First, Little Home for Christmas

[Kez437]

My partner and I are moving into our first home soon so we'll be there for Christmas 😁 It's a mobile home (not so glamorous) but we're trying to save to build and having spent the last 2 years living between our parents houses, we're excited. My partner has a 5 year old stepson also who lives with us 4 days a week. I LOVE Christmas and I'm looking some tips to make our little space feel Christmassy and cosy on a budget? Even more important considering the little one. Thanks in advance ❤️

[crochetmonkey69]

ooh I remember this feeling when I had my first little flat on my own which I loved.

I would say get a small fresh tree if you can as the smell is amazing and some scented pinecones from garden centres are normally quite reasonable.
Poundland have some fantastic bits - especially cushion covers and Dunelm do great Christmassy throws.
Something I love is having little dishes of chocolate coins or chocs and satsumas and nuts around as little treats you wouldn't normally have.
And put fairylights behind curtains, if you can put them on a timer so they are on for you to come back to, it is even more cosy!

[FireflyGirl]

Primark do nice Christmassy throws as well.

I second Poundland - their range has been updated to be quite classy.

With a 5-year-old, I think you can get away with tacky too - so paper snowflakes, pom-pom garlands, expedition to collect pine cones which you then paint and cover in lots of glitter: Pinterest will be your friend, here! And lots of fairy lights - they always make everything look Christmassy!

Congratulations on your first home!

[Kez437]

Thanks for these! Ideas I would never thought of, I really like the idea of fairy lights on a timer and the pine cone hunt will definitely go down well. I've cheered up now realising I won't have a dowdy Christmas despite being on a budget 😁

[VivaJen]

I would definitely suggest fairy lights, you can get long strings of battery powered ones for about £5 on Amazon that have timers, use Command hooks and put them round windows and doors, along the edge of the ceiling, that way you don't need to have a big tree to have lots of fairy lights.

Scent is a big thing as well, so go for the pine cones and find a couple of good cinnamon-y/festive candles.

I always think a Poinsettia is nice in December, you can pick them up for a couple of pounds and they add a lovely green/red touch. Put your Christmas cards on a door rather than cover up counter/display space.

And most importantly enjoy every minute of it!

[healthyeating]

I really like the matalan Christmas range for different throws/blankets/etc.

[BiddyPop]

I'm thinking mobile home meaning limited space so maximize the effects on walls, ceilings and smells.

YYY to fairy lights.
YYY to pine cones and I have an aromatherapy oils in Christmas mix (possibly Neal's Yard) but you could make up one with some pine, mandarin and cinnamon type oils.
Hang cards either on strings/ribbons/strings of beads along the walls or blue tack to the doors.

Hang garlands from ceiling and stick things to the wall like snowflakes or garlands or Santas/Snowmen etc. With a 5yo, make some newpaper angels or snowmen for windows. Tinsel along the bottom of kitchen cabinets (as long as not dangling in the way of kitchen activity and not near the cooker).

If you have a safe lantern, make use of nightlights, or get battery-powered versions.

Depending on where you have space for a tree, get a small fake for a tabletop, a narrow one to stand on the floor, a flat-backed one for against a wall, or a tiny real one (even some off-cuts branches tied together might work really well in a pot). There are lots of options, just think about the space you have and what might work.

Winter in a mobile home may be chilly, so bright Christmassy coloured throws to use as well as decorate could be helpful and practical as well as decorative. Cosy fleeces (Ikea and Primark both do nice but cheap fleeces - and you may get lucky on nice colours) would be great as easy to wash and dry too.

You may not want to get Christmas "ware" for space/storage reasons, but you could get party versions to throw away - tablecloth, paper plates, plastic glasses etc - even if its just a pack of small bowls to put out the little bits of treats for the season. Or 1 nice - maybe wintery rather than Christmassy - proper mug each for your coffee.

And possibly think about outside the mobile - is it on a site that you could hang a wreath on the door or near the door on a pole or similar? Could you put a tree outside and decorate with outdoor decorations (well tied on plastic items, your glittery pine cones, a string of tinsel well tied on against wind/rain, a set of lights (solar?) suitable for outdoors)? Even a "Santa please stop here" sign.

[BiddyPop]

Oh, and I know I gave lots of ideas which seem like blowing the budget - I brain dump, I think of shopping in places like Primark, Ikea, Eurosaver (equivalent of Poundland I guess) and online - and I think of loads but only do a few things.

So take the whole lot and only pick out what is feasible!!!!

[Kez437]

Ahh I love all these ideas! Thank you all so much, I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit now even though it's only June. It will no doubt take a bit of imagint but I'm reassured now that despite being small I can still make it feel cozy and Christmassy 😊