Whether you’re hosting a party or cooking a big dinner with your flatmates, you might be thinking about decorating for Christmas.
The good news? You don’t need a big budget to make your student halls feel festive.
With a little creativity and some teamwork, you can turn your space into a winter wonderland without breaking the bank.
Here are 8 budget-friendly ideas to get you started…
1. DIY decorations
Forget pricey ornaments – grab some scrap paper, old lecture notes, or even cereal boxes. Cut out snowflakes, stars, or mini Christmas trees and place them around your room.
Paper is flammable, so take care not to display these near heat sources including radiators, lights, candles, and fireplaces.
Not feeling creative? You can buy 49 baubles for £3.99 from The Range.
2. Twinkly lights
Fairy lights are the ultimate student hack. They’re cheap, cheerful, and instantly cosy. Drape them over shelves or around your desk to brighten up your space.
If you have empty jars lying around or taking up space in your recycling box, you can turn them into decorations too. Pop some battery-operated candles in them and you’ve got a centrepiece for your table.
Make sure lights are switched off when you go to sleep or leave the house.
3. Natural touches
Dried orange slices, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks are not only cheap but smell incredible.
Scatter them in bowls or string them up for a rustic touch. It’s like bringing a Christmas market into your halls.
4. Cardboard boxes
Maybe you still have cardboard boxes left over from when you moved in. Why not wrap them up and turn them into prop presents? Nobody needs to know they’re empty!
All you need is wrapping paper, scissors and tape. You could even decorate them with pens or the paper decorations you made earlier.
5. Festive playlist
Decor isn’t just visual – it’s about atmosphere. Create a Christmas playlist or find an existing one and play it through your phone, iPad, or a small speaker.
If you’re unsure about what songs to add, our music lecturer has compiled a list of the 10 most underrated Christmas songs.
6. Tree alternatives
Can’t afford a real tree? No problem. Stack your textbooks into a tree shape and wrap them in tinsel. You could even add some tinsel around your houseplant pot and put it in a prominent place.
Small, tabletop trees are also a great option, saving money and space. There’s one in B&Q for £3.00.
Come up with your own quirky tree alternatives or get more inspiration from ELLE Decor.
7. Taste of Christmas
Candy canes, chocolates, gingerbread – they’re decorations you can eat. That’s a win win. Hang them on your tree or scatter them around.
You could even bake some Christmas cakes or cookies and present them on a nice plate. There are some tasty festive recipes on the BBC Food website.
8. Group effort
Christmas is about community and spending time with loved ones, so get your flatmates involved.
If each of you contributes one item – lights, tinsel, baubles – you’ll spread the cost and create something bigger and better than you could alone.
Decorating your student halls doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With a mix of DIY, recycling and teamwork, you can create a festive space that feels warm and welcoming.