Easy DIY Holiday Decor for less

Just a few quick tutorials on how you can re-create those high-end holiday home looks, for much less!

I have provided affiliate links to items in this post. I may earn a small commission if you follow the links I provide, at no additional cost to you. Just a way for me to make a few extra bucks to maintain my wine-drinking habit (oh, and this blog). Thank you in advance for your support. My name is Danielle and I like wine.

The Epiphany

Have you ever looked dreamily through a Ballard Designs or Pottery Barn catalog or stared longingly at Pinterest, wishing your home could look that pretty for the holidays? And then, you click on the picture or you look up the item, just to see if it would fit in your already tight holiday budget . . . and you faint.

At least that’s what I do . . . or what I did . . . until I took the reindeer by the antlers and said, HELL NO! I am NOT spending THAT much money on a garland/tree/pillow . . . I can and I will make one myself, damn it!

And, lucky for you, I thought I’d share some of my holiday home-decor “hacks” with you. Consider it your Christmas gift. I would have sent wine, but I drank it all.

The Tree

The tree I own is over 10 years old and still in great shape. I bought it at Target for around $125 (I think). I love my tree because it looks very natural, is super easy to assemble and it is not pre-lit.

I personally avoid pre-lit items because I have bad luck. Anytime I have purchased something pre-lit the lights go bad after one year and I am stuck cutting them out and replacing them. Pre-lit items can be more expensive too, so I just skip those and put in my own lights each year.

That being said, I think pre-lit items have improved in quality over the years and I 100% think Christmas lights hate me–so you will probably be just fine if you buy/have something pre-lit.

Also, I prefer a faux tree over a real one (mostly to avoid the mess of a real tree), but these tips will work for either option.

Its All about Texture

If you watched my video tutorial on making a wreath from evergreens, you know that by mixing up textures, you create visual interest and a more high-end look.

As you can see in the photo above, my tree has different textures in the needles, which helps it to look more natural. If yours does not, clip and add some live greens or add some faux greenery picks, like this one from Hobby Lobby:

This year, I needed to make my tree “toddler-proof” because my son is a one-year-old tornado, walking/running everywhere, into everything and does not give a shit about what he tears up (I actually think he enjoys it . . . good thing he is cute).

So, sadly most of my beautiful mercury glass and keepsake ornaments are staying tucked in the box this year and were replaced by much more durable tree decor.

However, toddler-proofing presented me with the opportunity to show you how adding garlands, sticks, and berries to your tree not only adds the textural interest but is also an easy (and cheap!) way to achieve that “Pinterest-worthy” look and maintain your kid’s safety (and your sanity).

Garlands

I have used garlands in my tree for several years. They help to fill space (so you don’t have to hang a million ornaments) and are a cool textural element.

I purchased the garlands in my tree many moons ago at a local gift store. I highly suggest checking out gift boutiques and/or floral shops for unique and interesting garlands this time of year. #shoplocal

If you are not able to find what you are looking for, here are some copycat garlands similar to those in my tree.

Sticks

I am crazy about sticks, for obvious reasons:

They are free. They are easy to get. You can use them in your decor year-round. Storing them in my basement drives my husband nuts.

I LOVE me some sticks.

You want to look for sticks that have a natural curve or softer branches so you can easily “stick”/wrap them in your tree. See below:

Now, you are probably wondering why I put the garlands and sticks on first, then the lights. Well, I decided to use the lights as another way to secure these elements in my tree–by wrapping them on the outside. Then I went back and tucked them in and pulled out sections of the garlands to hide the wires a bit more. All this in the name of the toddler.

Typically, I would have put the lights on first. Maybe when he is 18 we can go back to that.

Berries

While two of my garlands are already made-up of berries, they don’t go quite as far around my tree as I would like. So, I fill in with more berries that I buy in the Walmart craft department. This creates more visual interest because I can add berries in varying sizes and makes the berry garlands appear to be fuller (i.e. more expensive looking).

I snip them off the larger bunch, so I have single stems. Then I stick them amongst the branches, mixing up the sizes of the berries.

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Ornaments

As I mentioned earlier, my “fancy” ornaments are staying in the box this year due to the toddler-tornado. Luckily, I have collected quite a few “toddler-proof”, aka non-breakable, ornaments over the years.

As with everything, look for ornaments with different textures and shapes, while sticking to the same basic color theme–which currently for me is reds, golds, and browns.

I also like to mix basic big-box-store assorted plastic ornament sets with a few unique, boutique-style ornaments. This way, you get a variety of sizes and shapes, without breaking the bank.

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When you are hanging the ornaments, don’t just use the outside ends of the branches. By hanging ornaments toward the interior of the tree you will fill in any holes and again, get that fuller, more expensive look. This is where you can use those plastic ornaments to fill, leaving the more unique or keepsake for the ends.

O’ Christmas Tree, O’ Christmas Tree

After you have added all the different design elements, you should have a tree fit for any home magazine spread.

