This Budget Buy Is The Only Holiday Decoration You Really Need

The holidays are here, and if the more traditional combos of red and green or blue and silver aren’t your ideal color schemes, you can still add some festivity to your decor by taking it in a more neutral, simple-chic direction. One way to do that is with strands of simple white lights. If you still want a bit of color, natural elements like greenery and branches are the perfect complement to twinkling lights.

The lights above are from Danish retailer House Doctor, but similar ones are available all over the place, at different price points and sizes:

→ Black Corded Globe String Lights; $14.95 from Amazon

Keep it simple, and put fairy lights in a jar or vase. The ones above are available from Save on Crafts, but you can use old mason jars or any glass vessel.

→ Submersible Fairy String Lights; $6.99 from Save on Crafts

During holiday meals and gatherings, use a string of frosted globe lights as a table runner. You can make your own ping-pong globe lights following a tutorial from The Surznick Common Room, or simply order a pack online.

→ Frosted White Globe Bulbs; $15.95 from Amazon

Pop something organic — like pinecones, logs or greenery — in a basket, bucket or crate, add lights, and enjoy the instant cozy vibe. (Just be sure they’re cool LED lights, for safety.)

→ Copper Battery Operated LED Dewdrop Fairy String Lights; $4.99 from Target

Make a simple rustic star out of wood strips or twigs, then wind lights around it. You can hang it on the wall, like Lekker Fris, or —even easier — prop it on a surface somewhere around the house.

→ Berry Globe String LED Lights; $16.99 from Amazon

A swag of greenery looks lovely intertwined with white lights, whether it’s running down the stair railing, as seen above on Style At Home, or across a fireplace mantel.

→ LED String Lights; $21.99 from Amazon

As do wreaths. Buy one (like this faux antler one from Cox and Cox) and add a simple string of lights to take your decorations up a notch.

→ Cool White 5′ LED Glimmer Strings; $6.47 from Pier 1

Tweak a strand of existing lights by adding stars or snowflakes, then create a dramatic canopy across your hallway. This image comes from a past IKEA catalog shoot but there’s a great tutorial from Mon Makes Things.

→ Star Light Fairy String Lights; $13.99 from Amazon

Spell out your holiday intentions in lights. If nails or tacks aren’t an option, use removable, damage-free hooks to affix the lights to the wall. This simple message came from Urban Outfitters, but you can create your own design.

→ Firefly String Lights; $28 from Urban Outfitters

Wooden branches wound with lights are a simple decoration that can fit nearly any type of decor. Annaleena used some leaning logs, but a blanket ladder, or any vertical objects works well too.

→ White Mini Lights; $17.95 from Amazon

Re-edited from a post originally published on 11.27.16 – AL