Easy Ways to Add the Christmas Spirit to Your Home
If you’re like most people, you don’t have much time left at the end of a busy day to do anything extra. But at this time of year, you want to do something to make your home look festive and special and create the wonderful Christmas holiday atmosphere. You’ll find some ideas here for quick and simple ways to add a festive look to your home without spending a lot of time or money. And you’ll have time left over to really enjoy Christmas!
Most are our ideas are very easy, many are free, and none takes more than a minimum of time and effort.
Use holiday tableware for every meal in December.
* Look through your cupboards and get out any dishes that look festive.
* Discount stores often carry seconds of name brand china, as well as fun designs that are not so common.
* Start a set of holiday dishes with dinner plates that coordinate with your everyday dishes. Add new pieces each year, like salad plates and mugs. Note: Be sure the pattern you select will be continued from year to year.
* Buy 1 or 2 place settings each year. Before long, you’ll be able to serve a feast.
* If you’re adventuresome, choose a different pattern and one place setting each year. Arrange the different dishes around the table and get lots of comments and rekindle memories. When they’re not in use, the dishes can be displayed around the room.
How To Turn the Inside of Your Home Into A Dazzling White Christmas
Everyone loves a white Christmas, but the sparkle and beauty doesn’t have to be confined to the outdoors and we don’t have to wait for Mother Nature. Try these tips and ideas to get the perfect white Christmas look.
Everyone loves a white Christmas, but the sparkle and beauty doesn’t have to be confined to the outdoors and we don’t have to wait for Mother Nature.
Decorating your home using a white theme can be dazzling and sophisticated.
Your White Christmas table decorations will look elegant and classic. Here are some tips and suggestions to get your creative juices flowing.
* Use a white tablecloth.
* Decide on a theme. Use one to three decorations to be repeated throughout your table decoration.
You could use white doves, white and silver flowers and berries, little snowmen, white glittery pinecones, snowflakes, silver bells, angels, etc.
Differing shades of blue, aqua and purple Christmas ornaments can also be used.
* Use white or silver candles in candelabras for a formal look or in small candleholders for a less formal look.
Hurricane lamps can also be used. If hurricane lamps are used, tie white and silver ribbons around the base to dress them up.
The lamps can also be sprayed with Crystal Frost, which replicates the beautiful look of frost crystals on glass.
* Use greenery sprayed with snow. The greenery can be placed down the length of the table or it can be made into a candle wreath to be used in the center of the table.
Decorate the greenery with your theme decorations. Add touches of elegant, white glittery ribbon to complete the look.
If placed lengthwise down the center of the table, it should be placed around the candles, but beware of fire hazards. Do not let the candles burn too low or come in contact with the greenery or decorations.
I hope these ideas will help you get started in creating your own winter wonderland. You don’t have to dream about a “White Christmas”. You can create your own.
Beyond Tinsel
How to use pot-scrubbers and costume jewelry to decorate your tree. Plus: The master window dresser judges your Christmas decorating efforts!
This must surely be the most low-key, under-ballyhoo’d White House Holiday on record. Not only has the White House press office tamped down the endless coverage of Mrs. Obama’s fashion choices, but it also seems to have put the kibosh on holiday frippery.
Remember the frenzy this time last year? The White House was the epicenter of the Yuletide universe. The Salahis were there! Bo the Portuguese water dog was there! Oprah was there! Desiree Rogers in her Comme des Garcons frock was there … and so was I!
First let me encourage you to divest yourself of all preconceived ideas about what holiday décor should look like. Remember that a holiday tree is a pagan symbol. There is, therefore, no restriction on what kind of creatively wacky theme you may adopt. Same goes for wreaths and garlands. Here are some broad concepts to get your juices flowing:
Time is a great healer. I look back on the whole experience with pride and satisfaction. I am not sure which brave soul has undertaken the role of First Elf this year. I wish him/her luck and safe passage. Of one thing I can assure you, it’s not moi. I am, as a result, 100 percent available to help you, the ordinary woman in the street, with your Christmas tree décor. Permit the former First Elf offer you a few tips for the holidays.
Holiday Hero. Dedicate your tree décor to an inspirational figure in your life. Last year, my pal Alexandra Morrill paid tribute to her stylish mother Cecile by adorning her three-foot tree with her massive stash of her mom’s costume jewelry. The result was magnifique. Before I die I fully intend to similarly memorialize my tough Irish grandpa. I envision a tree adorned with Guinness bottles and betting slips. A tree topper? I thought his flat tweed cap, pocket watch, and dentures might make a lovely garnish.
ave a Cubist Christmas. Everyone has a favorite artist or art movement. How about a Warholiday? One year I snagged every Warhol postcard I could find at MoMA and the Whitney. I attached them to the tree with those little metal clips that my pothead pals use to pinch their doobies. Aluminum foil bows added a reflective Warholian sizzle. The tree-topper? I gave a Barbie doll an Edie Sedgwick makeover complete with Campbell’s Soup can minishift.
