Holiday Decorating Guide

Make your house a winter wonderland!

Tis the season for decorating, no matter what your style! This time of year you can really let your creative side show. Decorate your house with not only store purchased items but with homemade decorations as well!

There are so many ways to add holiday cheer to your home this season. Whether you are preparing your home for a party or just for your own personal enjoyment, here are some tips to help get your home in full season spirit!

• Decide on an overall look and feel. Plan whether you're going for a classy holiday look, a funky theme, a kid-friendly atmosphere or another style this year. If you have a plan in place and colors in mind before youset out shopping, you are sure to have a more cohesive and attractive holiday display without buying extras that don't fit in. Need inspiration?
  
  
  • Traditional - Colors: Red and green - Decor: Ornaments, lights, stockings, wreaths, snowflakes, poinsettia, stripes, candy canes, tinsel, garland
  • Classy - Colors: White/off-white and gold/silver - Decor: Candles, ornaments, white lights, vases, ribbons, simple wreaths, stars, bells, glitter
  • Country - Colors: Deep green, rustic neutrals, deep red - Decor: Fabrics, evergreens, pinecones, candles, wooden ornaments, anything earthy or weathered
  • Kidsy - Colors: Red, green and everything in between- Decor: Holiday characters, garland, multi-colored lights, blinking lights, candy canes, homemade ornaments
  • Funky - Colors: Dark blue, pink or purple - Decor: solid colored lights, polka dots, sparkles, big ribbons, fun patterns


• Decorate within your personal style. Just because red, green and glitter are the holiday norm doesn't mean that you have to abandon your personal taste. Put your own personal twist on the decorations that adorn your home for the holidays. Feel free to use colors that work with your furniture and home decor, colors that coordinate with the wrapping paper you love, or simply colors that appeal to you.


• Don't go overboard. There are so many ideas and decorations to put up, but do not try to do them all! It is hard to resist the urge to cover every inch of your house with tinsel and lights, but you must resist. Decorating with less instead of more leads to a classier look. Pick a decoration or scene to be the focal point of the room and then decorate around it. A good way to avoid the cluttered look is to stick with a single theme for your house or for each particular room.


• Involve your kids in the decorating. Trimming the tree is not the only time to get your kids involved. Let your kids make decorations for your home. The holidays are about family and nothing is better than decorating your home with your kids' creations! Save them and use them year after year. Need ideas? Here are some quick kid-friendly holiday decorating projects to try!
  
  
  • Make snowman cut-outs to string as garland
  • Customize porcelain ornaments from a craft store
  • Create a wreath using evergreens and old Christmas ornaments
  • Assemble a felt wall hanging with a holiday theme
  • Use pinecones to create fun and thrifty holiday centerpieces
  • Decorate a festive photo frame to surround a holiday greeting or song lyric
  • Let these spark your own creative ideas!

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