I
love Christmas but I've never been one to use elaborate decorations
in my house. I don't completely redecorate, have a lavish theme, or
drape every square foot of surface with tinsel and lights. Our life
is simple and casual; our home is a comfortable ranch style, so I use
items that blend into my decor.
This
year I sewed something new for my ceramic Santa Bear and Missus to stand on.
Using scraps from my earlier Christmas stocking project and some narrow
black cotton strips, I pieced a kind of stained glass effect. They
now happily reside on the sofa table in our living room. Aren't they precious?
I like to add something special to every room, just a bit here and
there to make the season beautiful. To keep things from becoming
cluttered, I put away some regular items to have room for holiday
pieces. I bring out old favorite decorations
and supplement them with fresh flowers, along with pine cut from our
trees.
A small metal tree with
sleigh bells and rustic ornaments sits on our kitchen counter bar. This year Jerold added lights to it and
I love the look. We're eating our meals by Christmas lights! Who knows, I may keep it out for a while. I could decorate it for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's, Easter...
Useful
Notion: Here are a few ideas to add quick and simple Christmasy
touches to your home.
- Switch out sofa pillows and throws for ones with Christmas themes.
- Add spicy cinnamon, evergreen, or peppermint candles to set a sensory holiday mood.
- Put a pretty bow on a mirror, lamp, or candelabra.
- Hang a Santa hat on a coat rack.
- Sew or buy holiday aprons, dish towels and potholders.
- Pine cones in a basket make a simple table centerpiece.
- Drape twinkle lights on top of a china cabinet or bookcase.
- Tuck little Santas, wrapped gifts, or stuffed animals on benches, chairs or tabletops.
- Fresh greenery, candles or snow globes work well on bathroom counters.
- Substitute framed holiday photos for your regular family ones.
"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." -- Norman Vincent Peale
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