| Your June wedding and honeymoon are behind | | | | Need some suggestions? |
| you. You and your new spouse have set budgets | | | | How about... |
| for how much you will spend for the Christmas | | | | 1) Popped corn strung on a string for garlands. |
| season on each other and on friends and relatives. | | | | (They used to do that in your grandparents or |
| You even wisely started setting aside time and | | | | great-grandparents time.) |
| money to get those gifts before the crowds | | | | 2) You have some potpourri and netting left over |
| started invading the shopping malls and discount | | | | from your wedding favors. Make those same |
| stores. | | | | favors, but instead of the white bows, attach |
| Suddenly, you realize that although you listed | | | | either red or green ones and hang those on the |
| Christmas decorations on your original wedding | | | | tree. |
| registry, you only received two "Our first | | | | 3) Make sugar cookies and decorate with red and |
| Christmas" ornaments. They are beautiful, but | | | | green sugar or with icing and other candy pieces. |
| two ornaments won't go very far in decorating. | | | | Wrap in cellophane and hang on the tree. |
| You have been good about not using credit cards | | | | 4) Two strands of lights should be enough for |
| too much, something you agreed about even | | | | that puny tree. Just make sure you go to the |
| before the wedding. You are like minded in | | | | dollar store to purchase them. While you're there, |
| regards to credit. You don't want to use it except | | | | you might find a few unique ornaments to place |
| for large purchases, ones that you both agree as | | | | among the homemade ones. |
| necessary. Christmas decorations don't really fall | | | | 5) Don't forget to buy some candy canes. |
| into the rules and guidelines you placed upon your | | | | They're pretty cheap Christmas tree decorations. |
| finances. | | | | 6) You wondered why you kept all those cute |
| What to do? Well, perhaps it is time to think | | | | stuffed animals? Why not put some on the tree? |
| about two things: being frugal and creative and | | | | 7) Remember those paper snowflakes you made |
| establishing new traditions. | | | | as kids? Bring out the paper and scissors and get |
| Having little money to decorate should not deter | | | | busy. |
| you from decorating, nor from doing so together. | | | | 8) Other garlands can be cheaply made from |
| Perhaps getting creative together, while keeping | | | | cranberries or even from some hard candies tied |
| the budget guidelines in place, will help you create | | | | together. |
| a few new traditions. Can you make decorations? | | | | 9) The dollar store or craft store will have some |
| Hidden in your closet are six large picture frames | | | | cheap jingle bells you can make into ornaments. |
| that you are not using. Wrapping them in | | | | 10) How about printing some pictures of your |
| Christmas paper and attaching fancy bows will | | | | loved ones on your computer, cutting the pictures |
| make some thrifty décor. Those wrapped | | | | into circles and making those into ornaments? |
| "packages" will look festive when they're hanging | | | | You get the idea. If you do some brainstorming, |
| on your apartment walls. | | | | you'll discover all kinds of inexpensive decorations |
| You were able to find a rather cheap (almost | | | | you can make for your tree. And the doing will be |
| tacky) four-foot tall Christmas tree. Rather than | | | | just as much (or more) fun than seeing the |
| being discouraged by how it looks while empty, | | | | finished product. A new tradition has been |
| both of you start thinking about how you can | | | | established, and it is one you can continue once |
| make that tree come to life with homemade | | | | there are little ones available to help. |
| decorations. | | | | |