After Handy Hubby unraveled our live tree, this is what it looked like.

A few days later with snow falling and holiday music playing, we took it from pine to Christmas for free.

We’ve always had a green and ivory theme going on with our tree in the past.  This year I wanted to add in some eggplant and lavender.  {Christmas decor doesn’t have to be red and green!} But I didn’t want to spend any money.  I had seen Belinda over at The Happy Home string floating holiday words across her living room with fishing line and decided to give it a try.  {If you haven’t visited her blog before, you must.} I dug out some cardstock in celery, lavender and eggplant.  I folded a piece in half lengthwise and freehanded a few Christmas-y words.

Then I cut the letters out, making sure to leave the fold at the top.

I strung them onto fishing line, glued the insides of the letters together and hung them around the tree for added color and interest.

{In case you’re wondering, I taped the ends of the fishing line to an adjacent mirror frame and the back of our flatscreen.  Fishing line + paper letters = nearly weightless.} Simple, easy and FREE.

Like years of yore, I spiraled a few lengths of ribbon down the tree.  They’re a good way to give not-so-perfect live trees that highly desired triangular shape Mother Nature doesn’t always bestow upon them.  Of course, we have the usual kids’ handmade ornaments, too.  I hung them lower on the tree because the boys enjoy seeing what they’ve made.

So, that’s our Christmas tree this year.  {…sans gifts…I’ll be sharing gift-wrapping ideas soon.} I like to switch things up a little every year when it comes to Christmas decor, but I don’t like putting a ton of money into it.  Because, truth is, I’m probably going to want something different next year.  I also try to make our Christmas decor fit into the light, airy color scheme that we already have in place.  And when possible, I use/make decorations that can outlast the Christmas season…things that aren’t too kitschy to last well into January.  That way we get to enjoy it longer.

Keep checking in this week to see what other holiday decor I’ve put together.  {A lot of my inspiration came from The Happy Home where budget and kid-friendly decor abounds.} My projects include a fun & fresh mantle scape, toilet paper rolls and a 99¢ Goodwill mini-tree. Hmmm…

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking