Decorating On Budget and In Style

People give me strange looks when I tell them I plan a theme for my Christmas tree.  Every year since I have been married we have gotten a real Christmas tree.  Here are some of my tips for great Christmas decorating:

1. Start the year before!  I know you have heard it many times but it is always a good idea to start purchasing ornaments right after Christmas.  Last year we got those huge glass balls for $3.00 from $13.00.  You can't beat savings like that.

2. Purchase one theme a year.  Every year I add a new colour scheme to my collection.  This year it was pink in honour of having a girl.  Because I have added collections for about 10 years now I had a lot of other decorations to add to the tree without blowing my budget.  Here is a break down for this years budget:
Tree 33.00
Decorations 24.00
That's it!

The only time my husband is allowed to touch my tree!

3. Picking a tree.  Home Depot starts selling real Christmas trees on November 25th.  Every year I try to be there on the first day.  On this day you get the best trees.  Don't get fooled into thinking all trees are alike either.  The store clerk told me that there are variations in each category.  So I always pick through the bunch looking for the biggest and fattest tree!

4. Repurpose.  Since our budget is tight I try to repurpose decorations.  This year I took our fall wreath and added some Christmas tree branches and some green balls to make a brand new wreath.  The wreath cost me nothing. I also use old wreaths and strip them of their bling and start from scratch.

5. Think outside the tree! This year my theme was "A Woman's Dressing Table".  Sounds crazy doesn't it?  I try to come up with themes that are a little different.  I used glass, crystals, feathers, and pink to bring this tree to life.  I figure this tree is the only thing in my home that I can dress from head to toe without needing to adjust it to anyone's taste but my own.  My husband and children will tell you that the tree is my little project.  My children know to enjoy it - from a distance.

6. Set a special place aside to revisit the reason behind the decorating.  As I put out the nativity scene I used it as an opportunity to go over the Christmas story with my children.  I am really glad I started this little tradition.

I only use glass ornaments.  I love the look and feel of them.  However they are a bit of a hazard where children are concerned.  My children never touch the tree.  Except for this time that my brother-in-law and his family were over and we turned around to find our babies chewing on a glass ornament.  Horror! Amazingly no one was hurt and they were cut free. Yikes! My brother-in-law lectured me about using glass ornaments and later sent me a child-safe ornament. (Which I have never used!)