How to decorate for Christmas on a budget

By combining clever DIY Christmas crafts, foraged winter greenery, upcycled household goods, and low-cost festive lighting, you can achieve a stylish look for a fraction of the price. Whether you’re decorating a compact rental flat or setting a family dining table ready for the turkey, here is your ultimate room-by-room guide to decorating on a budget this Christmas.

Quick guide: How to decorate for Christmas on a budget

1. Craft with surplus paper: Turn leftover wrapping paper or old newspapers into stylish 3D stars, garlands, and Scandinavian paper chains.
2. Forage winter foliage: Tuck sprigs of holly, pine, ivy, and mistletoe behind picture frames, doorframes, and mirrors for zero-cost natural greenery.
3. Upcycle everyday glassware: Repurpose empty jam jars and glass bottles into glowing lanterns using battery-operated LED string lights.
4. Reuse last year's cards: Cut up old Christmas cards to create custom dinner table place settings, gift tags, and festive bunting.
5. Protect walls with damage-free hooks: Hang Christmas wreaths and garlands using removable adhesive hooks to keep rental walls pristine.

Paper crafts & upcycled paper magic

Paper is one of the most versatile and budget-friendly materials in any crafter's toolkit. With a simple pair of scissors, a glue stick, and some string, you can turn pennies' worth of paper into eye-catching festive statement pieces.

Folding 3D Nordic sugar paper stars

Nordic-style paper stars are everywhere in designer magazines, but buying them pre-made can quickly add up. You can easily make your own at home using simple paper from our arts & crafts collection or leftover wrapping paper:

1. Cut equal squares: Cut six identical squares of sturdy paper or crisp wrapping paper.
2. Fold and cut slits: Fold each square diagonally into a triangle, then fold in half again. Make three parallel cuts from the folded edge toward the point, taking care not to cut all the way through.
3. Twist and glue: Unfold the square flat. Roll the innermost paper corners together to form a tube and secure with tape or glue. Flip the paper over and roll the next set of paper strips in the opposite direction. Repeat until all strips are joined.
4. Assemble the star: Join six finished points together at the centre using a stapler or double-sided tape to form a striking 3D star.
5. Hang in windows: Attach a length of clear fishing line or velvet ribbon and suspend your stars in window frames, from curtain poles, or above the dining table.

Upcycling last year's Christmas cards into table place cards

Instead of throwing away last December's Christmas cards, save them in your craft box to create personalised dinner table place settings and gift tags:

• Festive place cards: Trim beautiful illustrations (such as robins, snowy trees, winter scenes, or festive wreaths) from old cards. Fold a small piece of card in half to create a standing tent card, glue the cutout onto the front, and write your guest's name in gold or silver marker pen.
• Custom gift tags: Use a gift tag punch or scissors to cut tag shapes out of card fronts. Punch a small hole at the top and thread through a short length of red twine or jute string.

Foraged Foliage & Natural Winter Greenery

Bringing nature into your home is a classic way to make your home look (and smell!) festive. Winter gardens, hedgerows and parks are filled with evergreen cuttings, pinecones, holly, and woody branches that make stunning seasonal displays if you know how to use them.

How to safely forage

• Take only what you need: Snip small sprigs from abundant bushes rather than stripping a single plant.
• Shake off insects: Leave foraged branches outdoors in a shed or garage for a couple of hours so any garden bugs can crawl away before you bring greenery inside.
• Condition your cuttings: Trim the stems at a 45-degree angle and soak them in a bucket of cold water overnight so the leaves stay fresh throughout December.
• Only forage from public places: Don’t go cutting bits out of people’s front gardens. Stick to public parks.

Styling a foraged mantelpiece & staircase garland

Creating a thick, fragrant mantelpiece garland is easier than you think and costs practically nothing:

1. Lay a base: Start by laying a few long branches of pine or fir flat along your mantelpiece.
2. Layer accent greenery: Tuck in sprigs of glossy holly with red berries, trailing ivy, and eucalyptus to add texture and depth.
3. Add warm lighting: Weave a thin strand of warm white indoor LED fairy lights through the branches. Battery-operated micro wire lights work best because the thin silver wire hides easily among leaves.
4. Finish with pinecones and ribbon: Nestle dry pinecones into the greenery (you can spray the tips with white paint for a frosted look) and tie velvet or jute ribbon bows at both ends.

