CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

It seems as though the holiday spirit is hard to catch until the appearance of Christmas decorations. Christmas decorations lend a spirit of festivity which transforms even the ordinary into something magical. An appropriate time to begin putting up Christmas decorations is after Thanksgiving which signals the start of the holiday season.

There are a few simple guidelines to follow to make decorating your home for Christmas fun, festive and elegant. To begin, I would recommend putting away some of the knick knacks and decorations which are displayed all year round to avoid overcrowding (and alot more dusting!). Just by removing a few table top picture frames, knick knacks and collections you have freed up more space for Christmas decorations and have a clean slate to work with. I have also found that when it is time to put away the Christmas decorations, you may find a new and more interesting layout for your preexisting decorations which will add a flair of newness to the look of your home decorating at the start of each New Year. Once you have removed existing decorations, start unpacking all of those Christmas decorations which have been hiding all year round and place them all laid out on a table top. This will allow you to take inventory of some things you may have forgotten you have and start grouping them together according to theme and room in which they are to be placed.

A great way to add an overall seasonal atmosphere to your home is to use fillers around your individual Christmas decorations. Great holiday fillers can come in the form of evergreen boughs ( real or artificial) strands of beads and indoor Christmas lights. For an extra warm feel, wrap strands of white indoor Christmas lights around fake evergreen boughs to line doorways, mantles and windowsills. Once you have laid out the filler of your choice, place a few Christmas decorations throughout to complete the look. Remember, many household items such as candle holders can be transformed into Christmas decorations by using red, green or white candles.

The most important thing to keep in mind while displaying Christmas decorations is to have fun! This special time comes only once a year so make some cocoa, play your favorite Christmas songs and get the kids involved. You may find that the process of placing Christmas decorations can be just as fun as enjoying the finished product.