I’ve collected over the years and they all came together to create this cohesive look.

Christmas Tree Toppers

Everyone knows that the hero of the show is the tree topper!

And the traditional star is always a winner, but I like to think outside the box sometimes.

Here are a few easy Christmas decorating ideas for the top of the tree!

Why not try a Santa hat like it did on this handmade inspired tree.

Remember those festive sprigs?

Create a fancy tree by adding them as a finishing touch to the top of the tree like I did with this Red and White Christmas Tree.

After exploring these cheap Christmas decoration ideas for your tree, I know you’ll love these DIY Projects we’ve made.

Wall Decor to Deck the Halls – Literally!

One inexpensive way to add a little bit of a personal touch to your holiday home is to make your own wall art.

That can be done with printables – which I have a few vintage evergreen prints you can grab for free!

But you can also use a little creativity!

I made this hanging sign using old holiday sheet music and wood letters that I painted a festive color.

I grabbed these letters from Hobby Lobby, but you can make your own out of cardboard for free!

You can also take your favorite wrapping paper and put it in a frame!

I simply filled the frame with wrapping paper and thought attaching this Dollar store gift wrap embellishment with a hot glue gun was a great addition!

As I mentioned, I love snowmen, and one year, I had baskets hanging on my wall.

So I decided to turn them into holiday decorations by creating a snowman!

Christmas Tablescapes

One of my favorite ways to add holiday cheer is by creating beautiful table settings.

Here are a few of my favorite table settings I’ve made over the years that you can try for your own dining room table.

• Red Tartan Christmas Dining Table
• Casual Black White and Green Christmas Tablescape
• Denim & Burlap Christmas Tablescape

Make Your Own Budget Christmas Festive Decorations

It’s the most wonderful time of the year to head to the local craft store.

That’s not how the song goes, but it’s true! The winter season is the best time to stay indoors and get crafty.

Make your own DIY Christmas wreaths, or find different ways to repurpose those old holiday decorations.

Here are some budget-friendly way to make your own holiday decor for your home with these DIYs.

• Handmade Christmas Fur Cone Tree
• 3 Simple DIY Christmas Yarn Crafts
• Easy Knit Winter Wreath
• Easy DIY Buffalo Check wreath for only $10
• DIY Wooden Nativity Scene Makeover

Other Places in Your Home to Add Holiday Cheer

The living room or dining table is a great place to start, but you can move beyond those rooms and add a splash of magic elsewhere!

Even if you’re on a tight budget, you can turn any small space into something beautiful.

I took this old butlers pantry and created a Christmas Coffee and Cocoa Bar.

• Buffalo Check Inspired Christmas Bedroom
• Simple Ideas for Christmas Kitchen Decor
• Cozy Winter Bedroom Ideas on a Budget
• Celebrating Christmas on our Front Porch

More Easy Christmas Ideas For You

Here are few ideas that I’ve always wanted to try out, but haven’t yet.

• Popcorn Garland, Candy Canes or Dried Orange Slices: I’ve seen these used for many years and still have that in my arsenal of ideas that I want to try. This is definitely a fun way to bring the kids in on the decorating!
• Decorate with Vintage Ornaments: I always see classic Christmas tree ornaments as thrift store finds or at a garage sale. It’s the perfect place to get that classic look while also creating a budget-friendly Christmas.
• Make your own Salt Dough Ornaments:

Where to Find Decor for Free or Very Cheap

We’ve all been there where you are scraping by to make ends meet.

But you can still find creative ways to make a big impact on your holiday decor this year.

• Free Fresh Greenery: Did you know that you can grab the tree clippings at Home Depot or Lowe’s? When they sell their trees, some people want the bottom trimmed. Those are up for grabs and totally free!
• Shop the Dollar Tree: You can find many affordable craft items to make your own decor. They even have many current trends with a similar look as the major retailers!
• Repurpose Old Decor: Grab some acrylic paint and give your dated decor a fresh new look!
• Make Your Own: Gather Pine cones and turn them into ornaments or Christmas crafts.

I hope this gave you some fresh ideas to encourage you if you are struggling to decorate this year.

Do you have some other traditions that you think would work perfectly for this post? Be sure to leave a comment below and share your tips with everyone!