Christmas Decoration Tips
When it comes to Christmas Decoration, we've been there, done that, now serving 231 tips in 14 categories ranging from Artificial Christmas Trees to Outdoor Christmas Decorations.
Choosing Large Nativity Sets
For many people, Christmas just isn't Christmas without a nativity scene. Large nativity sets that decorate the front lawn are a special way to share your enjoyment of the Christmas story with your friends and neighbors. With the many options available, you can find a nativity that will fit in any size yard and will match any design style.
One piece nativity scenes are compact decorations that are easy to set up. They are perfect for people who want to display a large lighted nativity in their yards but have limited space.
Plastic nativity sets are a great option for people who want durability and versatility. Since the people and animals are all separate figurines, you could opt to just use the nativity family some years and put out the entire set other years. This flexibility is very important for people who like to change the way they set up their yard displays each year.
Wire framed sets have the same benefits of plastic nativities with the additional advantage of offering an updated look. People who want a more modern looking nativity should be happy with wire sets.
No matter which set you choose for your yard, don't be surprised if it becomes a magnet for neighborhood children. What child wouldn't be fascinated by the story of Christmas reproduced in life size figurines?
Outdoor Christmas Lights
Decorating with outdoor Christmas lights is a long standing tradition in many households. It's amazing how simple outdoor Christmas lights can take an average home and turn it into a festive display of holiday cheer. When choosing outdoor Christmas lights you will definitely have an enormous variety of lights. If you wish to shed a more traditional light on the outside of your home, you may wish to use outdoor lights in all one color, such as white, to illuminate your house. White lights can be found in all shapes and sizes. You can even choose from pure white lights that shine a bright white or a warm white light that provides a more subdued glow. If white isn't your color of choice but you still wish to go with a solid color, you can choose from all red lights, all blue lights and even all green lights.
Many people prefer to light the outside of their homes with lights that are multi-colored. You can choose from multi-colored outdoor Christmas lights that are slim, shaped like icicles, shaped like balls and even outdoor lights that are multi-colored and shaped like lilies.
Outdoor Christmas lights are also available in shapes of some of your favorite things. Christmas is a fun time to display lights that are shaped like snowflakes, penguins or even pineapples. How you decorate the outside of your home is up to you and if you like to add a little flair to your Christmas, then themed light sets may be the perfect match for you.
Multicultural Christmas Nativity Ideas
Many children do not realize that Christmas is celebrated differently in other parts of the world. From Yule logs to Saint Lucia, children in other cultures have special holiday traditions. Some of these traditions are centered around the Christmas nativity. Why not have a multicultural celebration this year with your children? They'll learn about how other cultures celebrate the holidays and they just may decide that they'd enjoy incorporating some of the different traditions into your family's Christmas celebrations in future years.
In Mexico, the nativity has a special place in Christmas activities. Entire neighborhoods celebrate with an event they call Posada. This is a tradition where children recreate Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem by having a parade of neighborhood kids go from house to house asking for shelter. Many times, they carry a nativity with them. The adults have already decided which house will invite the kids in and that family puts together a party for the children and their parents.
If you have a rich cultural heritage, you may prefer to look for traditions that your ancestors celebrated instead. To find out more about your holiday heritage, you should:
- Talk to older relatives to see if they have any heirlooms, such as a Saint Lucia crown that has been passed down through the family, to share with you.
- Check the Internet or call your local library to research customs celebrated by your culture.
Wooden Nativity Scenes
If you have a home that is too casual for a porcelain Nativity, or you simply prefer an unbreakable material, you may want to look at purchasing a wooden Nativity set. What's great about a wooden Nativity set is that many times the set is actually handmade, which means a lot of time, care and effort goes into the design of the set. You know you will be buying a unique high quality Nativity that will last for years to come.
You can purchase a Jim Shore Nativity in separate pieces, such as a stable that is handcrafted wood and costs about $50, or you can purchase an entire Nativity set that includes ten pieces of the Nativity for around $85.
If you wish to get a bit more creative and purchase a Nativity that looks a bit different, perhaps you might choose a Jim Shore stone resin Christmas Nativity scene. This Nativity has a beautiful cabin stable adorned with background scenes that accentuate the Nativity. This type of Nativity will add a unique touch to celebrating the reason for the season.
Precious Moments Nativity Sets and Other Nativity Figurines
You've been collecting Precious Moments figurines for quite a few years. You even used a pair of these sweet little children as cake toppers on your wedding cake. Since you are such a fan of these adorable porcelain figurines, it is no surprise that you looked for a Precious Moments nativity when you decided you wanted a new nativity set.
The three piece nativity includes a boy and girl dressed as Joseph and Mary and a baby dressed as Jesus. The set has all the personality and sweetness that the rest of the Precious Moments figurines have and is sure to be a treasured addition to your collection.
If you collect other figurines, you may be interested in taking a look at Department 56's nativity set. This set is only available through bronners.com and is a wonderful addition to your Department 56 village display.
For people who enjoy adding new figurines to their collection each year, Jim Shore nativity pieces may be the perfect option. Jim Shore has several different nativity families. In addition, there are quite a few other nativity related pieces you can add to your collection. Wise Men, camels, shepherds, angels and even palm trees are available for these sets.