Heart Photo Ornament
Have a few spare wallet-sized photos of your child lying around the house? Make good use of them this holiday season for a lovely photo ornament present in the shape of a heart.
Decorate your whole home with festive Christmas crafts!
Create homemade cards, your own Christmas ornaments, tasty Christmas recipes, or just snuggle up together with printable Christmas activities.
What you’ll need:
* Wooden heart
* School photo or snapshot
* Pen
* Scissors
* White craft glue
* Water
* Paintbrush
* Ribbon
How to make it:
1. Place the wooden heart on top of the photo and position so it covers the part of the photo you want to use. Trace the shape of the heart onto the photo. (See photo.)
2. Cut out the heart shape from, cutting inside the tracing line so it’s slightly smaller than the actual wooden heart. (See photo.)
3. Mix two parts glue with one part water, then paint the mixture onto the front of the wooden heart.
4. Position the heart shaped photo onto the heart and paint some glue mixture over the edges of the photo. Allow to dry completely. (See photo.)
5. Once dry, tie a loop in a piece of ribbon and glue it to the back of the heart for the hanger.
6. Tie a small piece of ribbon into a bow and glue to the front of the ornament.
Ornament pillars.
One of the most popular Xmas decorating ideas is to use glass baubles to decorate everywhere. A more creative way to do this is putting glass baubles (upside-down) in tall candleholders. This creates a pillar with a glowing glass ball on the end. So pretty! This looks nicest with a thick silver or brass candle holder– find them cheap at your local thrift store.
Get tacky. I’m talking glitter, baby. Normally, I try to decorate my home with a certain level of elegance. I don’t want my house to seem garish or tacky. Except at Christmas, when I want everything to sparkle. After all, what other time of year can you make your home into a holiday Las Vegas? Buy glittery candles, put tinsel everywhere, scatter glitter over every available surface. Don’t want to track tiny pieces of glitter outside every time you leave the house (though Tinkerbell doesn’t seem to mind)? Buy confetti stars, trees, etc., in large sizes.
Pick two to three colors as your Christmas color scheme, and use them all over the house. This is one of the simplest Xmas decorating ideas, but most people confine a color scheme only to the tree or Christmas dinner table. If everything in the house fits a decorating color scheme, it’ll make even sparse decorations look much more festive.
Lights and candles. Everywhere. Another of those simple Xmas decorating ideas that most people don’t take far enough. Sure, candles look nice on the table and mantelpiece. Of course you’ll hang lights on the tree and the banister. But which places are you neglecting? Christmas candles look great just about anywhere that they wont set a fire. Go out and buy tons more than you would normally have in the house– and turn off the lights every chance you get. Buy battery-operated Christmas lights and place them inside things– bowls, vases, under glass coffee tables, you name it.
Cheap Christmas Decorating Ideas
The holidays are a time of celebration and decoration. Colors abound. Gold and silver glitter. Lights twinkle. And magic is created.
The problem for many people, however, is that Christmas is also a time of great expensive. Gift giving, parties, and travel can be costly. Add to that the cost of beautiful home decorations and you have a recipe for a financial crisis.
The wonderful news is that you don’t have to break the bank to have a beautifully decorated home at Christmas. With some simple planning, items around your home, and a few inexpensive dime store items, you can make your home look spectacular.
Heavenly Tree with Angels and Stars
Introduction
Create a heavenly tree by adorning it with delicate silvery angels. These classic Christmas-tree toppers make lovely ornaments as well.
Next: Make the Body
Step 1
Make the Body
Print template; cut out. (If using 1-sided foil paper, as we did, glue 2 sheets back to back.) Trace template onto foil; cut out.
Step 2
Cut slits as indicated. Cut bottom edge with scallop scissors. Fold down corner at both sides of center slit, creating collar. Curl foil paper, and slide right slit into left slit, creating a conical body with outstretched wings.
Step 3
Make the Head
Cut a 7-inch length of silver cord and a 5 1/2-inch length of tinsel roping. Trim wire on ball pick, leaving 1 inch.
Step 4
Knot silver cord ends together, creating a loop for hanging. Bend 1 end of tinsel roping into a 1-inch loop for halo. Tie hanging loop to back of halo.
Step 5
Wrap straight end of roping around wire at base of ball pick to attach halo to head.
Step 6
Attach Head to Body
Insert base of ball pick into foil-paper body. Fasten “neck” to back of conical body with a dab of hot glue.
Christmas Facts
Every year more than 400 million people celebrate Xmas around the world — that makes Xmas one of the world’s biggest religious and commercial festivities. In approximately year 300 A.D., the birthday of Jesus was determined to be on December 25, the day that has been celebrated from then till this very day. The celebration on the 25th of December starts with Christmas Eve, the evening of December 24.
