Say goodbye to the blinking lights, plastic silver balls, and larger-than-life inflated Santas that have come to mark the holidays. Instead, go back to nature to find your home decorating inspiration and celebrate the season from its roots. 

We've come up with a dozen creative, incredibly inexpensive, and easy-to-make ornaments, gift-wraps, and decorations sparked by the scents, shapes, and ingredients of this festive time of year. You'll already have most of the items you need to create these projects on hand in your spice rack, closet, or backyard. So skip the superstore this year and save your money -- each idea costs less than $10 and most are even cheaper -- and the planet by putting a little more green into your holidays. 

Good Wish Tree
1. Collect a dozen fallen branches on winter hikes; look for ones about 3 feet long. Arrange in a vase in a hallway or foyer. 

2. Using ribbon scraps, hang small cards with holiday wishes written on one side from the branches.

Recycled Chip Bags
1. Cut open an empty potato-chip bag along its seam to reveal the shiny white or silver inside of the bag. 

2. Flatten the bag, wash it with soap and water, and air dry. 

3. Wrap a present and adorn it with ribbons and homemade cards. 

Stamping on Recycled Shopping Bags
1. Cut an open paper shopping bag along one fold and scissor out the bottom of the bag. 

2. Wrap your gift in it. 

3. Recycle a wine cork and use it as a stamping device by dipping one end of it into ink or a dark fruit or beet juice. 

4. Apply to the surface of the bag in patterns inspired by the season. 

Reused Button Sack
1. Sew first button 4 1/2 inches from the top of one side of a small paper bag. 

2. Fold top over twice (about 1-inch folds), toward the button side. 

3. Align second button with first on the second fold. 

4. Unfold to sew second button. 

5. Refold, and wrap twine in a figure 8 around both buttons.