Decorating for Christmas

Gathering family and friends together is one of the greatest joys of the holiday season.

You want guests to feel welcome and comfortable in your home, and Christmas offers a perfect opportunity to spruce it up (pun intended).

Start with the tree and bask in its glow. Decorate the mantel. Adorn the staircase with garland and ribbon. Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Hang mistletoe. Bring out the Christmas bears and Santas. Light candles, the more the merrier. Dress your holiday table in gold or silver and glassware in vibrant jewel tones. Add a welcoming wreath on the front door for that classic Yuletide touch.

The possibilities for Christmas décor are endless. It’s all a matter of taste and personal preference. The whole point is to spread peace, joy, love . . . and celebrate the season.

Decorating for a festive holiday

Colorful red berries pop in this classic arborvitae wreath. (Photo: Traditional Home)

Understated elegance . . . a simple pine cone arrangement on the door replaces a traditional wreath. A thick swag of garland, with over-sized pine cones, frames the entry. (Photo: Country Living)

[left and above] A door, with its red-ribboned boxwood wreath, opens to a festive entry. Garland wraps around the mirror. Atop the hall console, red amaryllis and a white reindeer greet guests. On the floor, in a large silver bowl, are Christmas cookie party favors.
(Photos: Traditional Home)

Bouquets of seasonal greens, branches, and berries, tied with ribbon and green balls, adorn this staircase.
(Photo: Better Homes and Gardens)

Tree is decorated with easy-to-make silhouette ornaments and tartan plaid hoops by Holly Mathis Interiors.

[above] A simple wreath, hung with red velvet ribbon, graces a kitchen shelf while [right] shiny red bulbs decorate a potted plant. (Photos: Traditional Home)

Primitive bears climb a small tree; stockings, in three sizes, hang from the mantel. A string of lights adorns fireplace logs for a delightful country Christmas.

[above] Tree on the counter and decorations on the shelves give this kitchen festive flare.

[left] Store-bought toss pillows are upgraded with simple appliqués. (Photo: Country Living)

A small, simple, live table-top tree. (Photo: Pottery Barn)

Christmas tree and garland make this dining room look (and smell) fresh and inviting. Sprays at the back of each chair are a nice touch. (Photo: Style at Home / Michael Graydon)

A festive buffet table

Create risers for your favorite holiday dishes. Here’s how: Using string, attach boxwood sprigs to 2 or 3 layers high of green Styrofoam rings. Add ribbon, if desired. Top with tangerines or key limes using floral picks. Set your serving plate in the center.

Another great idea: Put cheese spreads (or dips) in a small dish. Set the small dish on a larger plate and surround with fresh cranberries.

Note: If amaryllis are bought closed, they’ll bloom and last for almost a month.

(Photo: Traditional Home)

Party favors, wrapped as gifts in tartan plaid with red ribbon, help decorate the holiday table.

[above] Decorating a wreath with family photos is a lovely idea for the guest bedroom.
(Photo: Benjamin Moore)

[left] Welcoming wreath and garland in this bedroom adds holiday spirit and a fresh scent.
(Photo: Traditional Home)

Simple wreaths on the fireplace are strung together with curled ribbon. Two trees grace the mantel for a subtle seasonal look. (Photo: Traditional Home).

Don’t forget to feed the birds

Make Bird Seed Ornaments

1. Lay a greased, bird-shaped metal cookie cutter on two layers of aluminum foil. Tightly wrap the foil around the cookie cutter.
2. In a pot over medium heat, melt 1 cup coconut oil. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped nuts (any variety will do) and 1/4 cup birdseed. Let cool to a thick, but pourable, consistency.
3. Place one end of an 8-inch long twine into the cutter, so that most of the twine sticks out from the very top of the wing. Then, slowly pour the seed mixture into the cutter until it almost reaches the top. Let harden at room temperature; then freeze for an hour.
4. Pop the shape out of the cutter and hang outside.

Source: Country Living. Written by Jourdan Crouch. Photo: Aimee Herring.