For some people, Christmas decorations are as simple as a putting up a Christmas tree and Nativity set inside and a festive wreath on the front door. For others, decorating the home for Christmas is such an important family tradition that their decoration is a well organised and thorough annual event where all of the family participates. And for a few dedicated decorators, Christmas also becomes a festival of Christmas lights, with lawn and rooftop ornaments, and all sorts of other indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations. Some homes become an interesting attraction for people to drive by and admire each evening.
For most families, Christmas is the time to really celebrate "goodwill to all men"; it's about the family and close friends, good fun, good times, togetherness, remembering Christmases past. It's both a festive and a spiritual time, and involves more than one family gathering and several, friends over for a cuppa, or drinks events. For these kinds of events, nothing makes Christmas more inspirational and memorable than a home fully decked out and decorated with the Christmas spirit.
Dont be frightened to go all in with a total Christmas look in your home. Christmas is a time when the hostess with the mostess gets well appreciated. Forget about minimalist design. It does not apply to Christmas and it's only a short term "cold and lonely" trend, that wont be in vogue next year.
The impact of well prepared Christmas decorations in the home can be an amazing thing. When you enter a home that has been optimised for Christmas in a tasteful way, you really, suddenly, feel good about the world. You suddenly feel that the occupants are glad to have a visitor and want to share the spirit of goodwill with you. You feel like you really want to know the people of this home, and you know that they care about each other.
Christmas really is the time to "deck the halls with boughs of holly" and transform your home in preparation for receiving of friends and family, and most of all for the "Night before Christmas".
Your Overall Colour Scheme.
Coloured Ribbons and Bows are a great way to have an effective colour scheme that lets your cherished ornaments blend into your current decor. So tie generous volumes of ribbons to chair backs, candlesticks, wreaths, garlands, basket handles, drapery tie-backs, stair rails, and doorknobs.
Bows and ribbons look very festive. You don't have to stick with red and green and the colours you choose should tie in the rest of your decor. If you can't find colours that blend well, then choose metallic silver, gold, white, green, or red. Ribbons that can be untied and re-tie each year will save money and ensure you end up with a good collection. Iron them before you pack them away.
You might want to add some personal touches to your Christmas efforts. If you're handy with your hands, Christmas crafts can be child's play.
Wreaths Garlands & Plaques
The impact of Christmas starts with a big welcome at your front door. But you also want to impact on the people in the home, so place a wreath or plaque on every door you have. Start with your best wreath or plaque on the front door to welcome everyone. Next go on to the back door, inside and out. Also hang them over the mantle, and in all of your front windows. Don't forget bedroom doors, inside and out.
For wreaths use pine, holly, or grapevine and decorate with berries, fruit, pinecones, raffia, ornaments, or sweets. To keep wreaths year after year, buy artificial wreaths that will last. Remember, you'll need room to store them!
Plaques are another interesting decorator idea to use on doors and walls and many versions can be found in timber and painted metal, which can be both cute, friendly and colourful. Enhance both your Door & Wall Plaques and your wreaths with garlands and with bows that tie them in to your current colour scheme.
Christmas Trees
A highly decorated evergreen tree, with colored lights ablaze inspires warm memories of Christmases long past for many people. The Christmas tree has become one of the best know festive symbols.
The tradition of using evergreen festive trees and decorating with branches of evergreen trees has played an important part in seasonal or New Year celebrations for many centuries, having been well established since ancient times.
Decide where to place the tree, giving it a focal point but keeping it out of high traffic areas where it might be bumped or where someone might trip on light cords. Place lighting on first, then garlands as they both need to be spaced well and tree ornaments could be bumped off if they are in the way. Arrange lights about halfway from the tips of the branches to the trunk of the tree, as well as on the perimeter of the tree
Space Tree Ornaments evenly. Usually you would have some more expensive or more attractive hanging tree ornaments that go on first, then add all of the filler ornaments in between. Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree, in addition to the tips of branches. This will add depth and interest. Last of all comes the ribbons and bows. These will be the link to your colour theme.