Personalized Ornaments
A personalized ornament is one that has the names and important dates engraved or hand painted directly on the Christmas ornament. Many people choose ornaments such as these to celebrate important dates in a family and many use these personalized Christmas ornaments for a walk down memory lane each time the ornament is placed on the Christmas tree year after year.
Generally, ornaments are personalized by a professional artist who takes a plain looking ornament and makes it into a family heirloom simply with the touch of his or her hand. Personalized Christmas ornaments can be fun, such as an ornament in the shape of a moose or penguin painted with your child's name on it. Personalized ornaments can also be more classic and made of glass with an entire family's name on it. If you own your own business you can personalize Christmas ornaments with the name of your business to hand out to customers. Or give personalized Christmas ornaments as a gift to your favorite babysitter, something as simple as "World's Best Babysitter" and the name of the sitter and the year. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to why and how you want to personalize an ornament. The best part is that most personalized Christmas ornaments are very reasonably priced.
Complete Your Display With a Nativity Stable
You carefully arrange your nativity set on your Christmas tree skirt and take a step back to admire the result. While the figurines are beautiful, it seems as though something is missing. Perhaps the problem is that they are dwarfed by the ornament covered tree. You move them to the coffee table, the mantle and the bookshelf. No matter where that lovely nativity scene is set up, it looks wrong. You're staring at the figurine when you realize the problem. You didn't shop for a nativity stable.
Nativity stables are a great way to provide a backdrop for your figurines. They add realism and interest to the nativity display and are a great way to make the Christmas story easier for children to understand.
You can find beautiful olive wood nativity stables in very simple designs or with lovely hand carved details. These stables have a rustic simplicity that will allow the nativity figurines to shine. Moss covered stables are another rustic option.
If you would like to find a stable that matches the style of your cozy country home, you may want to take a look at a Jim Shore stable. These stables are designed to match Jim Shore nativity sets but can be purchased separately if you want to use your current nativity set.
Why Choose a Traditional Artificial Christmas Tree?
Many people want to celebrate Christmas with a traditional Christmas tree but don't want the hassle of cutting down and taking care of a live Christmas tree. This is when artificial Christmas trees come in handy- you simply take the tree out of storage, follow the directions and up pops your Christmas tree. It was once thought that artificial Christmas trees looked, well, artificial. This is hardly the case in this day and age. Artificial Christmas trees look more real than some actual live trees, and they last a lot longer, are fire retardant and come pre-lit so you don't have to untangle strings of lights to put on the tree.
The best part about purchasing an artificial Christmas tree is that you have a wide variety to choose from if you want to go the traditional tree route. You can choose from varying heights of trees, from as small as four feet to as tall as 14 feet. You can pick a wide-flocked tree, an un-flocked tree or a slim tree. If you like a tree with all one color of lights, don't fret, those are available as well and if you like multi-color lights on your tree, those are available too. You can choose from trees that look like pine trees, fir trees, or even an Olympia Blue tree. The world is your oyster when it comes to traditional artificial Christmas trees.
Remember; don't worry that an artificial Christmas tree will look fake; those days are long gone. Artificial Christmas trees are more realistic than ever and with reasonable pricing, very economical. And as far as the bottom of the tree goes, you can cover any artificial area with a beautiful Christmas tree skirt.
Indoor Christmas Nativity Scenes
You'd like to start displaying a nativity each Christmas, but you aren't sure if there is a set that will work with your home's décor. Actually, with all the Christmas nativity sets available, you're going to have to start worrying about narrowing down your choices, instead.
For people who are short on space, miniature nativities are a smart idea. You can find a set from Jim Shore that fits easily into an area as small as a foot and includes a stable and individual figurines. If you want a nativity that is even smaller, maybe a nativity contained in a nut shell will work. Elaborate nativity ornaments can hang on a tree or an ornament stand.
If you are concerned about storage space, but you prefer to display a set that is larger than some of the miniature options, perhaps a set of stacking nativity dolls will work for you. These dolls create a substantial display when they are un-stacked, but the entire nativity can be stored in a single doll when the Christmas season is over.
For people who are more worried about the style of the nativity then space, there are many different options. Iron, wood and porcelain figurines provide a wide range of materials from which to choose. You can find country Jim Shore nativity sets, folk art Russian figurines or elegant Fontanini designs.
Choosing a Children's Nativity
You know from past experience that children and Christmas figurines don't mix. However, as you carefully arrange your fragile nativity set on the mantle, you can't help but notice how disappointed your children seem. When your littlest child whispers that she wants to see the baby Jesus, you realize that you need to shop for a durable Children's nativity set for her to enjoy. You are delighted when a quick search reveals several suitable models, including a delightful large nativity that uses children for all of the nativity characters.
Before you buy your children a nativity, you may want to consider a few important issues. To be sure you select the right set, you should:
- Think about whether your kids are old enough to keep things out of their mouths. While miniature sets are a cute idea, they may not be a smart choice for families with children under four years of age.
- Consider durability. Unless you are going to supervise all interactions with the set, you should opt for a set that cannot break or be damaged easily. Even sturdy carved wooden pieces can be chipped if your children decide that the shepherds should get in a fight.
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| Patricia Walters-Fischer |
