This month, let’s talk about "inexpensive Christmas decoration ideas." First thought, I want you to get a chair, a step stool or a small ladder. Whatever you need to stand on to dig out that glass bowl that’s way in the back of a cupboard or a closet on a top shelf. You know the one that I mean. It’s the one that somebody gave you for an anniversary or your wedding.

Wash the bowl, pop some popcorn (do not add salt or butter) and fill the bowl with the cooled popcorn. Put a red or green pillar candle in the center of the bowl. There. You have a pretty and inexpensive centerpiece. If you want to make it even prettier, just cut some small limbs off a pine tree and arrange them around the bowl. You can also add a string of white twinkle lights to the pine boughs.

Next, we’re going to the basement, cellar house, attic or garage looking for a sled. You know, the one the kids left years ago. Dust it off and wash it. Clean the runners off with sandpaper and spray them with red Rustoleum paint. When dry, tie some pine boughs on the sled with a big red bow and stand the sled up by the front door. You can twine some lights around the sled and stand it up inside the house somewhere that needs a little brightening up. The idea for the sled I like best it to put it under the tree and pile presents on it.

Now we’re off to the dollar store to buy a plain white shower curtain. Buy some gold bells and red yarn or ribbon. After you hang the new shower curtain, thread the yarn or ribbon through the tops of the bells and hang across the shower curtain hooks. Make sure they hang down at about two feet. You can stagger the lengths if you wish and you can also use small ornaments in place of the bells. Also, to perk up your bathroom, dig an old vase out of one of your cupboards and fill it with some of the pine boughs. Add an artificial poinsettia or two. Your bathroom will now look festive.

String tiny white lights around tabletop arrangements, across window sills, or drape them across the tops of your windows. They brighten a room immediately.

In the kitchen, you can fill assorted clean, clear jars with water colored red or green with food coloring and arrange them in small groups on your counter or a shelf. String small colored or white lights around them. If you don’t have a plug handy, place some greenery around them. Or use baskets in place of the jars and put greenery and lights around them. Wrap some small boxes like Christmas presents and put them in the baskets.

The dollar stores sell packages of red velvet bows. Buy the small ones and put them on your curtains or drapes. Find some old bushel baskets and fill them with pinecones, pine boughs and a few of the leftover red bows or an artificial poinsettia or two. Put them on your front porch.

Use your imagination and make indoor arrangements with pinecones, bird nests, fresh greens or twigs. You’ll be surprised what you can create. You don’t have to spend big bucks to get festive decorations.

I wish each and every one of our readers a very happy, healthy and holy holiday season.