‘Tis the season for stockings, ornaments, garland, and glitter everywhere! Decorating for Christmas is one of the best ways to brighten up your apartment, dorm room, or home for the holiday season. Often times buying pre-made decorations can be expensive, but these 12 DIY decorations can all be made for less than $20 (and you can buy everything at Walmart or your local craft store if you don't already have it). Take a break from studying for finals and relieve some stress by crafting one of these fun and festive décor items for your apartment or dorm.

1. Glittery "Joy" Letters

If there's one thing every girl loves, it's glitter - and LOTS of it! These "Joy" letters are perfect for adding some glam to any room. You can stand these letters up on a desk or even hang them on your wall. I have seen words like "Noel", "Merry", and "Believe" spelled out as well. The choice is yours! Ready to make your own? Get the step by step directions here.

2. Cute Sock Snowman

How cute is this little sock snowman? These are perfect to sit on your desk to decorate your study area. They are also a no-sew project, so they are super easy and quick to make. Get the DIY directions here.

3. Festive Ornament Tree

You would never guess that there is a styrofoam cone underneath all of these beautiful ornaments and beads! Christmas ornaments are great for inexpensive decorating. You can find a box of 100 ornaments like the ones pictured above for around $15.00. Now that's a bargain! Get the instructions here.

4. Popsicle Stick Snowflakes

These are so easy to make and only require four items: popsicle sticks, a hot glue gun, paint, and decorative ribbon. Hang them on your dorm room doors or the walls of your apartment and you'll feel like you're walking in a winter wonderland! Just grab a bag of wooden popsicle sticks, paint them your favorite holiday color, and arrange them into a stunning snowflake design. I have seen these painted white, light blue, red, green, gold, and silver. Use a hot glue gun to stick them in place and tie a brightly colored ribbon through your snowflake for easy hanging. If you're feeling extra festive, use a can of glitter spray to add a layer of shimmer to your snowflake.

5. Candy Cane Wreath

This candy cane wreath is another great door decoration for students living in the residence halls on campus. Hang one of these on the outside of your dorm room door and let everyone know you're ready for Christmas break! Get the instructions here.

6. Mini Pinecone Elves

These pinecone elves are just about as cute as the sock snowman mentioned above. I love the idea of stringing these together like garland and hanging them across a wall or over a desk. Pinecones are also great affordable options to add some style to your dorm or apartment, and can be used to create such a wide variety of decorations. Find out how to make your own little elves here.

7. Painted Mason Jars

There are so many ways you can transform a typical mason jar into a fun and fabulous holiday decoration. I have seen mason jars used to create snowmen, Santa, words and letters, candle holders, and so much more. Get some major mason jar inspo' for your next project here.

8. Snowman Door

Do you have a white door? If so, this easy and adorable snowman door is the go-to decoration for you! This might be one of my favorites, because it is so incredibly simple and inexpensive. Cut out shapes for your snowman's eyes, nose, mouth, scarf, and buttons using construction paper and tape them to your door; and there you have it! A larger than life Frosty the Snowman ready to greet your visitors with a warm (or should I say chilly) welcome.

9. Colorful Ornament Wreath

This wreath is another great way to spread Christmas cheer throughout your residence hall or apartment complex in a crafty and affordable way. The best part about this colorful wreath is that you can choose any ornament colors you like to match the rest of your room's color scheme. Get the step by step here.

10. Glitter Candles

It's no coincidence that there is glitter involved in almost all of these holiday DIY crafts. Adding glitter can completely up your dorm room decor game, especially when it comes to these simple white pillar candles. You can even get creative and use a variety of glitter colors and designs. Get the details for these bright and sparkly candles here.

11. Ornament Jar Centerpiece

All of these crafts are fairly simple, but this ornament jar centerpiece may be the easiest quick-fix for a last minute decoration addition to your table. All it takes to add some holiday joy to any room with this centerpiece is a clear glass jar, vase, or bowl and a box of brightly colored ornaments. Just as the ornament wreath mentioned above, you can choose any color of ornaments to match the color scheme of your room.

12. Twine Ball Ornaments

These twine ball ornaments are another very versatile and inexpensive decorating piece that are easy to incorporate into any design scheme. You can string them together and hang them across your room like garland, or add some rustic flare to your Christmas tree by using them as ornaments. The cool part is, these are made entirely from twine and use an inflated balloon to form their initial shape. Learn the how-to here.

There are so many ways to take your dorm room or apartment from drab to fab this holiday season while still staying on a budget. These DIY projects are not only affordable to decorate your own space, but they also make great gifts for friends and family. Grab a group of your closest friends, turn on some Christmas music, and get crafting!