Hey! In my home, I like to keep it simple and natural using homemade, upcycled, and thrifted materials as much as I can. I love the neutral Scandinavian-inspired winter decor, so that’s what I had in mind when decorating.
For the tree, I hung some dried orange slices and salt dough ornaments I made in 2019 with my mom. We used a couple of cookie stamps to make them and I made the star topper from a paper grocery bag! Here is the YouTube tutorial I used 
Another upcycled paper bag craft I did is this one from Linda Lomelino! I am not super crafty, but this was really easy to do.
When Joel and I were at the park, I picked up some acorns and a stick so I could make this simple wall hanging. I already had the jute rope and hot glue gun, so this was a super low-waste thing to make. All I did was glue the tops of the acorns to the end of the rope, then tie it to the stick. Then I added some extra bits of greenery from the centerpiece and placed them along, without any glue so I can replace it every year.
I used some dried orange slices for my wreath this season, with some sprigs of the holly from outside. The berries lose their vibrant color over time, but I actually don’t mind that. I think it looks better without the bright red right next to the orange color.
If I buy decor stuff, I try to stick with things that are made with natural materials like jute, paper, wood, and cotton.
In 2019 I thrifted a set of two of those checkered pillows from Facebook Marketplace and the tree cushion cover is from Ikea 
For this last one, I just framed a spare greeting card!
I have seen some people say they no longer decorate for the seasons/holidays to be less impactful on the environment, or because they adapted to a minimalist lifestyle, and while they have good intentions, I think that a balance can be made. I consider myself a homemaker, so decorating is something I love doing during the year. You can absolutely make your home cozy in a way that doesn’t add very much to the pollution problem. Upcycling, thrifting, reusing, and making intentional purchases are ways of doing that.
Thank you for reading, talk soon! ♥
