Dear CeCe,
Christmas is almost here. I’ve spent my money on getting gifts for the kids, only to realize that I don’t have all the decorations I used to have, nor all the little items that made our house feel special during the holidays. My ex and I have only been split up for 3 months, and I let her keep all those wonderful keepsakes and memory holders. I can’t afford to duplicate them all. Any ideas of how I can build it back on a budget?
– How can I decorate my house when I’m broke?
Dear How Can I Decorate My House When I’m Broke?
I feel how important this is to you. I have lots of ideas, here are a few:
• Ask your Ex to share. I’m sure you’ve thought about discussing this with you Ex. Maybe she will be willing to share some of them this year.
• Create new keepsakes, memory holders and memories. Have a holiday movie binge day complete with activities; gingerbread (graham cracker) house building, sugar cookie decorating contest, make paper chains or colored popcorn string, decorate felt dollar store stockings or compose your own rhyming Christmas Cards/Emails complete with silly family pictures from your phone.
• Ask close family and friends to share decorations, lights, etc. You’d be surprised how much people don’t use and would love to share.
• Ask friends and family to help you replace some of the items you no longer have. Use our Gift Registry to create a list of the items you need replaced. You can share it with your loved ones. If you are uncomfortable asking for help – many of us are – ask them to do it in lieu of a gift.
We invest a lot of time, money, and energy in decorating our home, and setting the perfect scene for the holidays. That’s all good when we have all those resources. You spent the money on your kids – that was a fantastic choice. The memories you create with your kids will always mean more than the décor. Enjoy them, enjoy yourself. I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
CeCe
