A Do-It-Yourself Christmas

NORTH POLE - 12/3/2008

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By Kelly Martini - Commentary

With the economy now officially in the longest recession in the last 25 years, Southern Marylanders may find their wallets a little thin this Holiday shopping season. You don’t want to scrimp on the holiday feast because you’ve got a family to feed. The food banks and shelters are depending on your generous donations now more than ever. So where can you cut some corners to save on the cost of the coming season? One way to cut costs is to create your own decorations. Local craft outlets such as Michaels, AC Moore and Jo-Ann Fabric have all the supplies you need to help to make the season bright! If you missed the big after Thanksgiving sales, fear not. Most of these stores publish coupons in local papers. Don’t get the paper? Go online. By signing up for mailing lists, you can receive weekly coupons and flyers highlighting the special sales going on in stores. Some stores also print coupons on your receipt. If you intend to make several decorations, purchase them a little at a time. Hang on to the coupon on your receipt for your next trip out. By saving coupons and following sales, you’re sure to have more green around than the green hung on the mantel. An easy decoration to save on is holiday garland. Rather than paying upwards of $15 or more for five feet of pre-lit garland, purchase bare strands when they go on sale. About a week or so ago, I purchased four strands of nine-foot garland for around $2.50 a piece. Buy a string of mini-lights, whichever color you prefer, and wrap the garland in the lights. Secure the lights with crafting green wire. Adding pinecones gives your decorations a rustic, elegant appeal.  You can purchase a bag of pinecones from a craft store for around $5, sometimes less if they’re on sale. (For those of you lucky enough to collect pinecones from your backyard, be sure to clean the sap off first!) You can either secure the pinecones with green wire or a hot glue gun. I prefer green wire because it allows you to move the pinecones or remove them if need be. Purchase a large roll of red ribbon to tie some holiday bows and you’ve got yourself a few decorative garlands for the price of one. Wreaths and centerpieces are other elements that are easily created below the cost of store bought items. For instructions, see the décor section of the Holiday Guide. If you don’t find yourself to be a creative person or lack the time to create your own decorations, shop sensibly. Shop at thrift stores or siphon some decorations from your parents’ or grandparents’ attic. Antique and gently used decorations have the best stories to tell of Christmas’ past. Cut back on gift expenses by only buying practical gifts that will be used or enjoyed for years to come, not something that will be tossed aside. For example, rather than purchasing that stylish wool-knit Christmas sweater to warm the one you love, purchase an energy efficient space heater. This allows more than one person to enjoy the gift. Not to mention your loved one’s fashion-sense and heating bill will thank you.

News Feedback NOTE: Views expressed below do not reflect the views or opinions of The Bay Net, Bay Media Services, Inc. or the employees of Bay Media Services, Inc.

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