Minimalist Holiday Decorations

image via Martha Stewart

Recently I've discovered that one of my friends is also a minimalist! We had a long conversation about the lifestyle, and she asked me what I thought of holiday decorations. She comes from a family that goes all-out for the holidays.

Personally, I think that if holiday decorations make you happy, then decorate! Just keep the store-brought decorations to a minimum. Not only do store-bought decorations tend to be, well, kind of kitschy, but you have to store them for 11 months of every year. With a little creativity, you can decorate without adding to your possessions. Instead, try decorating with organic items and disposable items.

image via Martha Stewart

By organic items, I mean go out and find some nature! Pinecones, acorns, sticks, autumn leaves, pine branches and eucalyptus branches. Pile them up in glass jars or wooden bowls. Bare sticks in a vase can look surprisingly nice! If you don't live surrounded by nature, you can find pumpkins, squash, poinsettas, and unshelled walnuts at the grocery store. Natural objects always classy and beautiful, never kitschy, and you don't have to store them.

image via Martha Stewart

Disposable items and consumable items are another way to decorate. Paper snowflakes, popcorn garlands, and other paper crafts can be enjoyed during the holidays and then recycled. My mother used to take all the Christmas cards we received, staple them to ribbons, then drape them from the banister. After Christmas, we'd recycle the whole thing.

image via Martha Stewart

Candles, candy canes and gingerbread houses can be consumed (don't eat the candles, please). Your wrapped Christmas gifts and stockings can count as decorations, too!

image via mommyknows

Celebrating the holidays doesn't have to mean buying things from a store, and keeping multiple boxes of holiday decorations in the attic. Likewise, being a minimalist doesn't mean forsaking the holidays altogether. Use the items you already own, go outside and find some natural items, light some candles and display your holiday treats. Enjoy the holidays, then clear it all out with the New Year.