Upcycling household items & cosy lighting hacks

The golden glow of Christmas lights is an absolute essential for a truly festive home. Warm, flickering lights feel unmistakably cosy, making your home feel festive even if you keep other decorations minimal.

DIY jam jar fairy light lanterns

Don't get rid of your empty jam jars, sauce bottles, or glass coffee jars - instead, turn them into sparkly tabletop lanterns:

• Clean and prep: Soak empty jars in warm, soapy water to peel off paper labels. Clean the glass with a little glass cleaner or vinegar for a streak-free shine.
• Add battery fairy lights: Coil a short string of battery-powered micro LED lights inside the jar. Tape the compact battery pack neatly to the underside of the jar lid so it stays hidden out of sight.
• Decorate the rim: Tie a strip of fabric or festive red ribbon around the neck of the jar, tucking in a tiny sprig of fresh rosemary or cinnamon sticks. Place a row of three lanterns along a windowsill, coffee table, or hallway runner.

Bauble bowl & vase centrepieces

If you have leftover or mismatched tree baubles sitting at the bottom of your storage boxes, convert them into an eye-catching table centrepiece in under two minutes:

• Gather a clear glass salad bowl, hurricane vase, or fruit dish.
• Layer in spare shatterproof baubles in coordinating colours (such as gold, cream, and forest green), mixing matte, glossy, and glitter textures.
• Intertwine a tiny strand of battery fairy lights among the baubles so the glass ornaments catch the glowing light at night.

Give your home a festive makeover for less with wilko

Not much of a crafter? Shopping for a few affordable decorations can also be a good idea, especially if you focus on the spots that make the biggest impact.

Start with some Christmas tree decorations to give your tree a refresh. A new set of baubles, a few eye-catching ornaments or some tinsel can bring your existing decorations together and give them a fresh look.

Next, add a little extra sparkle with indoor Christmas lights. Drape fairy lights around a mantelpiece, pop them along a windowsill or use them to brighten up a bookshelf.

You can also dress up your front door or living room with Christmas wreaths and garlands. Pair one with a few decorations you already have at home, and you've got a festive focal point without the cost of a complete makeover.

The trick is to mix a few new, affordable finds with decorations from previous years. That way, you can give your home a fresh festive feel without stretching your Christmas budget.

Damage-free decorating tips for renters

If you live in rented accommodation and want your home to feel festive without risking your deposit due to wall damage, we’re here to help!

Damage-free hanging hacks

• Adhesive hooks & strips: Use removable adhesive wall hooks (such as Command strips) to hang lightweight wreaths, paper garlands, and stocking holders without drilling holes or driving nails into walls.
• Tuck foliage behind frames: Avoid tape altogether by tucking light sprigs of eucalyptus or holly directly behind existing wall art and hanging mirrors.
• Ribbon over doors: Hang door wreaths by looping a wide satin ribbon over the top of the door and securing it to the hidden top edge with a strong, removable adhesive strip.

Budget Christmas styling FAQs

What are simple DIY Christmas decoration ideas using household items?

You can make stunning Christmas decorations using everyday items around your home. Try folding leftover wrapping paper or sugar paper into stars and paper chains, popping battery-operated fairy lights inside empty glass jars to make table lanterns, or cutting up last year's Christmas cards to create gift tags and dining table place settings.

How can I make my home feel festive on a tight budget?

Focus on lighting and natural greenery. Adding warm white LED fairy lights to living spaces feels warm and cosy. Pairing soft lights with free foraged foliage (like holly, pine, and ivy) allows you to decorate key focal points - like fireplaces, staircases, and dining tables - without buying expensive decorations.

Where is the best place to buy budget-friendly Christmas decorations in the UK?

You can buy a wide range of affordable Christmas decorations online and in-store at wilko. From budget LED fairy lights, shatterproof bauble sets, and wreaths to essential crafting paper, ribbons, and damage-free hanging hooks, wilko offers everything you need to decorate your home for less.