I truly admire homes that are lavished in richly colored Christmas trim and trinkets. And one of my favorite Christmas activities is to wander the shopping centers and the early evening streets to see the beautiful decorations that folks put out each fall. But, let's face it, those kinds of decorations either require money or a lifetime of collecting.
If you're on a budget like me, I've found that a few well placed tasteful Christmas decorations can effectively add a lot of Christmas charm to a room. First pick a theme, be it Country, Olde World Traditional, Glitter, or what ever you dream of and try to stick with it. The over-all effect of a single theme is much more dramatic than a hodgepodge of styles and you can then easily move decorations from space to space, particularly important if you move fairly often (as I do!). Beyond that, here's a few easy-to-do ideas I've had over the years and you may think of more when you look at your own living spaces.
Add a simple Christmas table runner to the top of a table or cabinet top and place on it a few white candles with Christmas trim and ribbon added and perhaps one or two small Christmas books.
Colorful Christmas ball ornaments, even with a sheer colored ribbon added, in a clear or frosted glass bowl is an beautiful but inexpensive way to add Christmas color to a space.
A couple of Christmas themed stuffed toys and simple scented votive candles placed on the shelves of a bookcase add a cozy, warm feeling.
Small groupings of cinnamon sticks or jingle bells tied with Christmas ribbon can be placed about the room as subtle accents.
Never under estimate the effect of red oven mitts and potholders in the kitchen! I've had many patterns over the years, but I still admire my sister's Christmas red set. Add some plaid or print towels, table runner or table cloth, a table top center piece, one or two sets of Christmas salt and pepper shakers, and you've got a really nice room for very little money.
Paint some inexpensive wicker baskets with a can of red, green, gold, or silver enamel paint (tip: the bathroom tub might seem like a great place to do this but take my advise and do it outside!) and fill the baskets with real or artificial boughs, pine cones, potpourri or anything Christmas inspired. Placed in corners or alongside furniture adds a nice touch to any room.
Always in style, string popcorn for a fabulous old fashioned Christmas tree garland. Have a popcorn stringing party, it's a lot of fun for family and friends! For a traditional Christmas tree, you can also add small decorative candles, insert wires into pinecones and attach to the upper side of tree branches, and hang old fashioned wooden ornaments.
more ideas to come...
