Decorations - starting from nothing

[CrackleMauve]

So we will have moved into our first house in time for Christmas, leaving behind the small flat that we've never really decorated as we're usually away and there's no space for a tree.

This year we plan to have Christmas at home in the new house. My daughter will be 22 months. I want to make the place look properly Christmassy.

So, where is good to get decorations from? Things that are nice but not ridiculously expensive as having just moved we have a lot to spend money on. And what do I need? Apart from decorating the tree I'm never sure what other decorations to do. Inspire me lovely Christmassy people!

House of Fraser and Debenhams often do 3 for 2 on all tree decorations.

Oh and M&S too.

I definitely don't want a theme, I want chaos, colour and thing that are meaningful and handmade stuff when my daughter is old enough to do that.

Brilliant ideas though. I have already started the Christmas decoration tradition with my daughter. I bought a handmade wooden Christmas stocking last year with her year of birth on it. My sister also bought a little snow globe for hanging on the tree with her name on.

My sister and I do tend to give each other a decoration in our stockings every year so I do have some tree decorations. Just not enough and nothing else really. Paper chains sound like a lovely idea. And I shall have to buy a proper wreath for the front door. Just need to decide on real tree or fake!

We've never had a wreath before but I want to make a paper one. Don't know if anyone's seen the comedy "the middle" but they have a wreath made of green handprints in a circle, it looks nice so I might get the DCs to do that.

2 years ago I also took loads of DD's nursery paintings (from her "let's cover the paper in as many colours as possible" phase), and cut them out to make a snowman, with a few embellishments. It's been up in our kitchen for 2 years

I don't really 'get' themes either - I have decorations I treasure from when I was young, and then just add ones when I see them.

What I really want is a little bust of Isaac Newton like Sheldon has in the big bang theory, but I haven't found one yet :(

Ok theme is much too stronger word for our main tree. More collecting jewel and rich coloured baubles because they are the ones that appeal and resisting very bright silver or Scandinavia style wooden red and white.

Because although I like both, they would look silly.

I don't do tinsel or DDs tat on the main tree either, but have tinsel round all the pictures and home made stuff elsewhere.

Oh i like themes, tree in front from is big with all red, white and green decorations, no baubles but lots of lovely individual decorations and no tinsel.

Tree in the dining room is more narrow and taller, all decorations are silver and teal to match dining room, dinner service and Christmas table decorations.

Our the tends to be a eclectic mix I avoid any particular theme becauseci don't have the organisational skills to make a theme look good my dp's did the buying him a decoration every year so we have lots of lovely old Swedish decorations. We tend to buy things when we do something special so we have some Australian animals on the tree from when I lived in oz for a year, also my dsis makes me a decitation each year (she's 9 so it's more glue and glitter than pinterest) we also have some posh glass baubles we bought cheap in tge sales.

Our plan is to do a little hand/footprint of our ds each year, silver in black card and hang that up as a decoration, he's due on tge 8tg December this tear so hopefully I will have tge energy to do it!

My advice is no flashing lights! Also no neon blue lights, thats just me personal taste though.

Enjoy tge fist Christmas in your new home :)

I love tk maxx's decorations. Last year I got some gorgeous blown glass heavy baubles in a deep red. They are v antiquey. Also got a nutcracker doll and felt advent calender, and a stocking holder.

Oooh yes, I forgot about TKMaxx. Our closest one had fab stockings and advent calendars at very good prices.

I had to start again last year and started at Debenhams, they had some gorgeous ones in.

John Lewis is another good one.

Check your local florist for teardrops, garlands and wreaths, a bit pricy but my god they were worth it.

We moved 18m ago, dh was supposed to get down the decorations from the loft. They were lovely. Some brilliant green, red and white ones, liots of lights, and my nans decorations, inc the angel that was my great nans. He left it all in the loft. Along with my wedding dress and veil. I am still pissed off about it!

If you live near countryside or have some in your garden, you could supplement what you buy with holly, ivy, mistletoe and branches with nice leaves or berries on. Spray some gold and leave some green and they look really effective.

I had neon blue and white LED icicle lights on our hedge. DH bought them to replace some bulb gobbling soft white ones.

They are horribly brash.

Local farmers markets for off cuts of Christmassy greenery. Last year I bought some holly and made my own wreath. It wasn't brilliant but it was awesome because I made it; I also added off cuts from our tree

When I got my first flat, I bought a huge box of red cheapy decorations from ikea and each year I have treated myself to one or two nice ones. Last year ds also got a nice one. Then I can throw a couple of the old ones away...

We don't have a theme per se, just red-ish and lots of textures (natural, glass etc) and lots and lots of white lights

I'm really not keen on those blue neon light's that have appeared the last couple of years, DH is keen, but so far I've been able to steer him away from them. In general strings of lights around the place do give a cosy feel though.

love these

agree, blue lights horrid

oops meant homebase, not home depot!!