The religious festival is originally a blend of pagan customs. The Romans held a festival on December 25 called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, i.e. “the birthday of the unconquered sun.”. Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in late December to early January. However, it is uncertain exactly why December 25 became associated with the birth of Jesus since the Old Testament doesn’t mention a specific date of the event.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration
The tradition of outdoor Christmas tree decorating is now a well-established one. Outdoor Christmas trees became common in North America. Electric lights are a great choice for outdoor Christmas tree decorating, because electric lights are durable, and they add color and light to the winter landscape. An outdoor fireplace creates a romantic atmosphere for your patio, deck or pool.
Some of the Christmas Decorating Ideas for Outdoors are:
Luminaries:
For the festive occasion of Christmas, people love to line up the drive and walkways with luminaries. These can be made by hand cutting shapes such as snowflakes, stars, snowmen, as well as commercial luminaries are also lovely.
Nativity Scene: When decorating the front lawn or
entryway with a nativity scene highlight the scene with lights.
Decorating the Neighborhood:
Some neighborhoods are known for their decorations and people come from miles around just to tour the neighborhood each Christmas season. Possible neighborhood decorating ideas include enlisting adjoining neighbors to mount a reindeer on each of their roofs while you mount Santa and his sleigh, lighted toy soldiers marching through the neighborhood, and stings of white or colored Christmas lights connecting all homes in the neighborhood.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration add a touch of holiday magic to the landscape, tabletop, or Christmas tree. During Christmas people prefer unique outdoor decor that will help light up the holiday home. Nowadays, decorating for Christmas becomes an all out festival of Christmas lights, lawn and rooftop ornaments, and all sorts of other outdoor Christmas decorations.
10 Christmas Decorating Ideas on a Budget
Simple holiday themes
First things first. Set a plan or a theme for your Christmas decorating. It doesn’t cost a thing to have a good plan. When you are working on a tight budget, choosing a theme is what will help pull your ideas together, as well as make your decorations look personal. Some theme ideas for Christmas are:
Quick tricks
Place a few inexpensive glass balls in a bowl and embellish with a few sprigs of greenery or some leftover ribbon. If you don’t have an extra bowl (it is the holidays, after all!), try decoupaging a box with leftover Christmas wrap, or cover with a little fabric and glue.
Terry
created this 6-1/2 foot walk-through wreath with basic wood-working tools, such as an electric saw, screwdriver, stapler and lots of 2″ x 4″ pieces of lumber. To create the wreath shape, she precut each 2″ x 4″ to 24 inches and attached them one to the next in an overlapping fashion with 2-1/2 inch wood screws. She then stabilized her arched shape with 1″ x 2″ boards screwed at a 90 degree angle, overlapping each joint. Next, she wrapped the whole structure in chicken wire which she attached with staples. Once she had attached the arch to a 32-inch 2″ x 4″ which served as the wreath bottom, the structure was ready to be stood up. Terry attached a six-foot 2″ x 4″ piece of lumber to both sides of the wreath’s back to increase stability. She also recommends adding bracing to the bottom of the frame if you don’t intend on placing the wreath against the house wall. Finally, Terry decorated the wreath form with artificial evergreen garland, Christmas lights, ribbons and pine cones. This is the fun part; let your imagination run wild with the possibilities for embellishment, but keep in mind that the items you choose should be weather-resistant, water-proof and in scale with your walk-through wreath.
Christmas At The Office
The holiday season brings out the dormant decorator in everyone. There’s just something about passing seasonal store windows and streets lit with cheerful lights that makes you want to have that holiday feeling around you all day long.
Mixing office decor with holiday cheer can result in odd work environments. Before you go all out with your tinsel and garlands, make sure your work space holiday decorations will meet with the approval of your coworkers and boss.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when decorating your cubicle for the holidays:
1. Dust bunnies don’t look like snowballs, so clean your workspace before and after you decorate for the holidays.
2. An eight foot Christmas tree probably won’t fit in a 6′ x 6′ cubicle and neither will a life-size sculpture of Rudolph. Make sure your decorations are limited to your space and that you still have room to work productively.
3. Despite the fact that decorating for the holidays is probably more interesting than anything your boss could throw at you, keep yourself out of the line of “fire” and decorate your workspace before or after your work day.
4. Green isn’t just for Christmas trees. Be environmentally-conscious by keeping electricity usage to a minimum. Popcorn strings and candy canes might upset co-workers on strict diets and attract unwanted visitors.
5. Remember that the office is still a place of business, so resist the urge to comment on coworker’s enthusiasm for the holidays, or lack thereof. Research your company’s holiday decorating policy before stringing anything up…or else you might be the one on hiatus in the new year.
