Christmastime can be pricy enough between buying gifts, travelling, and planning Christmas dinner. Because of this, I’ve done the work for you to find Christmas decorations on a budget. I’m bringing you a list of ALL you need to decorate for Christmas for under $130 – yes, tree included! Granted you aren’t going to get the biggest and fullest tree for this price, but you can get in the Christmas spirit while saving money. Dave Ramsey would approve.
Likewise, if you’re planning to host any Christmas parties this year, let me show you how to decorate for your party for only $35! (including plates/cups/etc)
Rustic Christmas Decorations on a budget
- Burlap Stockings (4-pack)
I love the simple but classy look of these! - Gold ornaments (1.57-inch)
I love these small ornaments! They add that pop without being too gaudy. - Twine
I used this twine to hang the stockings, and to tie the twine with stockings to the burlap flag banner. - 4′ Christmas Tree
It may not be the fullest or tallest tree but it’s perfect if you have tight space or a tight budget! Tastefully decorated it can still be classy and fun! - Burlap ribbon
This is great for a mantlepiece, ledge, or as a table runner. I hung some along the top of our kitchen window and put some on the ledge by our piano. - Burlap flag bunting
I love this! It can be used for any occasion, but in this case it ties in perfectly with the other burlap decorations and adds a festive look! - Burlap tree skirt
To hide the tree stand and give you a designated area for presents. - Burlap bows
I decorated my tree with these! You can use the twine to tie them around your tree branches. - Gold star tree topper
What Christmas tree doesn’t have a star on top?! Glittery and gold, these coordinates with your gold ornaments! - Miniature Trees (8 inch)
These add that festive look to an area of your home where you can’t fit a full-sized tree! - Christmas Lights
Honestly these lights turn a ‘trying my best’ tree into a ‘wonderfully cozy’ tree. I’m serious. They’re worth it, and once you buy them they should last for years to come! - Bottle Brush Trees (4.25 inch)
I love the look of these! Another way to bring that Christmas feel to more corners of your home.
The best part? ALL of this is on Amazon. Add it to your cart, hit ‘proceed to checkout’, and move on to finding gifts, planning a party, or whatever the next thing on your Christmastime to-do list is.
Hosting a Party: Christmas Decorations On a Budget
If you want to throw an amazing Christmas party for an amazing price, keep reading! Head to Target, Walmart, or the Dollar Store and pick up some cheap party supplies. I’ve linked all these items at Target.com which adds to a total of under $35.
What do I need?
- Green dessert plates
- Black cutlery
- Gold straws
- Peppermint candies
- Red napkins
- Red cups
- Gold tinsel garland
- Gold tablecloth
- Black tablecloth
Setting up for your party
This is a simple but fun idea for decorating for your Christmas themed party. If you can’t find these exact items, just use this list for inspiration!
The first step is to choose a color scheme. Here I chose black, gold, red, and green.
Simplicity and contrast are key, so I would set the table with the gold table cloth and use the black tablecloth, folded or crumpled, as a table runner. Add the gold garland and peppermint candies to the table runner.
Instead of choosing all red or all green for the place settings, I chose a few different colors to add contrast. Green plates add an extra pop of color while the red cups, napkins, and peppermint candies tie everything together. The gold straws, tinsel, and tablecloth coordinate, and the black cutlery and black tablecloth add some extra contrast as well.
Tips for effortless Christmas decorating
First of all, less is more. It’s a wise saying! Pack away all your normal decor. Yes. Do it. It’s only for a month! If your Christmas decor isn’t competing with ‘regular’ decor, it’s easier to coordinate everything and pull off an amazing look for less money.
Look for decor that can be used for other occasions. I love the rustic theme I chose this year, and the burlap flag bunting can be used for any party or occasion! Jared and I had lots of burlap and rustic elements in our wedding.
Free printables are your friend! There are dozens of fun, festive, and free printables that you can download to decorate your home with. I created these ones (pictured) and these and these are nice as well. If you have Pinterest, do a quick search on there and you’ll find so many options!
Hopefully you’re finally feeling a little more excited and a little less stressed now! If you found this post helpful, save it to Pinterest for next Christmas. And if you live in the land of the long white cloud, check out this post where I linked my exact Christmas decorations on a budget in NZ!
Tilly Cutforth 