Many of us find Christmas to be a substantial source of stress, anxiety, and conflict. During the holidays, some become lethargic as a result of all the excess excitement and exchanges of gifts. Every year, it’s as if the holidays become more frantic.
With neighborhood potlucks and family visits, office parties, and holiday bake sales, the season might feel like a marathon. But between each great race, there’s the potential for Christmas to be a memorable holiday experience. Finding "holiday hacks" to help you get through will make the season more fun. Here are some of our best holiday suggestions:
Give Your Stand a Little More Extra
A Christmas Tree Stand is used to give your plastic tree a little stability, but the plain metal can really ruin the illusion. Before deciding whether you’ll be having a white or red theme, start from the ground up. If you want your tree to stand out this Christmas season, read on!
If you have any gift boxes left over, cut a hole in the middle, wrap it up with your most beautiful gift paper and voila! You have your newly dressed Christmas Tree. Just remember to remind your kids that it’s the one holding the tree up, if you have any.
Customize your Glassware Decorations
It’s what’s on the inside that counts, but for Christmas, you might want to bring a little bit of class to the dinner table. Save the money you were going to use for fancy glasses and buy some Sharpies. All you need afterward is a pen and a little creativity.
A couple of metallic pens will go a long way. Your creative hands will make your glassware look like part of an expensive set. We personally love this tip.
A Flower Vase of your Choice
Here’s something you can try that will make it look like festive cheer is bursting out of every little thing, literally. Simply prepare two glasses of different sizes, a filler of your choice, and add an ornament, such as flowers or a candle.
Put the smaller glass inside the big glass. Then, fill the gap inside with either sugar candies, chocolate coins, colored sand, or decorative stone. Then put your ornament or flower on the smaller glass to see what your DIY vase looks like. It looks fancy, doesn’t it?
Go with Environment-Friendly Christmas Decor
This one can be used throughout the year, but it’s especially helpful around the holidays. There’s a lot of waste in our world, and it doesn’t take too much effort to live a little more sustainably. Make your own bows if you want to throw a more environmentally friendly Christmas celebration.
You can bring a nostalgic flavor to the occasion by using Dunlap strips to create your own sustainable decorating items, similar to the photo above.
Use Disposable Paper Tablecloths
Hosting a Christmas dinner is delightful, but let’s be real. Cleaning up afterward is a pain. If you're in charge of housecleaning, you're probably getting a little nervous as Christmas Eve approaches.
This party host used a disposable tablecloth on the dinner table, as you can see. It’s much easier than having to hand-wash an expensive throw. If you’re lazy, you can just draw your plates and cutlery on. That way, there is zero washing up. Merry Christmas!
Small Christmas Trees for Smaller Spaces
Buying or even renting a place to live is a real drain on the old monetary resources. As a result, most of us live in smaller homes, and the size of our homes has a significant impact on our decorating options.
If you only have a small amount of space, you probably already know that buying a tall Christmas tree is a bad idea as it’ll only make your home feel even more claustrophobic. Instead, pick up a tabletop tree and go all out with it.
Reuse Old Christmas Decors
Here's another top-tip for shoppers on a budget who can't afford to spend a lot of money this holiday season. Why not repurpose decorations from prior holidays instead of buying new ones?
It doesn't even have to be those old Christmas ornaments you keep in the basement or up in the attic. As shown in the image, you can breathe fresh life into your Halloween decorations. Put a Santa cap, a cotton beard, and a belt on that creepy jack-o'-lantern, and you've got yourself a Santa.
Spray Paint your Christmas lights
Christmas lights are fine and all, but if you crave a little variety or diversity in your household, it might be time to add a dash of color and illumination to your home: custom Christmas light colors. How, without spending a fortune at my local Christmas lights store, you ask?
It’s quite simple, really. All you have to do now is grab some spray paint and paint them any color you like. You can paint the lights in either metallic gold or silver: pink, baby blue, ruby, emerald. Imagine the possibilities!
Hooks Are Your New Best Friend
If you don't have a wreath on your front entrance, are you truly decorating for Christmas? You’ll be the laughing stock of your neighbors without one. Maybe. While wreaths can be used for a variety of occasions, they're especially popular during the winter holidays, and many people struggle to properly hang theirs on the front door.
If your door lacks a hook on the outside, you can always attach a hook on the inside. If you don't want to destroy the paint by using glue, you can use the special tape we mentioned previously to connect the hook.
