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Homely Holiday Decorations that won’t break the bank this Christmas!

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.

In the run-up to Christmas, why not spend the evenings creating fun, seasonal decorations with your friends and a mug of hot chocolate all whilst watching your favourite Christmas movies?

We have all experienced the university blues, and although we may have university families, our houses are often far from homely. As the colder winter months approach and some of us still haven’t decorated our houses (guilty!), here are some cheap and more sustainable options for decorating your uni house this Christmas, making it feel more like home.

Painting

While you could have a painting night with your housemates to create some festive scenes, a great way to incorporate the current candlestick trend would be to paint some festive objects onto your candles! This could range from holly to robins and bells—the perfect way to decorate your tables and shelves.

Ribbons

With the current love for ribbon at its peak, a perfect way to cosy up your house would be to tie some bows with velvet ribbon and hang them from the ceiling or attach them to your walls with pins/blu-tac! Not only can you find ribbon for reasonable prices online, but you can also reuse them to accessorize your outfits or decorate your Christmas presents!

Garlands

You can make these in many different shapes and sizes; garlands are a low-effort way to make houses feel a little homelier!

One way to make a cheap garland is to cut some stars or snowflakes out of coloured paper and then thread them onto some string for a more minimalistic festive garland. Similarly, using coloured paper cut into strips, you could loop them through each other to create a colourful garland chain. For some extra pizzazz, why not cut some stars out to drop down from the garland chain?!

Alternatively, if you are able to crochet, you could make a star garland to hang around the outside of your rooms!

Hanging Ornaments

Another way to cosy up your house this winter is to cut some snowflakes and stars out of coloured paper and attach them to some string to dangle from your ceiling, creating a snowflake flurry in your house! A more sustainable option could be hanging old tree ornaments from the ceilings. You can find these for affordable prices in local charity shops, or you could repurpose old ones from home that your family isn’t using this year.

Air Drying Clay

For more crafty students, air-drying clay would be a great way to create a more homely atmosphere in your house. This could range from festive trinket dishes or Christmas-themed magnets to pop on the fridge! Alternatively, using some cookie cutters (or your artistic talent), a good option could be to cut out some festive shapes with a small hole to thread ribbon through, creating your ornaments to hang from handles around the house.

Leah Russon

Nottingham '25

Leah Russon is a writer for Her Campus, writing articles about her interests in pop culture, sustainability, and up-and-coming artists! She is currently a 2nd year student studying Sociology and Social Policy in Nottingham. In her spare time, she explores what the city has to offer, going to concerts and exploring new cafes; attempting to find the best coffee shop in Nottingham.