Got spare fairy lights? Get out your vases and fill them with the lights. Arrange the vases on top of a surface where you can plug in the lights without the cord going across the floor, such as on top of the TV cabinet.

This is cheap, cheap, cheap and looks chic, chic, chic. Fill whatever clear containers you like (vases or anything else) with rice and/or cranberries (they look nice separately or mixed together). Put white candles in the cranberries and red candles in the rice. It's an easy way to incorporate Christmas colors into the house, and it looks nice for a couple of weeks before you have to chuck the cranberries.

A few days before Xmas give your kids a few bits and bats like old christmas cards and for the runner on the table use a bit of left over wrapping paper that way it's cheap, you can make thisngs to match and the kids will be glad that they could help.

I cannot abide things dangling from the ceiling and walls so I just have a tree (bought half price in a post Christmas sale) and the Christmas cards. I let my son make decorations from old cards and they go on the tree and cards are displayed on a stand. Very cheap!!

If you save old wire coat hangers and get some tissue paper, the knid you use for gift bags, you can make a great wreath. Cut the tissue into long retanular strips. Pull the coat hanger into a round shape and twist the strips of tissue paper around it. (I learned this in second grade. It keeps little kids busy all nigth long, especially if you use a few shades of green.) Add on stickers and stars, then hang on doors. Also buy Xmas stencul and oaint on foam cord panels to make giant card style signs.

after christmas ends, all the stuff is usually on sale so buy them then and save next year!