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Informative Articles

5 tips to avoid a 10lb Christmas weight gain
The average person puts on between five and ten pounds between November and January and it's pretty easy to put on more if you let yourself feast on all the delights of the season. But who wants to be miserable and diet through Christmas? Follow...

An Extended Christmas Animation
According to the blog entitled “Animation” which was posted by Neil last December 2, 2004 at www.eightlines.com, someone spent way too long on a Christmas Flash animation. You can actually view the animation at...

Avoid Credit Card Debt Next Christmas
Why is this article about avoiding credit card debt next Christmas and not this Christmas? Well, the chances are it is too late this year and the little plastic demon has already made an appearance, or it soon will... Why do we do it? Every...

Christmas Expectations
Christmas is here again. It is a time of year we all look forward to with excitement and anticipation. But it can be a time of year when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, even depressed. So what makes the difference between enjoying the holidays and...

Christmas Gift Ideas For Hikers
Christmas gift ideas can be hard to come by. If you’re buying for a hiker, here are a few hiking gift ideas to consider. Okay, I’ll be the first one to admit publicly that buying gifts for the holidays can be a pain in derriere. When it comes...

How to Enjoy Your Favorite Christmas Recipes
Christmas is a time of holiday and festivity. And delicious food is integral part of the celebrations. You relish food and have fun with your friends and relatives. In this excitement you hardly give sufficient attention to how much you should...

Lisa's Christmas
Lisa was born into a loving Christian family and went through life knowing of The Lord and his supreme sacrifice. She was accustomed to Amazing Grace each Sunday and saying grace before meals. Lisa knew of the birth of baby Jesus; that...

Peace: Why it Shouldn't Be Only a Christmas Wish
A little girl attempts to make people "think God" in one of the "Oh, God!" movies, starring George Burns. I wonder what would happen if we applied the idea to "think peace"? To think "peace" may neither be as glamorous as romantic love nor as...

That's the Christmas Spirit
Last Christmas, Uncle Albert promised his neighbor, Wilson, to find a way to keep the Christmas spirit alive all year. You know, just like Wilson and everybody else wishes people each year. Yesterday I was checking my calendar. "Holy...

Top 10 tips to Look Great at Christmas Parties whatever your Size
1. Fake it until you make it If your flesh is looking pale and pasty, get a fake tan to look great for the party season. Somehow golden brown looks slimmer than pale and uninteresting. 2. Have a make-over Treat yourself to a...

 
 
 
Christmas Decorating Ideas

The time has come to start putting up Christmas decorations. But, before you rush off to your local store to buy this year's collection of baubles, wreaths and garlands, think carefully about your decorating theme. Christmas themes can vary from traditional to modern; elegant to fun; natural to high-tech etc. Browse through a few magazines and websites for inspiration - then decide on an overall scheme. Whatever you choose, it should complement your interior and your lifestyle.

Having chosen your Christmas theme, get out your previous years' decorating bits & pieces. Select those that would go with your current theme or could be adapted easily. Baubles, garlands, candles and holders can be transformed simply with a bit of imagination. Baubles can be painted, stencilled, sprayed, wrapped or decorated with fabric, ribbons, glitter, pearls and beads. Garlands & wreath can be sprayed with metallic or frosted paint and decorated with berries, acorns, dried leaves, feathers and pearls - depending on your theme.

You can also decorate some of your glassware and tableware - spray or stencil them with removable paint and glitter or decorate them with removable stickers and film. Use your glass bowls, jars, vases and containers to display baubles, fairylights, dried fruits, nuts, chocolate pieces, glass beads and candles. Place these around your home - or use them as a central piece on your Christmas dining table.

When you've customized your existing pieces and household items, look around a couple of shops to find a few

 


bits and pieces to complete the look. It's best to buy simple pieces that can be decorated further and adjusted in following years to suit different themes.

The two most important elements of Christmas decorating are the tree and the lighting. Nothing really beats the smell of a real pine tree, but if you want to create a trendy look, a pre-lit twig or feather tree might be the right choice to suit your décor theme. The secret of a successful tree is to use a maximum of three colors, shapes and materials when dressing it. To create an interesting tree, make some of your baubles edible - out of chocolate, candy, dried fruits & nuts.

When it comes to lighting, use a variety of illumination systems. Wrap fairy & string lights around door frames & banisters, hang them in the windows, pile them up in glass vases, run them across the dining table, or make them into a garland. Use rope lights outside your home - around your windows, doors, pathway and trees. Pile church candles together on the mantel, in large containers, across the dining table or in unused fireplaces. Put scented tea lights in your windows, on shelves and coffee tables.

Read more articles and Christmas decorating ideas at our website!

About the author:

E Geller is an interior designer specialising in residential spaces. She is a writer and advisor at diytogether.com on home improvement, decorating & design.