Shopping, decorating tips from the young and broke

So, Christmas is just around the corner, and many are probably scrambling to get their shopping done.

There’s so much pressure to get everyone you know, and their dog and pet fish, a gift. The gifts they want are never cheap, either. That is an effect of living in a materialistic world.

On that same note, I just recently attended a decorating workshop that really opened my eyes. It seems that every year, decorating for Christmas has become a bit over the top. The more lights you have and the bigger the tree, the better your Christmas may be.

In this workshop, the tips focused on how to decorate with what you already have and on a budget. I think that is the way to go.

So, I want to share with you some shopping and decorating tips that I have developed, and some that my friends have developed, in order to help make your season easier and brighter. You should have more time, more fun and more money left over for yourself if you follow these tips.

I should preface this with the statement that I am not a professional decorator/designer, though I may be a professional shopper if you ask my bank.

The first, and maybe most important, tip I can give you for shopping is to shop early. I started buying gifts around the beginning of June, and I had everyone but my three cousins and an aunt presents by Dec. 1.

Sometimes, these gifts were purchased for a specific person in mind. Other times, the gift was simply one that could be used by anybody.

My next tip is, when you can, buy in bulk, specifically when the product is cheap or on sale. My friend is amazing at this. She has practically purchased the entirety of the inventory of Bath and Body Works where she lives. The thing to note is, she got almost everything for a quarter of the price.

Last Christmas, I did something similar. For all the women of my family, and the majority of my boyfriend’s, I purchased scented body scrubs. I haven’t heard any complaints so far.

My last shopping tip is this: do it homemade. I have met a woman who can crochet hats quickly. Those are her gift to people.

I have seen recipes for mason jar cookie recipes, where the recipient only has to add the liquid ingredients.

These can be inexpensive and perfect for the holiday season. Just be aware of any medical conditions or allergies the person you are giving food gifts to might have.

I and my friends live in apartments, so I am not able to go absolutely crazy with my Christmas decorating. However, I have found that simple goes a long way.

You don’t have to go to the store and buy all the decorations on the shelf. My friends actually cut and glued together a chain and place it on her mantle and around her windows.

She also made gingerbread ornaments to go on her tree.

I decorated my tree with a marked-down set of ornaments. I only have about 40 in the box, and, with the lights on my tree and the atmosphere that Christmas brings, that’s really all you need.

My final piece of advice for shopping and decorating is to check out the sales after the holiday. Wrapping paper, left over gift inventory and more are marked-down, making it the perfect time to start getting ready for the next year.

These are just a few of my tips. I hope they help you prepare for the holiday season.

Cassie Gibbs is a staff writer for The Southeast Sun and Daleville Sun-Courier. The opinions of this writer are her own and not the opinion of the paper. She can be reached at (334) 393-2969 or by email at [email protected].