The 5th of November is now officially behind us and the next holiday looming its bearded head over a frosty horizon is decidedly Santa-shaped.
For cash-strapped students, however, the festive season can be a strain on the bank balance, with travel costs and gift-buying all adding up to a serious fiscal hangover in January.
Thankfully, I have a few tips for you so that you can spread seasonal cheer for pennies rather than pounds and ensure that your festive fun doesn’t leave you as penny pinching as Scrooge.
An absolute classic of seasonal decorating that adds the prerequisite touch of frost and only costs a few quid is ‘Snow in a Can’. For £3.75 from Amazon you can just add water and sprinkle it liberally over windowsills, shelves, decorations and drunk flatmates! Its guaranteed to add the feeling of a winter wonderland to any home. Additionally, it’s completely reusable and once you’re done with it you can either put it back into the can or just vacuum it up.
One thing that students have plenty of is paper. A simple notebook of plain paper and a pair of scissors can make all manner of decorations that look cute and are very cheap. One of my favourites is paper snowflakes. Pretty much everyone made these when they were little and they’re so easy to create. Plus, you can put them anywhere: stick them in the window, tack them to walls, or even hang them from thread. They even make good Christmas tree decorations if you have one.
Another great paper solution is paper chains. All you need is a few sheets of coloured paper and you’ve got tree decorations or streamers to hang in windows or above doors.
Candy canes are another great decoration for when you’re on a budget. They’re a pretty and instantly recognisable holiday decoration, which double as a delicious snack that can be eaten on the go. Either tie a bit of ribbon around them and put them in a vase, or tie string to them and hang bunches from anything you fancy. Another nice idea if you have multiple lights is to hang them from there, but leaving plenty of room so they don’t melt of course!
I also have a particularly studenty solution, which deals with your rubbish whilst creating stylish decorations. Use old bottles – beer and wine bottles work brilliantly – and simply paint them Christmas colours. You can even stick candles in them, or candy canes, or just have them out as a subtle festive nod.
One absolutely free option is to go outside and collect branches and pine cones and berries and use them as decorations. Place them around your home and enjoy the seasonal smell and natural beauty. You could even make your own wreath with a bit of determination and some string.
Another budget idea is popcorn. Not only is it delicious to eat, but it also makes for an inexpensive and traditional decoration. Using a needle, thread all the pieces of plain popcorn together, then string them up for a delicious decoration. A further great tip is to use cranberries or other brightly coloured berries to alternate between the popcorn and make a Christmas coloured decoration.
Becoming all homely and doing some baking is another cheap way to decorate your flat, and make it smell delicious in the process. Have a go at baking some gingerbread men, then hang them up by ribbon around your flat or on your tree.
If you’ve got any glass vases lying around, (and if not, head to your nearest charity shop where you’ll probably be able to find one for just a couple of quid), then fill them with water and add a couple of drops of food colouring. Drop in a couple of tea light candles and then you have a very classy, fire-safe decoration that only costs a few quid at most.
If, like me, you always get quite a few cards from your nearest and dearest at Christmas time and just find them gathering dust on your desk, then I have a great solution. Gather together all of your own and your flatmates cards and hang them from string. You can put these up anywhere and they make for a pretty and personal decoration.
A final classic option is to do some charity shop hunting. You’ll be able to find affordable and attractive decorations without any crafting necessary.
Image sources:
http://www.cranmoms.com/2010/11/30/decorating-with-cranberries-part-1
http://www.cherrymenlove.com/home_family_life/2009/12/gingerbread-men-christmas-decorations.html
http://www.mattandshari.com/winter/making-snowflakes.html
http://mydeco.com/forum/topic/36/christmas/1412/kirstie-allsopps-homemade-christmas-decorations-tips
http://www.homedit.com/how-to-make-your-own-christmas-wreath/