Give Your Candles A little More Flavor
We have already offered you a method that should help you save on decorations when filling jars. Here’s another hack that might help you create a majestic table centerpiece without spending too much.
It’s simple and effective. When you put a toilet paper roll inside a jar, all you're doing is pleasantly filling the gap. Putting a candle inside will add some atmosphere.
A Magic Tape Can Save Your Day
When the holidays arrive, it's time to start decorating the house. If there’s one activity we dread, it’s attaching ornaments onto the wall. Whether it’s a nail or glue, it can really bring us down.
Gluing ornaments to the wall is always a challenge. They sometimes rip the paint off the wall and destroy its lovely surface. If you want to avoid this problem, you can use Scotch Wall-Safe Tape, which is a non-damaging tape. The decorations can then be fixed up without an issue!
Shining Shimmering Christmas Tree
Do you want your Christmas tree to stand out this season? Decorate your tree with as many glittering ornaments as you like. ‘Tis the season, and all that. However, this can be costly. Here's a decoration suggestion for you.
You can always use glass if you don't have a lot of ornaments or lights to make your tree look dazzling. Hanging little mirrors on your tree will undoubtedly make it look more stunning as it reflects the light of your fireplace, candle, or iPhone screen.
Budget-Friendly Ornaments
If you're on a budget this year, you'll definitely want to come up with strategies to save money while still having a good time. At least three important dates approach at the end of the year, and the expenses associated with those dates tend to be enormous.
If you want to save money this year, avoid purchasing new tree ornaments. You're probably wondering how you'll decorate your Christmas tree without replacing the decorations your cat shattered last year, and the answer is simple: make your own salt dough ornaments! Just make sure to keep your cat well fed, or there might be another accident.
Christmas Gift Wrap Hack
We all know how hectic life can be, especially with the holiday season approaching. It's as if the earth's clock begins to tick faster, and everything becomes frantic. And it's for this reason that we sometimes neglect to go shopping.
Forgotten to pick up some wrapping paper? This hack is for you. First, take a deep breath. Then wrap the presents with ordinary paper. Next, on a separate piece of paper, design a Christmas tree. Cut it out and glue it to the present. Voila!
Set Your Christmas Shopping Budget
If you have a large family or a wide circle of acquaintances, you will be well aware of the expense of purchasing gifts for everyone. These expenses rise year after year, and keeping track of how much you're spending can become tricky.
You can use Christmas management apps like Santa's Bag if you want to keep your "add to cart" finger under control this holiday season. It not only serves as a reminder to go shopping, but it also aids in financial management. That way, you can find a balance between boosting the economy and managing your own household.
Holiday Cards for Family Members
One of the most popular Christmas traditions is sending cards to friends and family. But sometimes, you’re just too dang popular. Here's a hint if you get too many of them and need to find a way to display them all at once.
You can easily hang your holiday cards with clothespins if you wrap a ribbon over the door of your cabinet (vertically). What's the point of hanging them in the kitchen? Easy. Without taking up any counter space, you can give your kitchen a festive feel.
Time To Bond With The Kids
Getting the kids to help in the kitchen is fine as long as they don’t make a mess and they’re kept safe. Children love helping, especially when it comes to hands-on activities such as cooking and baking.
If you have children, the holiday season is a great time to teach them new skills in the kitchen, such as cookie decorating. Not only will they enjoy this experience, but their assistance will relieve you of some of the work! It’s not technically child labor if it’s paid in treats!
Necklace and Bows as your Curtain Ties
Unless you're planning on purchasing holiday-themed curtains or already have curtain decorations on hand, you're probably wondering what you'll do with your living room curtains. If you don't dress them, they’ll look fairly simple and dull, right?
If that's how you feel about your home's curtains, you can dress them up in a very simple way: wrap bead necklaces or a necklace with a cluster of stones around the drapes. Hair bows, on the other hand, can be used to dress them up nicely.
Make Use of the Empty Cans
When you reuse anything, you are not only helping the environment, but you are also helping your wallet by saving money. When it comes to holiday decoration, the possibilities are endless. If you're thinking about making ornaments or decorations out of old items this year, here's a great idea.
Ever feel like it’s such a waste of good, strong material? Store those Pringles cans for the holidays instead of throwing them away. Cover them with a gift wrapper or any paper, decorate the cans and use them as cookie holders over the holidays!
