Easy Winter Berry Decoration

Besides having the house clean and being able to feed my entire family, my only other holiday goal this year was to come up with some new holiday / winter decorations for the house.

Before we moved into this house, Nick and I were living in a very small space with almost no storage, so we didn’t really decorate – ever. But now that we have more room – in living space and in storage space – I want to start taking advantage of what we have and find some easy (and cheap!) ways to make the house more festive. Lived in. Cozy.

winter berry decoration2

My best tip this year? Have your family members clean out their own decorations and take what they don’t want!

While we were at Nick’s parents for Thanksgiving, they went through some of their decorations and we went home with a few boxes full of “new” baubles for us that they never used. And the only thing better than new house stuff is new house stuff that is free.

Nick’s mom sent us home with 8-10 of these glasses, candles, and other holiday trinkets that she never used.

To start my decorate the house project, I started with the mantle. Our main living room has this gorgeous antique mantle around the fireplace and I didn’t want to completely cover it up or make it too busy, but I knew I wanted something more festive than our usual year-round candles.

winter berry decoration3

Since we were now the proud owners of these glass hurricanes, I found a $10 holly berry garland at Walmart and turned it into something that worked for Christmas AND that can sit on the mantle through the winter, until I’m ready for something lighter and brighter.

The garland was 6 feet long and was wire so it could be bent or curved however you want it. But I wanted it in pieces to stand up in the glasses, so I grabbed my little helper, Maggie, and a pair of wire cutters.

I ended up cutting the garland into 6 pieces, each about 1 foot long – starting by cutting the entire garland in half, then cutting each half into smaller pieces.

winter berry decoration4

Once the pieces were cut, I just had to put them in the glasses and arrange them how I wanted.

This seriously took me maybe 5 minutes? And only $10 since we already had the glasses.

And I still love them! Now that Christmas is over, we packed up the little container of ornaments and the Christmas trees (in the picture above) and just have the garland glasses, candles, and the lantern on the mantle.

winter berry decoration1

Now if someone else could come do the rest of my house…that would be great!

I’ve got a cabinet in the basement that needs to be refinished and painted for the dining room. Anyone want to help? I’ll pay in cookies.

6 comments

  1. These are so beautiful! And definitly look much more expensive than what you paid for them. I’ll have to keep my eye out for some berry garland like that when I’m digging through christmas clearance stuff!

  2. love these! what a great way to spruce up for the holiday :)

  3. I came across your blog from the most recent Weight Watchers magazine and had to check it out as a former WW myself :-) Your mantel is GORGEOUS! Great ideas!

  4. my mom always gives us “recycled”/hand me down decor too–I LOVE it! …and I love your winter berries!

  5. Pingback: Easter Egg Cookie Cups

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