Tausi Insider

Photo : Bartosz Zakrzewski ( Shutterstock ) ‘Tis the season to dig out the decorations and trim your tree, and any other parts of your home that you think could use some holiday cheer. But if rising energy costs have you hesitant to plug in multiple strings of lights, an inflatable snowman, or your blow mold nativity scene, you may be rethinking your design strategy. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can deck your halls for the holidays without running up your electric bill. Here’s what to know. Christmas decorations that don’t require electricity Of course, going out and buying all new holiday decorations isn’t the most cost-effective solution, but if you’ve decorated in previous years, you should at least a few things to work with already. Here are some options: Wooden cutouts If you’ve inherited vintage outdoor Christmas decorations from your parents or a family member, it might include wooden cutouts of various holiday and winter characters—Santa, reindeer, snowmen, ...

Photo : Sergey Mikheev ( Shutterstock ) Looking to save money on holiday decorations this year? Along with reusing (or repurposing) pieces you have from previous years, you can freshen up your festive decor with a little help from nature. Here’s what to know. How to decorate for the holidays using pieces from nature First, a few ground rules. If you’re fortunate enough to own a house with your own yard, then by all means, help yourself to what’s there. City-dwellers and others who don’t have access to their own nature shouldn’t trespass on private property, or take things from parks. They can, however, ask friends and family with trees and yards if they could pop over and help tidy up their property (i.e. forage for holiday decorations). Anyway, here are a few ideas: Evergreen branches The most obvious—and most versatile—of the natural decorations, branches from evergreen trees can be used for everything from garland, to tablescapes, to wreaths, to greenery around a nativity scene...