Recycle those gift wrappers
It's not uncommon to have a pile of wrapping paper leftover when it's time to wrap the gifts. These leftovers don't have to be thrown away immediately or shoved into a dusty drawer. They can be used to wrap more presents for a special someone: yourself!
Instead of tossing away the excess paper, use them to construct decorations. Those cone-shaped adornments were made from scraps left over after the gifts had been wrapped. A quick Google search will give you a plethora of design options to test out!
Candy as Decoration in your Tree
This next one might sound strange, but we think it’s a fantastic idea to try this year. We're confident that the younger attendees at your holiday gathering will like it! But maybe give this one a pass if you have any hungry pets or husbands at home.
Melt down some candy into a cookie-cutter, freeze them and pop them out. Wrap the candies in plastic bags, and voila. All that's left is to hang them on the tree.
Go Big Or Go Home
We normally put a lot of effort into making our Christmas trees seem exceptionally attractive when we decorate them. Isn't it natural to want to impress your visitors? Here's a tip if you want yours to seem anything but drab.
Instead of using same-sized bulbs, go with a variety of sizes. While this tip might sound simple, you’d be surprised by the end effect. A delight to both you and your guests!
Garland with a Little More Flavor
The holiday season can lose some of its shine if you don’t take time to decorate your home. Decorations are an important element of the Christmas season, as they serve to create a joyful atmosphere inside while the outside might be cold or grim.
Add a few branches of a real tree to your garland. When your guests see this lovely decoration, they'll know how much time and work you put into decorating. Hopefully you’ll get a nice fresh scent around your house, as well.
Colored Glue and your Creative Hands
Christmas might be synonymous with cold and snow, depending on where you live. Even if it isn’t, snowflakes are an iconic Yuletide tradition. Paper does a fine job of portraying snowflakes, but if you have steady hands and patience, this next tip can really help your decorations pop.
The secret: glue. You’ll need to look for puffy glue. But don’t just stick to white; try using different colors. The kids can help with this one too. Draw snowflakes on a piece of paper, cover the lines with glue.” and let your flakes dry out.
Customize your Holiday Garlands
Garlands, as previously stated, are a Christmas must-have, but you may want to jazz them up this year. Fortunately, you can buy a variety of garlands to decorate your home these days, and you can even try your hand at making your own.
All you'll need for your DIY Christmas garland is a couple of sheets and some fairy lights. Make ribbons out of the sheets by cutting them out. After that, knot them into bows and wrap them around the lights, and you're done.
Organizing the Little Things
Christmas and other holidays are especially memorable when we get to gather the entire family for a great supper. However, there’s always one big problem with Christmas get-togethers: putting things away when the time comes.
Ornaments are delicate things and can break easily. Solve this problem by separating your baubles with strips of cardboard. This will ensure that you have a complete collection for next year’s festivities.
Real Wood
We taught you how to jazz up the base of your Christmas tree earlier. Here’s another idea to make your tree extra special if you happen to be living close to nature. A few tools are required for this one.
No, there’s no need to fell a tree. Drill a hole in the middle of a log and use it as the foundation of your tree if you don't want to use a cardboard box. It will definitely give your home a rustic smell and feel!
Another Use for Wreaths
One of the most important parts of Christmas is decorating the tree. As you add personal touches and old and new ornaments, it's the ideal time to bond with the entire family. The mood can drop if you’re dealing with a saggy old tree, though. Yet again, we have you “covered.”
Here's a hint to let your tree shine even brighter. If you've recently purchased an artificial Christmas tree, you may have noticed that it lacks volume. Wrap a couple of wreaths around it to add shape and fluff. You'll have a happy, more full-looking tree.
Apply A Theme To Every Little Thing
We have a perfect DIY project for you if you want to take the holiday spirit to the next level and you have some basic knitting skills. Add a little flair to those much-neglected objects, such as chairs and cups.
Warm drinks are nice in the wintertime, but they can burn your hand. The solution: cup-sweater. Do you get a cold behind in the winter months? Give your table a present for Christmas and knit it a festive onesie.
Halloween Decors on Christmas
The holidays seem to get closer and closer together each year, don’t they? It’s great to use old things in new ways, especially when nobody notices. Given how close these holidays are, you might be able to use Halloween decorations for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
A little more creativity is needed. With that in mind, here's another idea for repurposing older decorations. If it’s still fresh, You can turn a decorative pumpkin into a flower vase. This is an excellent suggestion to keep in mind as you plan your Christmas table this year, especially when people have such short memories.
