Express Yourself by Decorating for the Holidays

Decorating for the holidays can be a way to express yourself with color, texture and variety. Your home can become a showplace for the beauty of nature or bright with lights and tinselly Christmas ornaments.

Maybe you'd like to decorate with a theme this year. Along with your traditional Christmas tree, you might place items that send the same message all around the house. For instance, a collection of angels or snowmen can be distributed throughout your home on shelves, walls, tables, windowsills and the mantel. Perhaps you own a collection of nativity scenes and would like to display them. This would be the year to do it.

Another theme idea is to collect items from nature and place them around your home. A wreath made from evergreens and pinecones can find a home on your door and welcome guests. Arrange pinecones and potpourri on a plate with a pillar candle in the middle for a pretty centerpiece. An evergreen garland laced with lights and draped on a banister or across the fireplace lends a cozy touch.

Use natural plants and a variety of items for the best effect. Hang some mistletoe in a doorway. Arrange red berries and mistletoe in a glass dessert bowl or on a mirrored tray. Poinsettias, Christmas cactuses, topiaries and amaryllis can sit on a table or on the floor, depending on their size.

Candles create an ambience in your home and allow you to keep a theme going as well. Use a variety of sizes in the same color or display votive cups in a grouping. Try putting candles all around your home, and watch them glow. Burning scented candles while playing your favorite Christmas music can get you into the holiday mood. As long as you don't leave the candles unattended and keep them well away from anything flammable, well-placed candles are perfect for setting a mood.

If you plan to have a tree, make it a focal point for the room it's in, but decide to keep it simple. Decorating the tree is a way for families to come together to share holiday joy, but it can often become a chore. If you choose to decorate with lights, get them out a day or two before you plan to decorate so that you can work out any tangles in the wires. Tangle-free strings of lights save on stress.

If you have limited floor space, consider a tabletop tree or the kind that hangs on the wall. You may not be able to put as many ornaments on a small tree, but they can be just as attractive and add to your holiday decorating scheme. Try a Douglas fir decorated with miniature Christmas ornaments for a festive look.

Since Christmas lends itself to memories, heirlooms can also find their way into your decorating scheme. Use a lacy doily to set off your centerpiece or a crocheted tablecloth in the formal dining area. The angel treetop handed down from dad and mom adds to the significance of the holiday. Placing the family Bible in a prominent place can also be a reminder to hold the people you love as your priority this Christmas.

However you decide to decorate, select the medium that suits your family and your style. Whether you choose stars, bright lights, nativities, bows, greenery or candles make your Christmas decorating personal. The holidays are times to reflect on the beauty of life, so take this chance to express yourself without getting stressed. When Christmas decorating involves your own unique style, you'll create a holiday mood you can remember for years to come.