Garlands around the house

Now, we all know I have a $20 problem and it is REAL when it comes to garlands I see online or in catalogs, styled on top of a mantel or a window and then look at the price . . . and bust out laughing.

In searching for some examples, I came across these $100+ garlands (see below). Like, SERIOUSLY!?! I love Ballard Designs and Pottery Barn for inspiration, but the prices are just hard to swallow. Now, $100 on wine for the week . . . I mean month . . . who am I kidding . . . I mean week . . . is one thing, but $100+ garland to adorn my mantel for six-weeks . . . I just can’t.

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So, I am going to show you how to re-create a designer-garland look for about $20 – $30.

The Greens

First, start with two or three inexpensive garlands, in differing varieties. I started with a basic $2.76 basic Holiday Time garland and a Rochester Pine garland for $6.88, both from Walmart in-store or online.

I use 9 ft. garlands. For my windows, I use two of each (4 total) to make one long 18ft length.

And then, wrap them around each other (crossing them over each other in a figure-8) so you end up with one garland. Over my mantel, I wanted it a little thicker, so I used two pine garlands.

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Details

Once you have the garland wrapped and fluffed (that’s where you pull the branches and manipulate them so they look pretty), then you can add the little details. I used two strings of lights, an inexpensive berry garland, a few of the berry picks, pine cones, and sticks.

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With three garlands, it would cost closer $25–but it’s way more plush and 3ft longer than this comparable garland at Target, sale priced at $28. And a HELL OF A LOT less than the also similar option from Ballard Designs, sale priced at $98.

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Flocked Garland

We were snowed in this weekend, so I didn’t have a chance to get to Walmart to check this out in person, but I am still going to post the option for you.

The flocked look is SUPER in right now and as I was internet browsing, I found these two garlands (available in-store and online at Walmart) that would look awesome together.

With both garlands and a string of lights, you are closer to the $30 mark, but still more affordable than the Balsam Hill Garland below, sale priced at $259 for 2, 6-ft garlands.

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Other Garland Ideas & Notes

In the garland I created for this table, I added some of the leftover ornaments from my tree, along with sticks (of course) and a berry garland (which matches the one on my mantel garland).

Using similar elements, but not all exactly the same, between my tree, the table and my mantel in my living room ties the look together, without the room feeling super matchy-matchy.

Typically, I put up garland on the windows in my dining room and my living room, but with my new tree location, I decided to just do the dining room windows.

As mentioned above, I use two 9ft combined garlands (4 garlands total) for my windows because they are larger windows and I like a nice swag in the middle.

Ribbon is another easy and inexpensive way to add texture and visual interest to your decor. Here, I wrapped the ribbon around the garland in a spiral pattern:

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Pillows

I am seeing cute holiday pillows all over Instagram and Pinterest right now, but I just can’t bring myself to invest in a pillow cover that I will only use for a month. Instead, I decided to see what I had around that house that might work to make my pillows a bit more festive.

And what to my wondering eyes did appear . . . but SCARVES!

I have a lot of scarves . . . that I must confess . . . I never wear. I love having them, but I guess I just don’t like all that “stuff” around my neck. So, what better way to put these un-worn scarves to good use than to adorn a throw pillow! Hey, they get chilly too.

Basic Scarf

Here I took a basic, chunky knit scarf and just tied it around one of my throw pillows in a half-bow. I like this scarf because of the long, flowing tassels and the bow really showcases that as it sits on a chair or couch.

1. Starting with the pillow laid across the scarf, cross the ends like you are going to start a bow
2. Instead of making two loops, just make one.
3. Wrap, tie and fluff.

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Blanket Scarf

I am pretty sure most girls these days own at least ONE, if not more, blanket scarf. If you still wear your blanket scarf and can’t bear to part with it or missed the blanket scarf mania of the last several years and don’t own one, you can get one for less than $10 on Amazon.

Here, I demonstrated using the blanket scarf on a standard, square pillow and also on an oblong pillow.

Square Pillow with Blanket Scarf

1. Lay the pillow in the center of the scarf, so that the corners of the scarf are opposite the corners of the pillow.
2. Pull the top and bottom corners of the scarf over the center of the pillow and make one tie.
3. Tuck in the ends from the tie under the pillow.
4. Tie the remaining corners in a knot, in the center of the pillow.

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Oblong Pillow with Blanket Scarf

1. Lay the pillow on top of the scarf, as shown.
2. Pull the top corner of the scarf, over the pillow.
3. Tuck the end underneath the pillow.
4. Depending on the size of your scarf and pillow, you may need to roll the pillow once, so that the bottom corner of the scarf folds over the top of the pillow as shown below (that way you can see the little triangle of fringe on the scarf).
5. Tie the other corners into a knot, in the center of the pillow.

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Cowl or Infinity Knit Scarf

This one is my favorite because it needs no explanation. Slide the infinity scarf over an oblong pillow. Viola, your pillow is snug as a bug.

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I hope you have enjoyed these “hacks” and will find some inspiration to add to your own holiday decor. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing them with you, but not quite as much as the wine I drank during the process.

Cheers~

Danielle