Despite planning get-togethers with friends and greeting family members during winter vacation, you still have time to create a warm, seasonal environment without compromising your holiday budget. With a little creativity and a dash of resourcefulness, the following projects make the holiday season come to life in your living space.
1. Faux Presents
The holiday season is bound to leave you with extra wrapping paper and empty boxes. Instead of storing it for next year, combine the two to create festive centerpieces, mantle décor, or a foyer presentation.
First, locate boxes of varying sizes to wrap with leftover paper. If you’re in a pinch and don’t have extra boxes around, try asking local stores if they have small boxes they’re throwing away. Next, tape the box closed, reinforcing what will be the top of the present by adding tape to the interior as well. Finally, wrap the box with paper and decorate with ribbon or bows. Group the decorated boxes on a coffee table, dinner table, or mantle for inexpensive holiday décor.
2. DIY Holiday Countdown
Does your family enjoy counting the days until it’s time to exchange presents? Launch the excitement of December by creating a DIY holiday countdown chart. Begin by washing empty soup cans or jars. Then, use either paint or construction paper to cover the body of the can completely. Paint or add stickers to the container to represent days of the month, from 1-25. Cover the container with its lid (if applicable) or colorful fabric secured with a ribbon. Stack the containers in a pyramid with the largest numbers on the bottom and begin your DIY holiday countdown!
3. Design an Illuminated Wreath
An inexpensive (and impressive) way to celebrate the holiday season is by creating a one-of-a-kind wreath. Instead of wasting money on a pre-made wreath that looks like everyone else’s, purchase a wire wreath frame and decorate it yourself. The easiest way to illuminate the wire frame is by wrapping lights around it, keeping in mind the wreath’s eventual placement and the location of an outlet. If a power supply is not readily available, use extra fabric, like tulle or ribbon, to decorate the wire frame.
4. Recycled Bottle Vases
The holiday season is destined to leave empty bottles around the house, including olive oil containers, wine bottles, and drink bottles. Wash and reuse leftover bottles to create vases or centerpieces. The first step involves removing labels and ridding the bottle of leftover glue. Then, use glass paint to cover the bottle’s surface entirely, leaving none of the original glass showing. Spruce up painted bottles by adding glitter, fake snow, or ribbon for a festive flare. If you’re feeling crafty, cover the unpainted bottle in strips of tape, paint the bottle as usual, and remove the tape once the paint is dry for an interesting patterned effect.
5. Mason Jar Snow Globes
With all the jams, sauces, and jellies you already buy, it’s easy to clean and store empty mason jars for your next DIY project. Though mason jars can be repurposed in hundreds of ways, a simple and impressive way to decorate your home for the holidays is by transforming mason jars into magical snow globes. Begin by finding decorative items small enough to fit comfortably onto the bottom of the jar’s lid to serve as the feature of your snow globe.
Popular holiday items include reindeer figurines, model pine trees, or small present ornaments. Arrange and glue the items onto the jar’s lid, adding fake snow or glitter to cover the lid’s surface. Add liquid and glitter or fake snow (the type that won’t deteriorate when exposed to liquid) to the jar and place the lid on top, so that the scene is turned upside down in the jar. Then, secure the lid, turn the jar upside down, and display it on a table or mantle during the holiday season.
Are you considering giving your home the gift of a makeover? Contact the team at R.H. Homes Ltd. to schedule a free consultation today.
