All Decked Out - Guest Post

Hi Everybody!

My friend Cheryl has wanted to do a Christmas guest post since last year when I started this blog.

Since today she was looking for a way to procrasinate, it seemed the perfect day for her to channel her inner blogger and write a Christmas  guest post. Also, now that Remembrance Day and American Thanksgiving are over, it is time to start embracing the Christmas spirit.

Cheryl is very trendy, very cheap frugal, (she can spot a deal a mile away)

 and can write me under the table (is that a saying?).

So here she is! Let the Christmas season begin!!

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I recently attended an awesome event in Moose Jaw called “All Decked Out”.  It was the first time they have put it on and I totally recommend going next year if you get the chance.  I got so many great ideas and was inspired to try a few new things this holiday. 

Before I start, I’ll confess this:  I’m cheap and proud of it!  I absolutely love the finer things of life, but I’m so cheap that I wait for all the beautiful things to go on a big end-of -season sale.  I am a teacher and my husband works for a non-profit organization.  We do not have the kind of money to keep up with the show homes I saw on the “All Decked Out” tour, so we do our best and are content with it!

Christmas décor expenses should be kept at a minimum.  Considering how expensive travel, gifts, and food is during the holidays, the budget shouldn’t be blown before the big day.

Here are a few ideas to help you get into the Christmas Spirit:

Step One:  Michael Bublé’s new Christmas album is perfect for inspiring a classy Christmas look.  Check out his rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”.  Fabulous!

Step Two:  Don’t buy too many new things right now. Wait until it’s on clearance; I have nice things because I bought them at 60-80% off.  Most of the ornaments on my tree cost less than $1.00 because I have no problem packing them away for a year right after purchasing them.

Step Three:  Look for things around your house that can be converted into decorations.  I use our martini glasses as décor rather than purchasing new vases to fill with Christmas bulbs.  Instead of buying expensive ‘fillers’, I use ribbon that is left over from gifts from previous years. 



Step Four:  Don’t underestimate the big box stores like Superstore, Walmart, and Canadian Tire.  You can find some beautiful things there for dirt cheap!  To ‘class them up’ a bit, buy a few small items like these diamonds from “Jillian’s” or other local decor shops.

Step Five:  If you have a husband like mine (which is doubtful), he will care about the decorations in your house too.  I had no idea a husband and wife could fight over a color scheme of a Christmas tree.  Last year, we purchased a $30.00 tree so that he could have a Toronto Maple Leaf Christmas Tree in the basement. 

Step Six:  Treat your presents like art.  Consider them to be decorations as this will help jazz up your house very cheaply.  I didn’t have to spend much time at all making a few re-usable boxes and the best part is I bought all the materials besides the paper at various dollar stores. 

Step Seven:  Use candy to decorate.  Christmas candy is beautifully wrapped, so use it to your advantage.  Fill glass vases with it and put it on your kitchen counter or end table.  I’m sure you’ve seen Candy Bars at weddings – it’s the same idea.

Step Eight:  Use the colors in your house to bring out your Christmas color choices.  I do the basement in whites, silvers, and blacks and the upstairs in golds and reds because it matches the walls and furniture.  It really makes things pop and appear as if you have decorated more than you really have. 

Step Nine:  I’m sure you have a few Christmas parties to attend this year, meaning you’ve bought new outfits and accessories.  Use scarves, facsinators, or jewelry as decorations rather than having them sit in a jewelry box in your closet.  I bought a beautiful fascinator from “Cranberry Rose”.  I love it, but it cost more than my dress did (it was only $30, but my dress was $20… Boxing Day… refer to Step Two J).  So, I pinned it to my lamp to make it a bit more festive. 

Step Ten:  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the beauty you have created knowing there is nothing to feel guilty about because you didn’t break the bank this year! 

Thanks to  Adelle for letting me write this week!!

Cheryl