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Tip Store: Christmas: Trees
Bagging Up the Christmas Tree
Approximate $ Savings: $250 approx
After Christmas the Christmas tree is always such a nuisance to put away. We have a big one that was expensive but bought on sale in the post Christmas sales. This year I had the great idea of using an old sleeping bag to store it in. I opened the bag, lay the branches etc on it and then zipped it up and pulled the draw string. Our lovely tree is well protected and easy to drag along the floor and the sleeping bag's own bag was great for storing the decorations. I reckon the Christmas tree is going to last for years now and will save me buying a new one.
Contributed by Delryne, Stirling, 31st January 2009
After Christmas the Christmas tree is always such a nuisance to put away. We have a big one that was expensive but bought on sale in the post Christmas sales. This year I had the great idea of using an old sleeping bag to store it in. I opened the bag, lay the branches etc on it and then zipped it up and pulled the draw string. Our lovely tree is well protected and easy to drag along the floor and the sleeping bag's own bag was great for storing the decorations. I reckon the Christmas tree is going to last for years now and will save me buying a new one.
Contributed by Delryne, Stirling, 31st January 2009
Get Your Christmas Clearance Bargains Before Christmas
Approximate $ Savings: $250- $300
Everyone says to buy cheap Christmas decorations to buy them after Christmas. Well I have found that if you go in before Christmas (as close as possible!), and go to the big department stores the better the bargain. I wanted a new Christmas tree ( a big one) now that we have to beautiful children (22mths & 3mths), just to make it that bit more 'Christmassy' for the kids. But as I'm on maternity leave resigned myself to the fact that we wouldn't be able to afford it this year. On the weekend my husband and I had the kids at the local shopping centre and knew that one of the big department store was having 50% off all their Christmas decorations, so we decided to go and look to see what they had left over. There were 3 trees left in boxes on the shelves with signs on them with the prices. My husband asked staff member some questions about the trees, the attendant then turned and said "We are selling this tree....with all the decorations". It was the display tree, you know the ones COVERED in decorations (and in small handwritten writing on the bottom of the sign, it said 'price includes all decorations'). So for $50 we got a new 6ft tree (originally $100) and at least $150 of decorations. We didn't get any packaging but they loaded it all into a trolley for us, and i will pack it into all those nappy boxes I go through once Christmas is over. PS: The staff member said that they try to get rid of as much stuff BEFORE Christmas as they can, as its hard to get rid of after Christmas. Wow, who knew!
Contributed by Rachelle, Blacktown, 14th December 2009
Everyone says to buy cheap Christmas decorations to buy them after Christmas. Well I have found that if you go in before Christmas (as close as possible!), and go to the big department stores the better the bargain. I wanted a new Christmas tree ( a big one) now that we have to beautiful children (22mths & 3mths), just to make it that bit more 'Christmassy' for the kids. But as I'm on maternity leave resigned myself to the fact that we wouldn't be able to afford it this year. On the weekend my husband and I had the kids at the local shopping centre and knew that one of the big department store was having 50% off all their Christmas decorations, so we decided to go and look to see what they had left over. There were 3 trees left in boxes on the shelves with signs on them with the prices. My husband asked staff member some questions about the trees, the attendant then turned and said "We are selling this tree....with all the decorations". It was the display tree, you know the ones COVERED in decorations (and in small handwritten writing on the bottom of the sign, it said 'price includes all decorations'). So for $50 we got a new 6ft tree (originally $100) and at least $150 of decorations. We didn't get any packaging but they loaded it all into a trolley for us, and i will pack it into all those nappy boxes I go through once Christmas is over. PS: The staff member said that they try to get rid of as much stuff BEFORE Christmas as they can, as its hard to get rid of after Christmas. Wow, who knew!
Contributed by Rachelle, Blacktown, 14th December 2009
Light Up the Yard with a Christmas Light Tree
This year we wanted to do something special for our 4 and 5 year olds re Christmas lights as they so enjoyed walking around our neighbourhood looking at everyone else's lights so we made our own homemade Christmas light tree. My husband hammered a star stake into our front yard and then gaffer taped an old tent pole onto the stake to make it approx 3m high. He then used whipper snipper cable and tent pegs to make the 'branches' of the tree, forming a conical shape. Then it was just a matter of stringing outdoor Christmas lights to the branches, both up and down as well as around the tree. It cost us nothing and neighbours were very impressed! And because the whipper snipper cable was not cut, we can still use the cable!
Contributed by Andrea, Rouse Hill, 31st December 2008
Contributed by Andrea, Rouse Hill, 31st December 2008
A Different Place to Buy a Bargain Christmas Tree
Approximate $ Savings: $324.00
I really wanted a optic fibre Christmas tree this year. But thought I would wait till after Christmas and maybe purchase one at the sales and just make do with some sort of plant. I went to my local Op Shop and they had lots of Christmas trees on sale. I bought a 183cm Optic Fibre tree for $5.00, still in the original box and it works! There was a Target catalogue in the mail at home and the same tree was listed for $329.00. My husband was shocked!
Contributed by Kelly, Bonnells Bay, 26 November 2008
I really wanted a optic fibre Christmas tree this year. But thought I would wait till after Christmas and maybe purchase one at the sales and just make do with some sort of plant. I went to my local Op Shop and they had lots of Christmas trees on sale. I bought a 183cm Optic Fibre tree for $5.00, still in the original box and it works! There was a Target catalogue in the mail at home and the same tree was listed for $329.00. My husband was shocked!
Contributed by Kelly, Bonnells Bay, 26 November 2008
Beautiful Black Christmas Tree for Next to Nothing
Approximate $ Savings: $90
I saw a black Christmas tree in Big W for around $100. I really wanted to get one but couldn't justify spending that much when I had a perfectly good green tree already, so I went to The Warehouse and bought 4 tins flat black spray paint and went home and sprayed my tree. With the red and gold decorations on my new black Christmas tree it looks fantastic.
Contributed by Sian, Mackay, 7th December 2007
I saw a black Christmas tree in Big W for around $100. I really wanted to get one but couldn't justify spending that much when I had a perfectly good green tree already, so I went to The Warehouse and bought 4 tins flat black spray paint and went home and sprayed my tree. With the red and gold decorations on my new black Christmas tree it looks fantastic.
Contributed by Sian, Mackay, 7th December 2007
