| Decorating your home for the holidays does not | | | | pine cones with glittery gold craft paint. After the |
| need be stressful or expensive. Being one of the | | | | pine cones dry, place them in a decorative basket. |
| most popular times of the year to decorate, get | | | | 11. Add Christmas garland to door frames, |
| your family involved and have fun making your | | | | window frames and mirrors. You can use tape to |
| home beautiful for the holiday season. | | | | secure the garland to the surfaces. |
| Here are 15 Christmas decorating ideas: | | | | 12. Tie bows around door knobs using festive and |
| 1. Display your favorite Christmas collections. If | | | | colorful Christmas ribbon. |
| you don't have a collection, now is a great time to | | | | 13. Attach garland and Christmas bows to your |
| start! My son and I collect nutcrackers and every | | | | chandelier. You can also weave strings of red |
| year we have a wonderful time selecting just the | | | | beads in the garland that will dangle down from |
| right one. With a permanent marker, I write the | | | | your chandelier and reflect the light, which will add |
| year on the bottom of the nutcracker. Not only | | | | sparkle. |
| do we enjoy looking at the nutcrackers during the | | | | 14. If you live in a milder climate, consider |
| holidays, we also enjoying the fond memories of | | | | decorating with Amaryllis plants. These beautiful |
| selecting them. | | | | plants come in red and white, grow tall, and |
| 2. Make simple bows out of Christmas ribbons and | | | | provide a very elegant look. |
| attach them to your curtains with pins. This is a | | | | 15. Don't forget to decorate your fireplace mantel |
| very charming look. | | | | and hang your Christmas stockings. A few |
| 3. Decorate your house plants by hanging small | | | | fireplace mantel decorating ideas are adding |
| Christmas ornaments on them. | | | | garland, different styles and sizes of Santas, |
| 4. Place a collection of Christmas books on your | | | | teddy bears, and candles. You can also display |
| coffee table. | | | | your favorite nativity scene if you have a large |
| 5. Fill a glass bowl with pine cones and Christmas | | | | enough mantel. |
| balls and place on a shelf or table. | | | | Be creative with your fireplace mantel because |
| 6. Wrap your staircase banister with indoor | | | | most mantels are the focal point during the |
| Christmas lights, garland, and bows. | | | | holiday season. Another decorating idea for your |
| 7. To add scent throughout your home, tie 5 or 6 | | | | mantel is to purchase a bunch of miniature |
| cinnamon sticks together in a bundle using | | | | rosemary trees shaped like Christmas trees, add |
| Christmas ribbon. Make as many bundles as you | | | | mini ornaments to them and line them up across |
| wish and place around your home in baskets or | | | | your mantel. These miniature rosemary trees are |
| bowls. | | | | readily available during the holidays and come in |
| 8. To decorate your table, tie Christmas ribbon to | | | | festive containers. |
| the stems of glasses and/or handles of cutlery | | | | Christmas decorating is a great time to create |
| 9. To dress up your chairs, tie Christmas bows | | | | traditions and spend quality time with your family. |
| around the chair so that the bow is on the back | | | | Get out some snacks and drinks and create a |
| of the chair. | | | | little "decorating party" that you're family will love |
| 10. Using a small brush or q-tip, paint the edges of | | | | and look forward to year after year. |