Christmas Decorations On A Student Budget: Made Easy!

If only we’d thought of this.

As all students know, Christmas is an expensive time of year.  It’s a period where presents for relations become increasingly stingy, ‘Secret Santa’s are saviours, and overdrafts are progressively exploited.

As a result, decorating an already cluttered student house becomes a minor preoccupation; just another inconvenience that will no doubt be left until the summer term. Why bother?

But we at the Soton Tab beg to differ! We have come up with ten top tips to awaken that festive feeling, whatever the state of your accommodation! Christmas shouldn’t have to be so drab, or indeed expensive.

1)      Poundland. Why bother wasting £30.00 on Ikea fairy lights when you can buy 30 boxes for that amount and turn your whole house into a grotto? True, they do have the tendency to randomly plunge your newly created ‘love nest’ into darkness, but every student likes a bit of extra excitement in their life don’t they?

2)      Paper Snowflakes. They didn’t teach you this at primary school for nothing. Blu-tack them up and voilà: you’re in the North Pole.

3)      Use your old alcohol vessels. Something every student is never short of: empty cans and bottles. So why not spell out ‘Merry Xmas’ using wine bottles in your back garden or slot a beer can onto the top of the tree for a modern twist on an old tradition. Alternatively, tie two VK-style bottles to your head instead of antlers….reindeer costume sorted.

4)      Cut up bin bags suspended from doorways. The perfect grotto entrance. Vary the bag colours for a truly magical appearance.

5)      Line your windows with cotton wool for a snow day everyday!

A paper chain from an old Wessex Scene

6)      Reduce, Re-use, Recycle. Making paper chains out of magazines not only shows you care about the planet, but is the epitome of modern chic. For the more controversially-minded student, the Wessex Scene makes for an equally excellent chain.

7)      White paper spread over the floors covers up the food residue and mouse droppings whilst creating a Winter Wonderland paradise!

8)      Cut an empty juice (mixer) carton in half and attach it to aforementioned mice with string for an undeniably realistic re-creation of Santa’s sleigh.

9)      Use the cardboard from takeaway containers and pizza boxes to cut out festive shapes such as stars, angels, trees and Christmas puddings. Dangle them from the ceiling, taking care not to leave marks that will detriment the return of your deposit (!) and be constantly reminded of Christmas as you go about your daily routine. Cash-permitting, invest in some glitter from K’s Market for a cardboard disco ball effect. Perfect for parties: a few drinks in no-one will know!

10)    No Christmas decorations are complete without a tree. So why not be economical and dig up a shrub from campus or even from next door’s garden? Hang some freshers’ discount vouchers from it and you’ve got yourself one fine looking plant.

Any other suggestions from readers are always welcome to add to the list. Let’s make Christmas as ridiculously and ingeniously decorative as possible!