Office Party Christmas Decorating Ideas
Christmas Tree
Buy the highest-quality artificial tree the budget will allow. Adorn it generously with lights, bright ornaments and lots of candy canes. Battery-operated lights eliminate the tripping hazard posed by cords running along the floor. Any edible decorations should be well-wrapped, as unwrapped food attracts insects and makes a very un-festive mess. Choose (or make) ornaments that relate to the company’s location and its products. Use company colors wherever possible.
Elves and Snow People
Obtain a photo of everyone in the office. Let people know the photos will be displayed so they can dress up if they are so inclined. For a more humorous effect, find photos that show people are blinking, yawning or having bad hair days. Either way, use photo editing software to crop their bodies out of the photos. Print each headshot on a full letter-size piece of paper. Cut out the heads (with hair) and turn your coworkers into Santa, elves and snow people. Snow people are one easy option. Just put the head on top of two larger circles of white construction paper. (Connect them with tape on the back.) Add a simple paper “scarf” and “buttons” drawn on with black marker. Post these festive facsimiles on doors, windows and walls throughout the office.
Paper Decorations
Stock up on Christmas icons like snowflakes, reindeer and elves from a party supply store. Suspend lightweight paper decorations from the ceiling with tape and fishing line. These kinds of decorations go up and tear down quickly and can be saved and reused. Deck the walls with winter-related art. Try inexpensive posters from Christmas-themed movies, such as “The Polar Express,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Involve coworkers by asking each person to name his favorite Christmas movie or cartoon, bring in a homemade ornament or make a folded-paper snowflake to hang.
Office Christmas Decorations, Tips And Ideas
Office Christmas decorations are a great way to add some fun and holiday cheer to the office and to all the staff and co-workers. And with Christmas just around the corner, it’s not too early to start thinking of ways for office decoration. But before you do anything make sure that there aren’t any policies against office Christmas decorations or decorations in general.
# Be careful if you are going to use pictures from last year’s company Christmas party, especially if your boss or any other colleague doesn’t look good in them, after all you don’t want to upset anyone.
# If you are allowed to decorate your work area or the whole office make sure that you don’t do it in a way that might be considered insensitive to others who don’t celebrate Christmas. I advise you to discuss plans for office Christmas decorations with the entire staff
# Remember that your colleagues may not have the same attitude towards the holidays and decorate in a way that isn’t annoying or distracting to everyone else. You should keep your decorations non-religious as much as possible. This will support a multi-religious culture and will decrease the chance that any colleague might get offended by your display.
# Make it simple. After all you and your colleagues are busy with your work.
# Take safety and fire hazards into consideration when decorating. Breakable ornaments can result in cuts and other injuries and lights can cause electric shocks or fires keep in mind the safety measures when decorating.
Christmas Decorating Ideas
How To Make Glamorous Christmas Decorations
Christmas Ornaments: Unique Holiday Decorations and Traditions
Christmas Decorating tips
Planning a Christmas Wedding
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, your family is gathered around you, and the church is already decorated. Why not have a Christmas wedding? Here are ideas and tips to have a fantastic Christmas wedding with all the trimmings.
Wedding Colors:
Red and green are natural colors for a Christmas wedding – It is likely that your church or reception site will already be decorated in red and green for other events and holiday parties. But don’t feel limited to this palate. Other possibilities, which will work with existing decorations, include:
* silver and white
* silver and light blue
* burgundy, forest green, and gold (as long as the existing decorations aren’t too primary)
* gold and cream
Christmas Wedding Invitations:
You’ll want to reflect the season and your theme, but you won’t want it to look like a holiday card. The solution? Forgo a folded card, opting for the traditional thick white card, with a border and engraved or thermo-graphed text. You can highlight the Christmas wedding theme in the border with white snowflakes, an elegant holly trim, or a drawing of a poinsettia.
Since people make plans for the holidays early, and often have many parties and events to attend at this time of year, you’ll want to send your invitations a little bit early – about 12 weeks before the event. You might also consider “save the date” cards in addition to the invitations, which will ensure that those most important to you will be able to attend.
Wedding Cake:
Having each tier look like an individually wrapped package is a popular look that is perfect for a Christmas wedding. You might also do a take on a buche noel or yule log, with a tiered chocolate cake that has holly – either real or made of gum paste – cascading down the side. Use marzipan, an almond paste used in many holiday desserts, as a filling.
And the Bride Wore:
A Christmas wedding dress needn’t be that different from any other kind. Wear the one that flatters you most, and top it off with a long red velvet cape. Or embrace the trend of color in wedding dresses by adding a beautiful red silk sash to the waist of your gown. You could also seek a dress with lots of sparkly beads and sequins to evoke the snowiness of the season. And of course, a faux-fur wrap and muff are always