BUYING Christmas decorations can be expensive, unless you wait until the January sales.
In the mean time, if you want to add a festive touch to your home without breaking the bank, this DIY hack may be for you.
In her viral video, TikTok user Kristin (@kmadruga) showed her followers the DIY decor she created without spending a single penny.
The woman was able to utilise old carboard boxes for her craft, transforming them in to a gingerbread village.
For her first step, Kristin broke down the boxes so that they formed a long canvas.
She then set to work drawing out the details of each of the houses in her village.
Using white paint, she carefully stencilled on the windows, doors, and roof slates.
The finished look made the cardboard resemble gingerbread houses with “frosted” features.
For an even easier process, she suggested investing in a white paint pen.
Once she had allowed the paint time to dry, Kristin moved on to her next step.
This involved using a box cutter to carefully cut out the row of houses.
Kristin also cut small windows and doors in some of the carboard buildings.
She placed the gingerbread village on top of her kitchen cupboards, opening it out so it stretched across the millwork.
The crafter placed a light behind the cardboard, creating a silhouette of the houses.
A small amount of light peeked out the windows, making the houses look like they were inhabited.
For an extra touch, she added cotton wool in front of the houses to give the illusion of a snowy ground.
Kristin told her audience that she was “honestly very proud” of her handy work.
HERE'S what you need to know if you're buying a real Christmas tree:
First thing’s first: buy a pot (if it doesn’t come in one already).
You’ll need to treat your tree just like a houseplant and give it water and attention.
Make sure the container has good drainage – and it’s a good idea to put something underneath to catch the excess water.
Check the soil everyday to make sure it’s not drying out.
If it feels dry, give it some water. If it still feels moist, leave it alone as too much water can also kill a tree.
Also check the LED bulbs on your tree lights aren’t too hot as they could burn it, and keep your tree away from radiators.
When Christmas is over, try planting it in the garden so you can dig it up and use it again next year.
It’s a good idea to take it out of its pot when you do re-plant it though, as large trees don’t survive well in pots as their roots need space to grow.
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the DIY decor in the comments section.
“The creativity is unmatched,” wrote one impressed viewer.
“Great idea! And environmentally friendly,” pointed out another follower.
“OMG, my kitchen is going to be a magical frickin’ wonderland and I’m stoked,” commented a third person.
“Not me looking at the empty space on top of my cabinets and immediately shouting: ‘I’m going to do that,'” said another TikTok user.
“What a cute idea and an awesome way to recycle,” wrote one commenter.
