Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Last Updated on March 12, 2024 by Kimberly Crawford

Decorate your Christmas tree on a budget & make it look amazing! Create a cozy, lodge-inspired themed tree, by scavenging your home & kitchen for everyday items.

Holiday and seasonal magazines are filled with pictures of gorgeous, professionally decorated trees that evoke images of Victorian Christmases, holidays in the country, or even Renaissance seasonal celebrations. One common factor with each of these displays, is that expensive, vintage, or one-of-a-kind ornaments are used, which increases the decorating budget astronomically.

However, you can create a beautifully decorated Christmas tree that delivers a theme, without blowing your budget. Follow these simple guidelines, capitalize on your own passions and collections, and get ready to receive the compliments!

Basics & Tree Foundation

Whether your tree is real or artificial, begin your display by securing your tree in the holder, leveling the tree and securing the upper branches if the tree is top heavy and likely to tip. Finally, cover the tree holder with a tree skirt or a length of fabric in a color that coordinates with your theme.

In this article

Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations
Fill in any bare spots and along the length of the trunk with crumpled lengths of wired ribbon. Shop at your local Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, or Joanne Fabrics to find the best holiday ribbon at a sale price. Select the ribbon of your choice, making sure it has the following qualities:

  • 3 to 4” in width
  • Wired edges
  • Neutral color (i.e. not bright red, blue or green)
  • Glitter or metallic quality to create shimmer and reflection off of the tree lights

To fill in the bare spots, cut the ribbon into pieces that are 2’ to 3’ in length. Crumple and stuff in the ribbon into the “holes” or to hide the pole that acts as a trunk for artificial trees.

Twist the ribbon, curl it back onto itself and play around with the edges, to create more angles from which to bounce the light. Don’t forget to string a lot of lights on your tree. Multi-color or monochromatic are both good choices, but use the small light bulbs to draw attention to your decorations and NOT to the lights.

Take Inventory of Your Belongings

If you are a pig collector, you likely have many unique, conversation-starting pig decorations. Be clever and figure out how you can safely attach the pigs to the tree branches. You may find that twist ties, cable ties, and ribbon are extremely helpful here.

Finally, add the one item that will give your tree extra punch. In the pig-inspired example above, the one extra item could be a pig plush toy or a special ornament from the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Try This Simple Northwoods Lodge-Inspired Christmas Tree:

String white Christmas tree lights throughout the tree and use silvery, metallic ribbon to fill in the bare spots. Fill the tree with dozens of pine cones collected from nature.

Hot glue a loop of red ribbon to the base of the pinecone and use the loop to suspend the cone from the tree. Add bundles of cinnamon sticks or birch twigs, which have been tied and looped with the same red ribbon throughout the tree. Finish with a generous supply of traditional candy canes and your cozy Christmas tree, done on a budget, is complete!

25+ Simple and Creative Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

1. How to Decorate a Christmas Tree from Start to Finish

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree from Start to Finish | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

2. How to Put Ribbon Garland on a Christmas Tree

How to Put Ribbon Garland on a Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

3. Christmas tree ribbon garlands 4 ways

Christmas tree ribbon garlands 4 ways | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

4. Night-time Christmas tree

Night-time Christmas tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

5. Black and White Christmas Tree

Black and White Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

6. Elegant white and gold matte Christmas Tree

Elegant white and gold matte Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

7. Holiday Charm

Holiday Charm | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

8. Decorate Christmas Tree in 5 Simple Steps

Decorate Christmas Tree in 5 Simple Steps | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

9. Christmas Tree Ribbon

Christmas Tree Ribbon | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

10. Cottage Christmas

Cottage Christmas | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

11. Chic Modern Minimalist Christmas Trees

Chic Modern Minimalist Christmas Trees | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

12. Decorating Your Holiday Tree Like a Pro

Decorating Your Holiday Tree Like a Pro | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

13. Small Christmas Tree

Small Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

14. Glam Metallic Farmhouse Christmas Tree

Glam Metallic Farmhouse Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

15. Non-serious Christmas Tree

Glam Metallic Farmhouse Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

16. Rustic Glam Christmas Tree

Rustic Glam Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

17. Urn Christmas Tree

Urn Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

18. DIY The halls

DIY The halls | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

19. White Christmas Tree

White Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

20. Metal Christmas Tree Skirt

Metal Christmas Tree Skirt | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

21. French Farmhouse Christmas Tree

French Farmhouse Christmas Tree | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

22. DIY Christmas Tree Collar

DIY Christmas Tree Collar | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

23. Woodland Christmas

Woodland Christmas | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

24. Recycled Tire Christmas Tree Base

Recycled Tire Christmas Tree Base | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

25. How to decorate your Christmas tree beautifully and affordably

How to decorate your Christmas tree beautifully and affordably | Best Way to Decorate Christmas Trees on a Budget: Inexpensive or Free & Easy Holiday Ornaments & Decorations

Source

26. Scrooge-less reclaimed wood Christmas tree and star

Scrooge-less reclaimed wood Christmas tree and star

Source

27. Wall mounted Christmas tree

Wall mounted Christmas tree

Source

28. DIY Rosetta Tree

DIY Rosetta Tree

Source

29. Christmas Paper Trees

Christmas Paper Trees

Source

30. Vintage Sheet Music Christmas Tree

Vintage Sheet Music Christmas Tree

Source

31. Foam Christmas Tree

Foam Christmas Tree

32. Ruler Christmas tree

Ruler Christmas tree

33. Christmas tree ornament mobile

Christmas tree ornament mobile

Source

34. Burlap Christmas tree

Burlap Christmas tree

Source

35. Trio of Trees Part Trio

Trio of Trees Part Trio

Source

36. Rolled rosette Christmas tree craft

Rolled rosette Christmas tree craft

Source

37. Pinecone tree

Pinecone tree

Source

38. Stick Christmas tree

Stick Christmas tree

Source

39. Christmas tree with spindles

Christmas tree made from spindles

Source

40. Christmas tree light

2009 christmas tree

Source

41. DIY Wood Slice Christmas Trees

DIY wood slice Christmas trees

Source

42. Make a Fun and Festive Space-Saving Christmas Tree

Make a Fun and Festive Space-Saving Christmas Tree

Source

43. DIY Balsa Wood Christmas Tree

Christmas Trees Balsa Wood

Source

44. DIY Alternative Christmas Tree

44 christmas tree ideas

Source

45. Mini Christmas tree stand

45 christmas tree ideas

46. Christmas pinecone tree

46 christmas tree ideas

47. Golden tree

47 christmas tree ideas

48. Christmas tree stand from old tractor grill

48 christmas tree ideas

Source

49. Succulents and Christmas tree

49 christmas tree ideas

Source

50. Large reindeer topper

50 christmas tree ideas

Source

51-63. More Christmas trees

51 christmas tree ideas

57 christmas tree ideas

56 christmas tree ideas

55 christmas tree ideas

54 christmas tree ideas

53 christmas tree ideas

52 christmas tree ideas

58 christmas tree ideas 1

59 christmas tree ideas

60 christmas tree ideas 61 christmas tree ideas

62 christmas tree ideas

63 christmas tree ideas

64. Christmas tree trends in 2019

68 christmas tree ideas

67 christmas tree ideas

66 christmas tree ideas

65 christmas tree ideas

64 christmas tree ideas