Those Katie Ideas: A Very Thrifty Christmas

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I was having a hard time deciding what colors to use this Christmas, so I decided to use strictly what I already had for holiday decor.

I started thrift shopping at age 15 and now I am *cough* older, so I have a good 10 years on thrifting and finding good pieces. It now has become a lifestyle and an adventure – a creed.

I would like to take you on a short tour of different Christmas-y parts of my house. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.

Dining room table decorations.

Dining Table

A few weeks ago, while visiting my dad’s farm, I cut some pine branches and hauled them back home. I have kept the pine in water, and it’s still as green and pretty as it was the first day I cut it. I adore the look of simple yet rustic mason jars with fresh greenery protruding from them.

Dessert Table

For this table setting, I have used my gold candle holder, red retro books found at an antique mall, blue mason jars passed down to me, and huge, beautiful sleigh bells I purchased last year for my wedding.

Dessert table.

I have been dying for a buffet table, hutch, or pie rack. Unfortunately, I was not able to find one I liked before the holidays, so I sort of created my own thing. What I created is a small table with a stacked wooden crate to give some height to the dessert table.

I really like keeping the desserts open for my guest to grab at their leisure. These copper pieces seen here were found at my local antique mall, Decades, on several different thrifting trips. I love copper! These milk glass pieces were also found while thrift shopping. Both milk glass and copper glass are wonderful themes to create beautiful, unique looks.

I have “authentic” 90’s wallpaper (not my doing); it’s colors are red, cream, gold, and green with yellow sunflowers at the top. Since I am not allowed to paint in my duplex (long story and totally my fault for painting flowers on the bathroom wall), I try to keep my dining area in similar colors as the wallpaper, but it’s hard. Only at Christmas do I really appreciate this wallpaper.

This huge picture frame was also a Goodwill find. It was originally brown, but last week I found some rose gold spray paint and spray-painted anything I could!

Guest Room

Decorations in the guest room.

Since I will be hosting our families’ Christmas Eve gathering this year, I really want my house to be stuffed with Christmas spirit in every nook and cranny. The guest room/computer room also has

been decorated with Christmas pieces like some of these ornaments, this amazing gold tray, and this awesome vintage suitcase. I ran out of Christmas trees, so I opted for this pretty green plant and hung a few tiny ornaments on it. I think my houseguests will be pleased.

Tree Trim

My tree is very simple this year with silver, gold, mercury glass ornaments, and homemade garland. My husband and I had a fun night sitting down together and creating them. In his defense, I did 100 percent trick him into helping me. I just asked him to help me with something (secret: making garland) and told him to make these (silver) pipe cleaners into circles….and “keep going until all the silver things are used.”

Tree trim.

Sweet thing sat there and did it, then he asked, “What is this thing for?” I finally told him. I doubt he will be helping me with any projects in the near future. He now knows to ask what exactly I need help with and what is it for.

I found sheet music for $1 a piece, so I just cut them into strips and taped ring by ring to make them into a garland for the tree.

Side Table

I have had the very best luck this year finding vintage ornaments at thrift stores. This is one of my favorite Christmas corners. I am a bright-color-loving girl, so I

couldn’t help but buy these fun ornaments.

One of my go-to Christmas decorating plans is to place ornaments on a tray or a bowl. Especially if there isn’t much greenery or many trees to use.

Living Room

Side table decor.

I have had this vintage mantle for years and years, and I am especially fond of it because I don’t have a fireplace during the holiday season. I love to cover it in live greenery and usually change the theme of it every year.

Since my tree is simple gold and silver, I decided to keep my mantle simple with some thrifted glass lanterns I purchased recently at an antique mall. When I place tea lights in them, I love the sweet little fire glow. The deer horns are also an antique store find (nope… I am not a hunter), and I keep them on the mantle all year round. I really love my mantle this year. With the greenery, sweet little lanterns with candle light, and the rustic antlers make me stop and reflect on a simple, yet rustic Bethlehem.

Holiday decor doesn’t have to cost a lot of money; simple thrift shopping and material used around the house can be recycled to decorate your home with style this holiday season, and even in the coming years.

Share your holiday decorations with me by using #thosekatieideas on social media.

Happy Shopping & Merry Christmas!

Vintage mantle decor.
Katie Land
Katie Land is a lifestyle writer at Texas Forest Country Living. When Katie's not writing about decorating dinner parties, she enjoys hosting parties with friends, eating Mexican food, traveling,and spending time with her family. She currently lives in Nacogdoches with her husband, Blake, and her dog, Lucy.

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