I make my own Christmas lanterns with wrapping paper that glistens. Cut a square about half a meter, fold the square in half sellotape sides together.

With some scissors cut a length leaving a one cm gap on the edge cut strips all along to the edge. Stand lantern up pressing the top down so the strips fray out in a lantern shape.

These lanterns can be hung or stood, if hanging thread some cotton from one edge to the other edge.

I have made a lot of these lanterns in different colored paper and stood them in windows with glitter streamers making the look very colorful and effective. Read More »

Shopping for Christmas decorations is a very enjoyable time for me. I usually shop at dollar stores, thrift stores, or flea markets for decorations.

In my eyes, some of the best things money can buy are found at thrift stores or flea markets, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

Every Christmas I look for a different decorating theme. Some favorite themes of mine are: Victorian-era themes, retro themes, western themes, or a classic look with the colors red and gold as the focal point. Read More »

Christmas is a special time for our family. We are of Norwegian ancestry and it means a lot to us to follow the traditions of our parents country.

Traditionally we go out and cut down a Christmas tree about two weeks before Christmas – we have ornaments that have been passed down from generation to generation that we place on our tree.

Candles mounting on tin foil are placed on every branch (a wire is wrapped around the base of the candle, poked through the tin fold and then wired in place on the branches – in the old days they were lit but we light them only once on Christmas Day and then they are blown out but remain on the tree).

We string various nuts, paper ornaments and dried fruit which is placed on the branches in place of the artificial snow that most Americans used. Read More »

I prefer to use natural products for my Christmas decorations. I go into the outdoors where I live and collect greenery and greenery with berries to make wreaths for my doors and a garland for my staircase.

With these items I use Christmas ribbons and sometimes use white mini Christmas lights.

I also make a centerpiece for my dining room table with natural items such as greenery, pine cones and berries. Sometimes I add colored Christmas balls to my arrangement.
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I am in a small college apartment, so my choices of Christmas decorations are somewhat limited.

Still, I enjoy getting into the feel of the season and want to make my space special.

One type of tree is my favorite, and comes in a perfect size for any home. Most department stores with a garden section will sell rosemary trees around holiday time.

These herb shrubs are cut into a conical shape that makes everyone think “Christmas tree” when they see it. Read More »

Every Christmas my mom brings out her tubs upon tubs of different Christmas decorations that we like to put up all over the house.

She starts with the tub of stuffed Christmas items which include a gingerbread girl or boy for each of us four siblings and places them outside of our bedroom doors, where they stay for the entire season.

The next big tub that she breaks out would be that with all of the nativity pieces to create the many nativity scenes that are displayed through out our house.

Also included is the very long card holding display that my great grandmother made to hold all of our Christmas cards and is displayed in the dining room every year. Read More »

I am 29 years old and female. Last Christmas I didn’t get too many presents.

My husband was gone to Iraq so we didn’t exchange gifts.

Though when we got income taxes back I ended up buying some stuff so I guess you can say that was my Christmas gift.

From my parents I got scrap booking stuff, a bag, socks, shower stuff. I really like the stuff I got. My mother-in-law gave me some clothes.

I wear them around the house because they were too big. When i got my income taxes I got a treadmill and some clothes. I really didn’t care to celebrate Christmas because my husband was not here cause he had just left for Iraq. Read More »

It all began in 1986. We were a young married couple with no children yet. At a Thanksgiving family get-together, I admired my cousin’s Christmas decoration which was a ceramic church.

I learned it was from a collection of decorations by Dept. 56 called “Snow Village”. I thought the church was very beautiful and classy looking without being overwhelmingly commercial.

It was just a beautiful white church with a simple Christmas wreath on the door. It was probably about 10 – 12 inches high.

The very next Christmas I was over-joyed when I opened several Christmas packages from some family members. I received three Dept. 56 “Snow Village” pieces – a church, a small Nativity scene and 3 carolers. Read More »

Last Christmas I received David Sedaris’ new book titled, “When you are engulfed in flames” from my boyfriend. We’d been together for about seven months at the time and it was such a thoughtful gift because we went to see David Sedaris perform live earlier that year.

He also took me out to a very nice dinner, complete with appetizers from our favorite cafe, venison chops for the entree, and dessert in the tallest building in our city.

Talk about a view! On this occasion we also said “I love you” for the first time. It’s a night I’ll never forget!

He also purchased a set of shot glasses for me – the very nice frosted kind with the Jagermeister logo on them. That’s my favorite winter drink, and to celebrate we mixed Jagermeister with Bailey’s Irish Cream for one of the best drinks of the season! Read More »

During Christmas decorating is one of my favorite things to do.

There aren’t any specific brands that I would prefer, I chose my decorations and ornaments according to my taste, if I find them cute/beautiful or not, and how it would suite my home and the other decorations that I already have.

However, I especially like star shaped or sparkly ornaments, that I can hang around my house or on my tree. First off, I start with Christmas lights.

I would hang them all around the interiors of my house except for the bedrooms and kitchen. I have different lights that I hang in different rooms. Read More »