Think about having more than one Christmas tree skirt if you want to change you overall colour themes. Another great alternative is a Metal Christmas Screen
around the base of the tree. These are partly see through and can reveal a pile of gifts but still cover the tree stand or tree base sufficiently.
Nativity Sets
The nativity set should be another focal point, as Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth. Even if you are not much into Christianity, most people agree that the guy dedicated his life to promoting "goodwill to all men" and that's what the Christmas spirit is still mainly about.
Ornament Displays
Christmas ornament displays are a neat way to spread some Christmas joy and happiness all through the home. A small table in the hall or entry is the place to start. A combination of a few select Christmas Ornaments together with Christmas Candles can really start people admiring. Themes can be good, and each location could have a different theme. Suggested themes are; Santas, Angels, Snowmen, Reindeer, Moose, Snow Scenes, Christmas Village etc.
Other places to turn into ornament display settings are Coffee Tables, side boards, mantles, dressers, clothes chests, chests of draws, book shelves, display cabinets, bed side tables, desks, TV tops, cup shelves, bathroom cabinet tops, If you have a nested set of coffee tables they can all be strategically located.
Don't forget children's rooms where some budget priced Christmas ornaments can really make them feel an important part of the festivities. Here is where the funny faced Santas and snowmen come into the foreground.
Window Displays
Another important area for decorating with Christmas ornaments is in window displays. Mrs Colleen Praniess, a recent winner in our Christmas Lights Competition, has made an art form out of making comprehensive displays in her windows by putting large tables up to the front room windows and then forming a very large display box by hanging sheets behind it to section off the table from the rest of the room. This large cubical space on the table is then filled with Christmas ornament arrangements and lit up so that it is viewed by visitors looking in through the window. The curtains behind the table stop viewers from seeing the rest of the room. See examples of her wonderfull displays here: Colleen's Winter Wonderland.
Table Centre Pieces
A table centre piece can be an excellent focal point to inspire your visitors. Suggested options for Christmas Table Centre pieces are: - Christmas Wreaths, Poinsettia or Holly, Christmas Candlesticks with bow decorated Candles, Pile of small gifts on a platter, Platter of small ornaments, or use your favorite large Christmas Collectible as a centerpiece. Showcase one beautiful Christmas figurine on your holiday table. Whether it's a family heirloom or new purchase, this could be the focus of your Christmas table.
Table Settings
Use Christmas tableware for every meal in December. Search through your cupboards and find any dishes that look festive. Collect a set of suitable plates and add Christmas bowls and platters that coordinate. Add new pieces each year, soon, you'll be able to serve a colour co-ordinated feast.
Your Christmas dinner tablecloth must be something special. Make sure you get one with a suitable colour and design that is long enough for your extended table. Napkins and Christmas Napkin Rings are a must for such an important family feast.
Arrange candles on the dining table and dine by candlelight each evening in December, even if you're just having leftovers. Every meal will feel special.
Christmas Lighting
In addition to lighting your Christmas tree it's nice to have some window lighting that shines out and tells evening passers that this is a home that celebrates the joy of Christmas. Perhaps a star or lighting curtain will add that something extra to the home. Outdoor lighting in this day and age is a whole other subject.
Getting into the Spirit of Christmas
It's really important to get the kids into the real spirit if Christmas at a young age. You could be surprised at how well some of our, electronic games and TV addicted children, can enjoy some participation, particularly if you are in it with them.
Kids should make, or purchase, small gifts for each of the neighbors, friends and for their school teachers in the lead up to Christmas. Hand made or budget priced tree ornaments are ideal. Even the most homely basic gift from a small child will be very warmly received, and grandparents will absolutely treasure them if they can hang them on a tree.
Don't forget to arrange a special Christmas Candle in your toilet too they are not expensive.
Make sure you are ready on Christmas day, and other December nights when you are having guests, to have a good Christmas songs CD playing softly in the background. This will really set the mood on their arrival.
Have a great family Christmas. Godbless. :)
