Decorate your Christmas Tree within budget!

R. Nandini

Christmas is just around the corner and you have already blown your budget buying dresses and gifts? Fret not, as there are several ways to make this occasion memorable without burning a hole in your pocket.

Christmas tree is a must have in your home during the Yule season, so don't miss out on the fun to decorate it but 'under budget'!

Here's how to make your Christmas tree stand out in your neighbourhood, the budget way!

Things you need: Empty match boxes, glazed paper(transparent glossy paper), colourful woollen threads, cotton, toffee wrappers, silver paper (chocolate wrappers would also do), sparkle glue (optional), thermocol and cartridge sheet.

Match boxes- You would need at least 10-15 empty match boxes, wrap them nicely with glaze paper or silver paper and tie them onto the tree using the colourful woollen threads. They would look exactly like Christmas gifts.

Toffee wrappers- Collect a few shiny toffee wrappers. Place a small piece of stone inside the pack which will make it look full. You can then tie it around the tree branches just the way you tied the match boxes. The reason we aren't tying real toffee is that it might invite unwanted guests - the ants!

Silver paper- This can be used for many purposes. You can make stars out of it by cutting the paper in their shape or can make small silver balls of it and hang them around the tree.

Thermocol- Just rub two pieces of thermocol on the tree and you can create the snowfall-effect.

Cotton- Place some cotton on the lower most branches of the tree and at the bottom of the tree – to create a heavy snowfall-effect.

Cartridge sheet/ hard paper- If you want a sparkling effect on the stars you put up then this is for you! Cut the sheet in shape of a star and colour it with gold or silver sparkle glues available in the market.

Santa time- Draw a Santa on the cartridge sheet, cut it out, colour it and paste it on top of the tree. This would need your drawing skills! You could also find advertisements in newpapers around this time that has Santa Claus on them as part of their graphic, maybe a cut paste can do the trick.

Get ready for all the praise and adoration!