A MUM built a life-size Christmas fireplace and chimney out of cardboard when her daughter became worried Santa wouldn't be able to deliver presents.
Kate Mills, 29, didn't spend a penny on the festive decor for six-year-old daughter Chloe Braithwaite – but the result resembles something rather rude.
The thrifty parent – who also has two step-daughters with 34-year-old fiance Paul Mills – explained how her little girl had been worried Santa "wouldn't be able to deliver their presents" because their home had no chimney.
Her festive DIY project saw her visit nearby shops and the local dump to ask for free cardboard she could use to create the structure.
Once the floor-to-ceiling 'fireplace' and 'chimney breast' were built, Kate covered it in some leftover red brick-effect wallpaper.
The mum – who works as a full-time carer – then placed LED lights in the fireplace to give it a glowing effect before adorning her stunning creation with fairy lights, Christmas stockings and a giant Santa hat she had lying around the house.
After two days of arts and crafts – and many happy memories made with the girls along the way – Kate feels their beautiful festive fireplace has proved that the 'best things in life are free'.
And schoolgirl Chloe is no longer worried about how Old Saint Nick will deliver her family's presents on Christmas Eve.
Kate, who lives in Andover in Hampshire, said: "We don't have a fireplace in our home and we started to get questions from my daughter asking 'how does Santa get in the house?'
"She was telling me she was worried Santa wouldn't be able to get in and we wouldn't get our presents.
"In all the films, books and TV programmes, Santa comes down the chimney into the fireplace and we didn't have one so I thought 'let's try and make one'.
"We went to the dump and asked if they had any spare boxes and they let us take some home. It didn't take many at all – just three medium boxes and one long one for the chimney breast.
"I knew we had some brick wallpaper left over from when we did a feature wall so I decided to use that to cover the cardboard and make it look like a proper chimney and fireplace.
"Even if we didn't have any wallpaper, it would have been so easy to paint the bricks onto the boxes.
"The lights were just a spur of the moment thing. I had some LED lights I was not really using under my shelf so I put them in the fireplace.
"The lights change colour. It's really effective and looks great. We've also added some fake snow and hung some stockings.
"It only took two days and the girls were getting involved. They absolutely love it and Chloe is so happy Santa has a chimney and fireplace to come down to deliver presents.
"It didn't cost anything and it's priceless seeing the girls faces light up when they look at it.
"It's something that didn't take long and was really simple to do but it can make your child's whole Christmas amazing. It really shows that the best things in life are free."
At first, Kate looked at buying a fake fireplace online but felt confident she could recreate the designs herself – and without forking out the £30 asking price.
Her free DIY alternative has proved such a hit with the kids, friends and family that Kate says it will definitely be a recurring feature in their home for all future Christmases.
And the mum would recommend creating an arts and crafts fireplace to every family this festive season as a way of making 'fun memories'.
Kate said: "The fireplace is definitely something we'll be able to take down and bring out again next year. It will be a recurring feature in the house now for Christmas.
"I have had such an amazing reaction from people. I had told my mum about the plan but she wasn't expecting it to come out the way it did. She was really impressed.
"Friends and family are asking if I can make them one too. Everyone really wants one.
"I'm going to recommend doing this to anyone whose kids start asking the same questions about how Santa will get into their house.
"It's such a great idea and it looks amazing, especially for the children.
"When I looked into buying a fake fireplace, the prices ranged from about £26 – £34 and they're just cardboard as well. Making it yourself is free.
"It's such a great saving, especially at this time of year when people already have so much to buy.
"And you get the fun of sitting down and making it with the children. It becomes fun memories then as well and those are absolutely priceless."
In other Christmas news, we told you how time-strapped mums can now buy a pop-up tree which already comes with lights on.
We also revealed how a thrifty mum built a fireplace for £2 after realising she had nowhere to hang her kids' Christmas stockings.
And you can buy a Christmas bath bomb advent calendar from Home Bargains for a fiver.
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