It’s hard to believe, but it’s time once again to deck the halls and welcome another holiday season with twinkling lights and boughs of holly.

But transforming your home into a festive winter wonderland needn’t be expensive. Chances are you already have all you need to make the season merry and bright. The problem is you’ve been using the same decorations for years and your style has gone from traditional to typical. With a few creative touches, however, you can transform your home with simple, economical decorating options.

Christmas bulbs

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah or Kwanza, Christmas bulbs can be used in your home to bring a fun, festive touch to your décor – and you don’t even need a tree. You can get a variety of 100-bulb ornaments at Home Depot for $35. Try arranging a variety of bulbs in a large votive as a centerpiece. Or set some candles of varying heights and widths on a tray and fill in the remaining space with tiny, shiny bulbs. How about gathering up your candlestick holders and resting bulbs upside down in the grooves? Shiny bulbs will reflect the lights but won’t set your sleeve on fire when you reach for the sweet potatoes. And if one should fall and break – no worries. You have 99 more.

Ribbon

Chances are you already have an arsenal of ribbon at your disposal, but if you don’t, Michael’s art and craft store sells a 20-yard spool of ribbon for about $10. Michael’s also stocks a library of colors, fabrics, widths and designs to choose from. Transform your throw pillows by wrapping them in a ribbon-made bow. Use ribbon to dress up a white candle or tie bows around banisters or chairs. If you need to go to Michael’s to buy ribbon, look for a Styrofoam wreath while you’re there. Wrap the wreath in a variety of ribbons to make a festive collage of colors. You can also use ribbon to hang ornament bulbs from the center of an idle ceiling fan or suspend the bulbs with ribbon at the window to add a splash of color.

Gift bows

Gift bows are the gifts that keep on giving. How many times did your mother tell you to save the bow when unwrapping gifts? Those bows have been used over and over again, year after year. Maybe it’s time for one last hurrah for these gift toppers. Take a paper plate and cut out the center. Add glue to the backs of the bows and stick them around the border to make a wreath of bows. This wreath can also be used as a centerpiece if you place a candle in the center. You can also decorate a Styrofoam cone in bows to make a fun holiday tree. If for some reason you’re out of bows and need new ones, you can grab a few bags at a party store or you can get a steal at the Dollar Tree.

Candy

Fill martini glasses or a vase with colorful holiday candies such as M&Ms, or use foil-wrapped candies in a deep candleholder instead of marbles or sand. These candies can also be used in a vase to keep a faux floral arrangement in place. Even a festive bowl filled with silver-wrapped chocolate kisses can add a touch of class, and you get to eat your centerpiece when you’re done.

Paper

When all else fails, go with a classic. Take used printer paper, fold in half and repeat the folding two more times. Then cut out the corners and chunks of the paper. When you’re done, open the paper to unveil a snowflake pattern. Dust it with glitter or silver or gold spray paint. These snowflakes can dress up a wall or window or work as a doily for your end table.