One of the most enjoyable things about the holidays is that it’s the one time of the year that you can go “all out” when it comes to decorations and no one will think that it’s “too much”. You can put up as much garland and mistletoe as you’d like. You can get a tree that’s as big as you want (and can fit into your house, of course). You can even go all out on the different kinds of “Christmas-like scents” such as gingerbread, cinnamon and pine.
So, why not also make this the time when you make a few festive home decorations as well? If you’re not a natural when it comes to this kind of thing, that’s OK. We have provided five DIY decoration project ideas that are not difficult to make, but at the same time, can brighten up your home just that much more:
Make your own stockings. When you think of this, the first thing that comes to mind might be those red felt stockings with the names written in marker or glitter on the white part of them. While that is one route to take, we were actually thinking of something a bit more modern. Stockings don’t have to be limited to Santa Clause’s color palate. You can select fabrics that represent your child’s favorite colors or the hue of your living room. And, arts and crafts stores have things like stick-on letters and faux amaryllis that you can accent them with.
How about a centerpiece? The holidays tend to bring with it a lot of entertaining, which means you have to present your best table settings. Something as simple as a huge poinsettia can be a beautiful touch, but why not make some of your own centerpieces? Women’s Day magazine did a feature on a green tinsel chandelier that you can make in just a matter of minutes. Go to WomensDay.com and put “delicate sphere” in the search field for step-by-step instructions.
Create a money tree. One tradition that some families have as a sign for prosperity going into the New Year is that they purchase a tiny tree that they can actually attach dollar bills on. Before Christmas, you can hang little handmade ornaments of family photos on it and between Christmas and New Year’s Day, you can then roll up dollar bills, attach a string to the top and then tie them in place of the photos. You can then hold a raffle on New Year’s Eve to see who gets the “winnings”. Kids love this and it can be loads of fun.
Blow up some family photos. Something that is very easy to do, but also adds a warm touch to any home are family photos. The great thing is that with a good digital camera, you don’t even have to be an expert. Use the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas to take candid shots of the family eating dinner, baking cookies and playing in the snow and then blow them up to poster sizes that can be black-and-white, senna or color that you can frame and put in rooms where you’ll be entertaining guests. It’s the perfect kind of discussion piece and a special work of art.
Don’t forget about your front porch. This is the time of year that even those with private houses sales tend to decorate the front of their homes. And when they do, doesn’t it make the house seem just that much more inviting? No matter how much you do on the inside of your house, the first thing that people are going to see is your front porch. Hang garland and lights. Make a wreath, too (you can put “DIY wreath ideas in Google or Bing to find out how). ByStephanieLynn.com even has a section devoted to different ways to even make your own doormat. Simply go to the site and put “creative door mats” in the search field. Remember, the holidays only come once so when it comes to decorating, make sure to make the most of it. Happy Holidays!
This is a guest post written specifically for this site. Opinions expressed are of the author.
