Free Christmas Ornaments

I look at the trendy Christmas tree ornaments on display in the stores. Eye-catching but pricey. Some are $5 each or higher. One could buy a meal with that money.

If you are thrifty by nature or perhaps due to circumstances, you can decorate your Christmas tree with found objects. It can be fun and save you money without looking cheap.

Take a look at my examples and they will trigger some ideas. I'm sure you have some things around the house that would look fun and festive on your holiday tree. Everyone will exclaim over how creative and personalized it is. No one will think that you did it just to be thrifty.

I saved this wedding favor. The delicate golden rose with ribbon and netting looks delightful on my Christmas tree and reminds me of that special occasion that I attended 15 years ago.

How about the cake decoration from your child's 5th birthday? Clean it up, store it with your holiday decorations, and put it on the Christmas tree.

These are just a sampling of ideas to start you thinking. Look around your house, check in the junk drawer, and look for small items in the kid's toy box.

Read more tips for a thrifty Christmas.

The first Christmas I spent in Australia felt strange and lonely to me. It was hot as December is the Australian summer. While walking, I found some long pods that had fallen from a tree. Some were straight and others were twisted. I gathered them up and took them home to spray paint with gold. They added an unusual touch to my Christmas tree. I hadn't been able to bring all my Christmas decorations with me when I moved.

Another year, when I lived in Maryland, I cut my own tree at a tree farm. While decorating it, I discovered a small bird's nest deep in the branches. I saved that little nest and put it on my tree each year afterwards.

Take a look around your yard and neighborhood. You might see pinecones, twining vines, an abandoned bird's nest. Think "natural decorations" for your tree.

My mother grew up in the 1930s in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Times were hard and people had to be frugal, but their Christmas was still a merry one. They made paper chains and also strung fresh cranberries and popcorn on a thread to form a colorful roping for the tree.

They cut out stars from the cardboard of the Big Chief school tablets. These were covered with silver paper that they saved from chewing gum wrappers. Tell the kids that you are having a Little House on the Prairie Christmas. They will have fun making these frontier ornaments.