Ribbons and Bows

When it comes to the holidays, some people spend as much money on decorations as they spend on presents. When you're working on a budget, elaborate holiday decorations are a luxury that just don't fit into the budget. However, there are some simple decorations that anyone can make or buy that don't cost much, but add an elegant holiday look to any home. Two of the most cost efficient holiday decorations are ribbons and bows. Both are very inexpensive and can be bought in multiples at a low price. Both can also be found at your local dollar store, department store, pharmacy, or crafts store; hence, they are easily accessible.

Once you have your bows and ribbons there are a variety of things you can decorate to bring some holiday charm to your home. Perhaps the most popular use of bows is to place them on the exterior of a door or window to add a pop of color to the exterior of your home. However, bows are very versitile and can be used in a variety of locations ranging from your mantle to the grill of your car. Ribbon is just as versitle (if not more so) than bows. You can get about 15 ft of ribbon for less than $5 and there are a variety of colors and patterns to choose from.

Since there are so many unique and creative ways ribbon can be incorporated into your home during the holiday, I will just give a few example to show how simple it is to had a little holiday charm to any household item. One simple use of ribbon is to weave it through the various items and photos on your shelf, bookcase, or mantle (pictured above). If you have a bowl of fruit, real or artificial, just weave some ribbon through it. A festive red and gold ribbon is the perfect accent to a bowl of apples (pictured left). Ribbon can also be used to add some character to your Christmas tree by hanging it vertically from the tree topper. When using ribbon, you may want to find a spool that has colors or patterns that are already in your house to help tie together your belongings with the rest of your holidy decor.

When decorating your home with ribbons and bows don't be afraid to get creative. For example, I've been saving a few wine bottles to use in making some sort of decoration. When I found myself with some extra ribbon and bows I decided to stuff the ribbon into the wine bottles and tie a bow around the neck. This can add a simple accent to any shelf, bookcase, mantle, etc. Don't be afraid to experiment; with such versatile items it is hard to go wrong when decorating for the holidays. When decorating for a holiday party or family get-together don't let price become an issue. Just head over to your local craft supply store and get some ribbons and bows.