Stick your Lights on Place
Decorating during the holidays means more than just adorning the interior walls of your home. It wouldn’t be Christmas time without the glitter of Christmas lights. If it’s your first time on light duty, you might be wondering how best to put them up without drilling into the brickwork.
Give your fingers and thumb a break and stick them in place with a glue gun. Hot glue will ensure that the lights stay in place until the end of the holidays, whereas tape will likely just fall away.
Tomato cages instead of Topiaries
Looking for a neat alternative to the old three-layered plastic bush up in the attic? Worried your cats will get lost in a forest of green needles? Here’s some inspiration for you. Try setting this lovely Christmas tree frame up in your living room.
If you’re decorating on the cheap, try using wires from a coat hanger. Then all you need are Christmas lights, and you’re good to go. If you’re extra-jubilant about the holiday, you could always set a few of these up to wow your friends and family.
The Biggest Gift You’ve Ever Seen
If you're on a tight budget this year and can't afford to spend a lot on decorations, here's a great tip for you, especially if you'd rather spend the money on improving the interior of your home. You might also enjoy this tip if you enjoy competing with your neighbors for Best Decorated House, but you’re too lazy to put much up.
Wrap a ribbon over your front door. It will make your front door look like a gigantic Christmas present. Be warned, though; some smart so-and-so might try to wisecrack that you brought them your house as a gift. Don’t give them the satisfaction—stuff their face full of delicious cookies before they get to say it
Try different types of tabletop trees
It’s not against the law to go with a non-traditional style tree, you know. If you lack an attic or space under the stairs, these striking ornaments might tickle your fancy. We love the minimalist, neo-futuristic style on display here.
Find a cone-shaped object and wrap it up with some green and red beads. Use glue if you don’t think it fits tightly enough. It’s inexpensive, easy, and sure to impress those closest to your heart! (If it doesn’t, they’re obligated to tell you they love it, anyway).
Hack in Removing Excess Wax in Menorah
If you're Jewish, you might be celebrating Hanukkah. This tip is for those who struggle to clean the menorah after the eighth night. When you see the photo on the left, you might be reminded of your own experiences. Cleaning off the wax without leaving a scratch is a delicate balance.
But how do you remove the wax without harming the metal? Instead of laboring away needlessly, simply place the menorah in a low-temperature oven and wait for the wax to melt off! Problem solved!
Decorate your Living Room the Way You Want
The "traditional" Christmas colors are red, green, gold, and white. But don’t forget, it’s not the aesthetics that make the season; it’s the warmth shared between friends and family. Why not spice things up and do something different this year.
For inspiration, here’s a neat idea from a woman with a very distinct black and white wallpaper style. With a few lights, trinkets, and decorations, the room looks as Christmas-y as any oth
DIY your Snowflakes Decorations
Christmas decorations don’t need to cost an arm and a leg if you’re willing to put some time and energy into your craft. All you need for this hack is paper, scissors, tape, and that’s it. Here are a few photos to get you started.
Simply sketch the shapes on a piece of paper and cut them out carefully. There are plenty of guides online to help nowadays. This process can take a long time, especially if you have a large house, so you might wish to start working on it a few days before Christmas.
No Star, No Problem!
No Christmas tree is complete without the star at the top, right? Well, not quite. If you don’t have a star packed away in the attic, fear not. There’s a memorable way to top off your decorations. Check this out.
Get creative with a little pipe cleaner wire and even some tinsel. Spell out the word you’re hoping for this year, for example, “peace” “silence” or if you’re feeling particularly festive, “a glass of wine for Mom, please.” 39.
An Instant Cookie Molder
There’s so much to do around the holidays that sometimes, things can slip our minds: like purchasing gifts. If you've ever had to go last-minute gift shopping, you’ll know how stressful it can be. So instead of buying gifts, why not try baking your friends and family some delicious treats?
Worried that your cookies won’t look festive enough? Instead of shedding out that hard-earned gift money, create festive cookie patterns with a glass, cup, or vase. Simply press it into the cookie batter for a cute, elaborate cookie.
Gingerbread miniature
During the Holiday season, gingerbread cookies are a must-have snack, but gingerbread buildings are also popular as eye-catching decorations. The only drawback to these enjoyable and tasty houses is that they aren’t easy to bake.
You're going to love this if you have difficulty baking. You can create a gingerbread home out of cardboard instead of real gingerbread. It won’t be edible, but it will look just as lovely as any other gingerbread house!