How to Decorate for Christmas

How to Decorate for Christmas

Part of the fun of Christmas is enjoying the festive holiday decorations. Here are some ideas on how to bring a little Christmas cheer into your home!

Part 1 Decorating Your Home.

1. Make an easy, quick 3D paper snowflake. For an extra wintery effect, use silvery/shiny paper or hang them in your windows.

2. Or, make a classic paper snowflake. Hang them from strings on the ceiling, or tape them on your windows and walls.

3. Make your own Christmas wreath. All you need is a wire hanger and a quick trip to the craft store!

4. For a more modern (and environmentally-friendly!) Christmas wreath, use recycled cardboard. Add embellishments like glitter, ribbons snowy white feathers to dress it up.

5. Make a cute snowman out of a gourd. Use different sizes to make a little snow-family.

6. Make an Advent paper chain. Hang it somewhere visible so you can see the chain get shorter as you snip each day. You Make it by cutting strips of paper then glueing it together.

Part 2 Decorating a Christmas Tree.

1. Give your tree an elegant, classic feel. This article can help you pick a color scheme and decide which decorations will make your tree look perfect!

2. Make tiny 3D Christmas trees. Use them as ornaments for the big tree, or hang them around the house to evoke holiday spirit.

3. Make a popcorn garland for your tree. This classic decoration is a fun, easy craft (and great for kids).

4. Make sparkly snowflake ornaments. Hang them in your windows, or add them to your Christmas tree.

5. Make a mini-tree out of books. Treat the reader in your life to a special Christmas tree, or make one for yourself instead of buying the huge classic version.

Part 3 Decorating Your Yard.

1. Deck out your front yard for the holiday. Use your trees, porch, driveway and windows to lend some Christmas spirit to the neighborhood.

2. Make your outdoor Christmas lights flash to music. You can choreograph them along to one song, or a whole playlist of holiday tunes! (Just be aware of your city's noise ordinances before you begin.)

Tips.

Choose a few permanent outside decorations to use year after year. Examples include a blinking star on your roof, a string of icicle lights across your roof-line or a few light-up reindeer.

Consider having at least one expensive, well-made decoration. Even though it may cost a little bit more money, they're more durable and can be enjoyed longer. These are good things to pass down to children and grandchildren. Austrian crystal decorations are a good example of this.

Every year or so, evaluate your decorations/ornaments. Discard the ones that are broken or those that you no longer want. By doing so, you're freeing up room for a few new decorations and also giving yourself more space to enjoy the decorations that you love.

Be sure to put some Christmas music on while decorating! You want to be in the full Christmas spirit!

Be sure to express yourself when decorating.

Christmas markets, especially European ones, are a great source for gorgeous handmade decorations.

Whatever you do, have fun with decorating. If you have children, let them help you. Christmas is about being together with friends and family.

It might also be nice to buy a fake mini tree to be also to put in the kid's room! Super fun!

Don't buy all your decorations at once. If you are decorating for the first time, buy a few inexpensive decorations. After the holidays, many stores will have drastically lower prices on many items. Buy a few more at this time each year until you feel you have enough decorations. As you get older, you will also get some decorations passed down from family members or decorations from children of your own. If you start off with too many, you may have far too many in the long run and won't have space for them all.

You can decorate for Christmas whenever you want, but think logically. Don't do it in Early-November for example. It defeats the point that Christmas comes once a year by extending it. The best time is between the day after Thanksgiving through Early December.



Warnings.

Use only outdoor rated extension cords for exterior light, and do not try to attach too many lights to one cord.

Be safe when you're hanging lights. If you use a ladder, take care and use it properly.