It is never too early to prepare for Christmas. The holidays are so busy that you need to plan ahead if you want this year to be extra special. Consider it a nice break from the daily grind and a chance to unleash your creative side. Start with Christmas decorations that can get you into the spirit of the season. Buy items off the shelf or make your own using recycled materials. Below are a few ideas from UnrealChristmasTrees to get you started with this project:
1. Christmas Trees
These are among the most iconic decorations for the holidays. You could get an actual pine tree for authenticity, but this is only feasible for big homes. Most people will simply purchase a synthetic tree and dress it up for the festivities. You can pick something that is about 5 to 7ft tall and place it in a corner of your living room. If you don’t have much space, then go for a tabletop tree instead that is around 2ft or shorter. Some people will even make their own “tree” using a stack of pinecones, layers of fabric, a pack of sticks, or anything else that they can fashion into a cone-like structure.
Hang items with the traditional green and red Christmas colors. You can also get gold and silver objects to make the tree sparkle. Wrap dancing lights around it to add some glow. Many will add a star at the top as well. If you know how to stitch things, then you could make your own Christmas socks for each member of the family. People can drop gifts in these including sweet treats or small trinkets. Bulky presents may be left under the tree and opened on the day itself.
2. Pillowcases
Families tend to gather in the living room for Christmas activities since it has the largest space to accommodate everyone. It makes sense to focus on the decorations in this area. You don’t always have to bring in new things. You only need to make a few sensible changes to make an impact. For example, the sofa is a major fixture in the room. Consider wrapping it in a holiday-themed sofa cover. If you can’t find something that you like, then you could go small by focusing on the cases for the throw pillows.
Look for fabrics with Christmas prints to make it easier. Just mimic the measurements of your current pillowcases to ensure a good fit. You can try multiple designs and different colors as long as they blend well together. It is also possible to add patches, beads, sparkles, and other things that would make these stand out more. Consider duplicating the patterns that you have for your Christmas socks and other tree décor.
3. Wall Garlands
Place Christmas garlands across your walls, particularly around your windows and your feature wall. The most ideal placement is the wall above the television since that is where most eyes will focus. Plenty of ready-made options are available at local stores and online shops. You can simply pick up some of these and call it a day. You could also opt to save money and let your creative juices flow by making your own. Commercial products can provide inspiration for your own designs so pay attention to the details.
Just get a sturdy string and hang your preferred items. You can even use ribbon or wire, whichever you have in your home. If you have excess Christmas balls from the tree, then you can use them here. You can also wrap the string in feather boas or other thick sparkling items to increase impact. You can cut out letters on cardboard and combine these to form words on the garland. Some people clip on poinsettia every few feet on a long string. They could also enhance this with fairy lights in warm white.
4. Gingerbread House
Consider placing a Christmas-themed gingerbread house in your entryway. Place gingerbread people outside of this playhouse to welcome your guests for the holidays. You can find lots of bakeries and other specialty shops making these. Marvel at their creations and see if you can order them for your own use. If you have experience baking, then you could make good use of your oven and make a gingerbread house from scratch. Go for a tiny house concept to keep it simple for your first attempt.
You can gradually build this up with practice. Some get so good that they create replicas of their own homes or even famous buildings. However, it is more important for the design to feel like it belongs to the season. Add details such as snow on the roof and on the ground. Put an outdoor Christmas tree in its front yard along with a miniature snowman. You can use candy canes for the posts. Write your family name on a small board and put this in front of the gingerbread house or on its roof.
5. Christmas Wreath
Lastly, you can make a wreath for your door to set the tone for the rest of the home. A lot of owners will change this up based on the season. They pick up items that are common for different parts of the years and honor the colors that are prevalent in those periods. For example, fall wreaths tend to have orange, bronze, rust, red, burgundy, and yellow. Peony, hydrangea, pumpkin, gourd, daisy, rose, dahlia, and dried leaves are common features as well.
As for Christmas wreaths, you will often see deep greens and reds strung together, although it is also possible to see gold and white. Typical features include much of the items that you can see in Christmas trees including pinecones, metallic balls, and fairy lights. Red berries, poinsettias, and large ribbons are also on display.
Conclusion
Christmas decorations can get you in the mood to celebrate the holidays. They can make your house merry, bright, and colorful. With a little bit of imagination and effort, you can surprise yourself with what you can make on your own. Try any of the projects mentioned above or come up with your personal décor.
