Daily Home Decorations: 34 Christmas Hacks That Are Pure Genius (And Crazy Cheap)

34 Christmas Hacks That Are Pure Genius (And Crazy Cheap)

Cash strapped, time poor and all out of ideas? Read this.

Hands up if you routinely leave your Christmas prep to the absolute final second, and struggle to stay on budget every year.

…Yes?

Okay, that was a trick question. Because, let’s face it, no one has time to crack out a Martha Stewart worthy Christmas feast and adorn their tree with color-coordinated ornaments on December 1, no matter how easy the McCallister family made it look in Home Alone. We’re too busy trying to juggle our careers, relationships and families. And we don’t have seemingly endless stashes of cash.

Most of us are lucky if we’ve even got the tree up at all by December 20 and managed to plonk a store-bought pudding in the fridge. And who has the time or the funds to shop for the perfect present for every family member and friend you’re obligated to give something to? Please.

Thankfully, the interwebs have come to the rescue again, offering ingenious hacks for breezing through the festive season without ever breaking a sweat – or your bank balance. So if you’re like us and are currently scrambling to work out how on earth you’re going to do it all in time and budget again this year – take heart, and read on…

1. Load your Christmas cookie icing into sauce bottles for quick and easy dispensing.

2. Add pretzel sticks to triangles of pita bread topped with guacamole and pomegranate for cheap and easy festive party snacks.

3. Paint old aluminium foil boxes to repurpose as perfectly sized gift boxes for home-baked cookies.

4. Freeze whipped cream on a baking tray then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create festive hot chocolate toppers.

5. Stack two candy canes and a few chocolate bars and tie up with Christmas ribbon for a cheap last-minute ‘candy sleigh’ gift.

6. Drop a few candy canes into the blender and pulse for a few seconds to make a quick and easy sweet Christmas topper to add to cookies, cocktails and desserts.

7. Cut strawberries in half, add in whipped cream, stick back together and topped with a tiny additional dollop of whipped cream to make tiny edible santas.

8. Use a hot glue gun to stick three mini candy canes together to make place card holders.

9. Stack red and white Play-doh in mason jars to make candy cane themed gifts for kids.

10. Fill random vases and glass vessels with baubles for cheap and unique centerpieces.

11. Slot cardboard triangles covered in gift wrap together to form minimalist-style festive decor.

12. Make old cheap lights look new and expensive by removing the bulbs and giving them a coat of metallic spray paint.

13. Repurpose old paint chips as gift tags by cutting them into festive shapes.

14. If you’re a renter and can’t put a nail in your front door, simply attach a 3M hook at the top of the back of the door and use a colorful ribbon to hang your wreath from it.

15. Old Pringles containers also make the perfect vessel for gifting home-baked cookies.

16. Wrap tomato cages in fairy lights for cheap DIY Christmas decor.

17. Jazz up Christmas drinks by adding cranberries to your ice cube trays.

18. Turn gingerbread cookies into cute tree ornaments that will last for years by coating with three layers of varnish.

19. Stop your rolls of wrapping paper from getting unruly in the cupboard by securing with toilet rolls. Simply cut a slit in a toilet roll to form a DIY gift wrap clamp.

20. Make cheap and easy adult gifts by adding hot chocolate powder and marshmallows to mason jars, and attaching a mini bottle of Baileys with a cute ribbon.

21. Running late for your family Christmas lunch and low on funds and ingredients? Simply arrange broccoli and cherry tomatoes into a triangle and top with yellow capsicum slices to make a festive dip platter. Add Pretzel sticks for a trunk and serve with store-bought hummus or sour cream.