Indoor decorating

Let’s pick up from last month. You’ve got your theme and have decided where and what to do with your tree. What’s next? Gather your Christmas goodies, be it Santa, snowman, angels, country, modern or whatever and start decorating.

You don’t have to have tons of everything to make your home look great during the holidays. Do your tree, hang some pine bough around the doors, add lights, some bows, floral picks, ornaments, whatever suits you. It’s your indoor display so make sure you do something you like.

Remember the rule of three. Always decorate with odd numbers of items, three, five, seven. I know it sounds strange but it does work. Try it.

You have your Santa tree already decorated or maybe you only had red, green and white ornaments and a few Santa ornaments to use, no problem. Surely you have a few Santa items, candle holders, candy dishes, small figurines, a plate with a Santa face on it, anything will do, as long as it goes with the theme or color you selected for your room. Find small spaces on end tables, shelves, any space in the room will do and create a vignette with some of your pieces. A Santa figure, a votive candle with a wonderful scent, a small candy dish or other item and there you go. I try to cover all areas of the room with displays. If you have a large collection of one thing, like my almost 600 Santas, you can spread them all around the room. Don’t forget those little stuffed figures so many of us have received over the years and tuck them in the small empty spaces on your tree, put them in a pretty basket for the little ones to play with during the holidays, or even as small gifts for them to take home after a visit. Don’t forget to tie a pretty ribbon around the neck.

Not into Santas? No problem, snowmen, angels, reindeer, bears, candles, candy dishes, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t even have to be Christmas related. You have a great collection of blue and white dishes, bottles, whatever, throw some snowmen or angels in with them. Just make sure you pick ones that have the same color scheme as your collection. You don’t have to hide all the stuff you use to decorate your home throughout the year to decorate for the holidays, unless you are like some of us crazies who have so much stuff we have to put the normal items away for November and December. There’s no right way or wrong way. Just do what works best for you, your family and your home.

Just love those gorgeous garlands and wreaths that are sold at all the stores but you can’t see spending that kind of money? No worries, get some plain garland, with lights or without and add your own decorations. Plain wreaths aren’t expensive at all. Just add lights, ornaments, flowers whatever suits you to save tons of money. Several of the big box stores always have good selection of ornaments. Remember the ones I suggested you stock up on in the after Christmas sales? Use those to enhance a plain garland, wreath, bowl, basket, whatever you have available. Add some bows, possibly some lights, you will be surprised at what you can do.

It’s almost time for most of you to start decorating. Christmas 2009 is creeping up on us all. How about entering the PlanetChristmas Indoor Decorating contest? Look for further details in the magazine.
Happy decorating. I can’t wait to see what you all are going to do.

This article was included in the October 2009 issue of PlanetChristmas Magazine.

By Marilyn Caron