Cheap Christmas decorations don't have to be tasteless. You can create a beautiful white christmas theme without spending a fortune on ornaments.

You can paint things white, with spray paint, acrylic paint or Christmas tree flocking. White tulle and gauze can give an airy white softness to curtain trim and table centerpieces.

You can make a string of white pine cones, by spray painting them with white paint and using fishing line, thoughtfully spaced, to create a garland of pine cones to frame a door, embellish an evergreen garland, or decorate a tree.

White birch bark elements can be used in statuary, or as a base for homemade ornaments. Strings of popcorn or marshmallows can be used to decorate a tree. Hang them all in long strips from the top to the bottom of the tree, or wrap them around the tree.

Use beige and white together, to add a texture and richness to your white theme. Choose silver, gold, or both to accent the white elements.

White candles placed in front of a mirror can bring warmth and light into a room.

Be sure to balance out the white with darker shades, like the green in your Christmas tree. Too much white can be overwhelming and the beautiful details can be lost without darker shades to balance it out. Be sure that darker elements are distributed evenly throughout the room, so that you don't end up with a "dark corner" somewhere. Make sure that all of your white Christmas decorations don't crowd out the rest of the room.

A furry white rug (fabric stores sell faux fur that's adorable) can warm up hardwood floors and bring a little whiteness to an otherwise dark room. If your windows are well insulated, opening one up to bring in the sunshine (and the glare) can have health benefits and give you a nice view of your winter landscape.

Replacing your tableware with an assortment of mismatched white dishes can create a distinctive look, unified by the color white, but with enough interest and detail in the contrasting patterns to cause a stir.

White is no wimp, it can make a powerful impression, especially in large concentrations. If you're planning a white Christmas, start collecting white elements throughout the year. Keep them in a bin somewhere handy and when the season arrives, let it snow.