(Anchor Intro)
THE TIME HAS COME TO DECK THE HALLS AND TRIM THE TREE IN YOUR HOME. BUT IF YOU'RE TIRED OF THE SAME OLD HOLIDAY DECOR, GETTING A NEW LOOK COULD BE EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING. IN TODAY'S ANGIE'S LIST REPORT, CONSUMER EDITOR SUSAN KOEPPEN SHOWS YOU HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND WITH BUDGET-FRIENDLY TIPS.

(Susan VO)
WHEN IT COMES TO DECORATING FOR THE HOLIDAYS WE OFTEN GET STUCK IN A RUT--YEAR-TO-YEAR OUR TREE GOES IN THE SAME PLACE AND THE SAME DECORATIONS ARE HUNG ON OUR MANTELS. BUT THIS YEAR, A SMALL BUDGET WON'T KEEP YOU FROM CREATING A NEW HOLIDAY LOOK.

(SOT)
(Amy Sailing/Homeowner) Finances are something we are always aware of, but we love our home and we love to entertain and we want it to look nice and be warm and friendly and welcoming.

(Susan VO)
IF YOU'RE TIRED OF YOUR ORNAMENTS--HOST A HOLIDAY DECORATIONS SWAP WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

(SOT)
(Angie Hicks/Angie's List) A great way to have a new look for the holidays is actually to get together with your friends, because you probably each have an old box of ornaments that you don't really like anymore. What is old to you is new to someone else. So, you could swap and give your houses a completely different look.

(Susan VO)

BRINGING IN AN INTERIOR DESIGNER - IF ONLY FOR A CONSULTATION - IS ALSO A GREAT WAY TO GET IDEAS YOU CAN USE TO CREATE A NEW HOLIDAY LOOK INSIDE YOUR HOME FOR LESS.

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(SOT)
(Karen Mercer/Interior Designer) Nature; we are going to use pine cones, greenery, berries and things that won't break the budget.

(Continue SOT)
We are going to show you how a $2 vase and candle stick can make a very pretty apothecary jar. Once you put the greenery around it still looks very nice.

(Susan VO)
IF YOU NEED HELP DECORATING THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE WITH LIGHTS LANDSCAPERS, ROOFERS AND HANDYMEN ARE ABLE TO COME HANG YOU LIGHTS AND THEN TAKE THEM DOWN AT THE END OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

(SOT)
(Angie Hicks/Angie's List) If you are going to hire someone to hang the lights outside of your house, be sure that you are paying for it based on the job done. So, pay to have the lights hung and then pay separately to have the lights taken down. Sometimes, we've heard stories where people have paid everything upfront and they never showed up to take the lights down.

(Susan Tag)
AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO SPRUCE UP YOUR FAKE TREE CONSIDER DECORATING WITH SOME NEW COLORS. IF YOU PREFER A LIVE TREE FROM THE FARM, KNOW YOUR BUDGET AND TALK TO THE EXPERTS ABOUT WHICH TREE WILL GO BEST WITH YOUR DECORATIONS AND HOME. LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM, I'M SUSAN KOEPPEN.