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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Ideas for quick, easy, cheap and/or homemade Christmas decorations please.

23 replies

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 17:20

We are moving back to the UK in December, reaching there on the 20th. Our shipped container - including all the usual Christmas decorations - will not arrive until weeks later - definitely not in time for Christmas. We will be very limited as to what we can fit into our suitcases as we will already have them stuffed with winter clothes and toys/books/games for the dd's.

So I am looking for cheap and cheerful ways to decorate the house for Christmas. It will be the first one that dd2 will really be able to appreciate so despite the fact that dh is Scroodgy McScroodge I would like to make an effort.

So far I have thought of paper chains, those cut out paper snowflake things you can stick on the window and possibly a real tree. That we can decorate with???

Come on you Christmas lovers - do your best!

Thanks.

OP posts:

scrappydappydoo · 19/10/2010 17:29

Saltdough decorations - I'm sure if you google it you can get the recipe..
You could pick up on the american tradition of threading popcorn on a string and wrapping it round the christmas tree and you can make a paper cone angel for the top.
Umm - cotton wool snowmen?
You could get some cheap wrapping paper and stick it to panels on your door iykwim

TBH you can pick up fairly cheap decorations tinsel etc in the supermarkets here and if you have a poundland near you well...

Tolalola · 19/10/2010 17:53

Oh no stranded! You're leaving me! Hope you have a lovely time back in the UK. I'm quite jealous.

I used to love doing oranges studded with cloves and wrapped with ribbon to hang about the place when I was little. Smells lovely. Painted papier mache balls are easy to make with a bag of balloons and some old newspaper.

Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 17:54

scrappy - thanks. I agree I could pick up cheap decorations but not keen on buying throw away stuff unless I have to. Will probably get some tinsel though.

I like the popcorn idea - could perhaps dye it?

Will look for saltdough recipe.

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Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 17:56

Hi tolala - you should check out the thread about expats, we discuss living on small Caribbean islands and how easy it is/isn't to intergrate (for me very difficult).

Can you remind me are you in BVI? I have a friend who has just moved there with her dh and little boy.....

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Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 17:57

Oh and I love the orange idea - must write these down.

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TitsalinaBumPumpkin · 19/10/2010 17:58

Get a cheap pack of paper plates and get the kids to make snowflakes for the windows or to hang from the ceiling.

here

Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 18:05

ooh I like it lots of crafty ideas. Although we'll be having to make them from the moment we touch down! Still I guess it's one way to keep them occupied (if I can drag them away from the excitement of a telly full of children's channels).

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Tolalola · 19/10/2010 19:14

Yes stranded I am in the BVI - I was just looking at the expat thread - v. interesting to get all the different views...how old is your friend's DS? My DS is 2.10...

Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 19:17

Yes he is very similar age (my dd is 2.10 too - or at least she will be 3 in dec, does that make her 2.10?). Her boy is about two and a half. I wonder if you know her? Blond hair, English, pregnant? She was looking at the Montessori pre-school but said it was very expensive.

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Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 19:18

Oh yeah and she is here at the moment for a week.

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tyler80 · 19/10/2010 19:28

These Paper Snowflakes are very easy but look great

Danish Christmas Hearts Have made the simplest ones with primary school children so maybe something the kids can help with too. There's a link underneath the photo that takes you to a site with a printable template, far easier than trying to draw them by hand which I've done in the past. Guessing you might not have access to a printer, so perhaps not such a good recommendation.

Original poster

strandeadatsea · 19/10/2010 19:32

thank you those are both great. probably a bit much for the dd's (5 and 2) but I could have a go in the evenings. Oooh I can't wait now.

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tummytickler · 19/10/2010 20:10

Pine cones dipped in glitter and hung from the tree with florist wire? We do this a lot.

I like to gt glittery pipe cleaners and try to get the dc to make something to hang on the tree with them (even if it is just a load of pipe cleaner circle whichit was one year )

Tolalola · 19/10/2010 20:12

No, don't think I know your friend, stranded. Don't really know that many other mummies. We were hoping to send DS to the Montessori too, but there's no way we can afford it, so he's home with me while I work online.

MollygoreR · 19/10/2010 20:18

Get some thing twiggy twigs (beech trees are ideal. Foirm into a circle, fasten with wire. Pin gold or silver painted leaves on. Voila, a cheap, easy wreath.

Buy some cinammon sticks (health food shop or most supermarkets. Tie into little bundles of 3 with red or ginghsam roibbon.

Get red and white pipecleaners, twist together into cane shapes. Hand on tree.

horMOANSnomore · 19/10/2010 21:19

Edible decorations - either buy chocolate ones in the supermarket or make your own. These look yummy

girlywhirly · 20/10/2010 09:50

You could make a garland to wind around the tree by threading the paper snowflakes alternately with cottonwool balls, on a string or narrow ribbon. Add in paper snowmen if you like.

Make paper chains from strips of foil type wrapping paper and stick together with tape.

Small paper cones from wrapping paper to hang from the tree with a small choc santa or snowman inside.

Molly's twigs could be placed in a bunch in a vase, too. You could cut leaf shapes from offcuts of wrapping paper to stick on.

Get some natural evergreens. Ivy is everywhere for free, holly and fir often available from markets and florists. A florist local to me was selling a branch of blue fir (non drop) for £2 last year. You can spray ivy with gold or silver, and when dry make a garland from long stems joined together. As you have young children, remove the berries from holly and ivy, they are poisonous if swallowed.

ja9 · 20/10/2010 10:03

if you arrive home on the 20th are you really going to have the time (and energy) to do all these things? Seriously, cute as they are, i really recommend you just visit poundland for decs...

Original poster

strandeadatsea · 20/10/2010 10:46

ja9 - realistically I fear you are right. I will probably end up with a few snowflakes stuck on the window and one sad paperchain hanging above the fireplace. Still, there are some good ideas here.

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ja9 · 20/10/2010 11:34

lovely ideas here.... but give yourself a break and do them next year when you're settled! you'd get a LOT for a tenner in poundies! anyway, safe travels. xx

tyler80 · 22/10/2010 19:26

Realise you may have changed your mind now but maybe for future reference more ideas for paper ornaments here

taffetawitchescat · 23/10/2010 19:43

order a few of these now before they sell out and ask them to deliver when you're here

just a few of the big ones hanging from the ceiling are stunning

UniS · 24/10/2010 19:20

I rather like spending christmas morning making table runner/ place mat type stuff with Boy. sticking cut out bits of Christmas catalogues/ magazines onto paper. I like themeing the pics for the person, boy likes covering it all in glitter.

Sticky back plastic seals it all in and makes for wipe clean place mats.

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