It’s the most wonderful time of the year – houses adorned with twinkling lights, stores setting up their Christmas displays, and constant reminders that Santa Claus is finally coming back to town. Unfortunately for Collegiettes looking to fully get into the holiday spirit, it can be difficult and expensive when you’re living in a dorm. If going two full weeks in December without a single ornament in your living space makes you as grumpy as the Grinch, then here are some tips for bringing the joy of the holidays to school.
No room for a real tree? No problem. These 2D versions will definitely still spread that Christmas magic. The best part is you can use pretty much anything that will stick to the wall – wrapping paper, ribbon, paper chains, you name it – which makes for a low-budget place to put your presents underneath. If the idea of having a tree without the twinkling lights sounds absolutely ludicrous, just use a few Command hooks and that string of lights hanging in your dorm and arrange it into a tree all on its own.
The holiday season just isn’t the same without a little bit of snow. If the sight of grass in December immediately makes you want to run away to the North Pole, then bring the winter wonderland inside with a plethora of paper snowflakes. For those of you who haven’t so much as picked up a pair of craft scissors since elementary school, there are plenty of printable patterns online to help bring out your inner artist. Hang them from the ceiling with some string or fishing line, or just tape them to the walls; either way you’ll be sure to combat those snowless blues.
For those expert gift wrappers, are you ready for a challenge? Try wrapping the door to your dorm room to spread the holiday cheer to everyone on your floor. Pick out your favorite wrapping materials and enlist some help from your roommate to make this eye-catching display. Don’t have time to run to the store to get paper or ribbon? If you have regular old printer paper and some markers then you are just a few minutes away from showing off your own Frosty the Snowman.
Wreaths are a holiday staple, but who says they have to be made with evergreen branches and boughs of holly? Just like with the tree, you can make a wreath out of virtually anything you have in your dorm. Those candy canes your RA keeps handing out to you? Now a delicious version of this classic holiday decoration. Or use that extra wrapping paper and your origami skills for a simple but impressive look. The wreath world is your oyster!
If you don’t feel like spending your last week of classes cutting out snowflakes or gluing candy canes together, you can still bring in the holiday cheer right through your laptop or speakers with a constant stream of Christmas music. Online streaming sites like Pandora or a free radio app will keep the spirit alive as you cram for that chemistry final, a constant reminder that the 25th is just around the corner!