this wasn't in the plan |but life is still pretty good

This is the third post in a series of four that will help you start thinking about Christmas preparations, the first article can be found here. and the second post can be found here Be sure to subscribe to my feed so you won't miss a future post!

Put some advance thought and planning into your holiday decorations and you can have a festive house that won't ruin your budget. Here are some ideas.

If you have kids, put them to work decorating your house! Search for some fun Christmas crafts, or just have them draw some pictures of Christmas trees, Santa, or snowmen, stick them in a frame and you're good to go.

Display any Christmas cards you receive. Want some ideas for how to do this creatively? Head over to flickr and type "Christmas card display" in the search box.

Be creative with empty jars. I filled this jar with red and green construction paper and added a ribbon.

Speaking of ribbon, use it to fill space, that way you can make a few decorations go further


Now it's your turn. What are your ideas or resources for inexpensive holiday decorations?