Christmas Stocking Hanger Makeover

It's not easy finding the perfect decorations.

Always in search of the perfect Christmas stockings and Christmas stocking holders, last year a compromise was made. I managed to find (or change) Christmas stocking holders to tide me over until I find what's perfect for me.

Decorating for Christmas is a fun, and expressive way to beautify your home. In the quest for the perfect look to suit our own style, we look; explore magazines, websites, catalogs, anything we can get our hands on.
And after much deliberation, we find a look that we adore, and would love to throw out almost every decoration we own and go shopping to start fresh. However, few of us have the money lying around to do just that, so we get clever.

Have you ever purchased an item and then years down the road realize it needs to go away, but due to sentimental reasons, or even frugality, you choose to hang on to it? No? Good for you!!! Well, I have. The items in question: Christmas Stocking Hangers. 

The adorable, and might I add.....very heavy, pewter stocking hangers pictured below were just what I was looking for.....at the time. My children were young and they were "perfect"! Sweet and whimsical for a home with children. Not mentioned is the fact that they were a great price. The set of 4 costs about $11. That was 15 years ago.

Now my children are grown and my taste has changed considerably over the years, but it was difficult to to think about parting with these. To me they represent memories of my children's childhood days.  Then there was the problem of what to replace the hangers with. Anything that I have fallen in love with, is out of the question where price is concerned. Anything with a price tag that I would be willing to pay, would be best left in the store. Work with me people!!!! I'm trying to be frugal!!

Frugal almost hit me in the head!! I wrap a few empty boxes when decorating for Christmas and put them in various places around the house, just for effect. Akin to the Storage Box for Christmas Tree Extras. Well why not add a few extra boxes to the mantle?

Absolutely!! I hid the unwanted hangers in a box. Technically, they were under a box, but let's not quibble over terms. They weren't to be seen last Christmas, and that was the most important part.

Ok, so I grabbed a few garment gift boxes. The long, flat, rectangular, inexpensive ones. Measured the length of the four hangers, as they usually sat on the mantle in a group, and also measured the height. With these numbers, I cut my boxes. The four hangers sitting together were longer than the boxes that I had on hand. so cutting one end off of two boxes, I slid them together to obtain the length required. 

At this time, the length side was cut to accommodate the height of the stocking hangers. After all was complete and taped in place, it was wrapped in my standard brown kraft paper and embellished with a little greenery. 

This was put over the top of the 4 hangers, as one large group. The box covered all of them at the same time, so that it looked like one gift sitting on it's side on the mantle.

So much better than looking at those 4 pewter, child friendly stocking hangers that really needed to be banished from my mantle. Oh, that's a bit harsh, isn't it? Sorry little stocking hangers.

It looked a little lonely sitting by itself, so I wrapped a few other empty boxes and grouped them together as a display. Much better!! Just me, but I would rather look at a group of gifts than those hangers which I had fallen out of love with.

The opposite end of the mantle got the same treatment. That's were mine and hubby's stockings get hung. I like the sleigh, but the little house? Not so much. Covered them both with one box.

Giving the multi box treatment to this side of the mantle also made everything better. Neater, calmer, prettier, and a bit more grown up. Not to mention, much more my style. This made me happy. Empty boxes, kraft paper that I always have on hand, and extra do-dads for embellishments from the bottom of the Christmas floral box. Who knew?!!

There you have it! Reusing, reducing, and recycling, while making myself happy to boot!! And I still got to hang on to a sentimental item that I wasn't ready to part with. I stored all of wrapped boxes in a  storage box, and they will be used again this year. Unless I find something both beautiful and the right price.

Maybe at the end of the upcoming season I'll keep my eyes open for new hangers that make me swoon. Not sure if it's really possible to swoon over Christmas stocking holders, but I will certainly try. 

Now it's time to look forward to decorating this year. Some items from last year will be used, maybe something new added, and as much as possible repurposed. Looking at the calendar, there are about 2 weeks until I can start. Thanksgiving Dinner was at our house last year, which means this year I get to decorate for Christmas a little early and no one will see it until it's time. My Mother has already requested that her tree be put up so she can decorate. She wants to be able to flip the switch the day after Thanksgiving and have the bright light shining down, and the choir singing, holding single notes in harmony. Can you hear it? 

Are you decorating early?

Thanks for stopping by and please, do come back soon.