It never fails to amaze me how fast the holidays roll around each year. My favorite time to decorate is during the Christmas season. Decorating puts me in the mood to be festive and nostalgic. Whether you love to decorate or would rather pass, here are some decorating ideas for your home this holiday season. Start with the front of your house. We sometimes forget this part because we are concentrating on the inside. When folks come to your home, the door is the first thing they see, so make a good first impression. If there is enough space on your step, decorate with two small Christmas trees. Pre-lit ones are easier to manage but you can string a 25-light strand on each in no time if you prefer to hang the lights yourself. These outdoor trees can be seen from the driveway and are very inviting.
What about that welcome mat? You probably haven't thought about it since you bought your house, but now's the time. Choose a large one with snowflakes, holiday flowers, or other festive accents. Try to avoid welcome mat's that say "Merry Christmas". You want to be able to use it throughout the winter which lasts through February.
Now we can go inside. Houses with entryways make a perfect spot for some holiday decorating. Large entryways can house a lighted Christmas tree. This tree would be for decoration purposes and entertaining. You can have the main family tree in another room, such as the living room or den.
If an extra Christmas tree is too much work, hang cloth banners on entry way walls. Let the kids create Christmas shapes out of felt and glue them to the banners. Decorating the shapes and the banner with glitter adds to the effect. Banners can even be hung on ornamental rods that can be used for other wall hangings during the year.
One place that we tend to ignore during the holidays is the bathroom. Since everyone has to use it, don't leave this room out of the holiday decorating. Place a basket of potpourri scented with pine, holiday spice, or cinnamon in your bathrooms. Set it on the back of the toilet so the spell permeates throughout the room. When the smell fades, use a few sprits of a scented holiday spray to revive the scent of the potpourri.
Bathroom changes can be as simple as buying a new set of rugs and linens in red, green, gold, and silver. For plastic bath accessories, use paint for glass and draw snowflakes or winter scenes on the soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, and towel racks. The paints are inexpensive and a little goes a long way. Hang a string of lights around the mirrors. This also doubles as a great night light for kids and adult guests alike.
Don't forget the bedrooms either. For beds, if you don't want to purchase new bed linens, opt for holiday bed spreads or quilts. Spreads can be just as warm as comforters and are less expensive. If you're the quilting type, you can make your very own with the pattern you've always wanted for much less than you can buy one. Take them out during the holidays and keep them on your bed throughout the entire winter. These are just a few ideas you may not have considered yet. We all think about the living room and the kitchen when it comes time to decorate, but those aren't the only rooms in the house that need holiday cheer. (Adopted from www.apples4theteacher.com)
