Decorations and Gift Wrap

It is a busy time of year but the decorations and gift wrapping are part of the fun.  Check below for quick and easy ideas.

Index
A Basket of Christmas . . .
A Christmas Jar . . .
A Christmas Swag . . .
A Festive Touch For a Christmas Table
A Professional Looking Tree
Be Creative By Using . . .
Candles
Decorating for Christmas
Gift Wrapping Ideas
Poinsettias
Quick and Simple Decorating Ideas . . .

Recycling Ideas . . .
The Holiday Tree . . .
Very Special Tree Ornaments

A large wicker basket with a handle, such as a picnic basket, makes an ideal container to hold Christmas greens and plants. Place several small glass jars into the basket to hold greens, such as cedar, pine or spruce. Small poinsettias nestled between the jars of green add colour and interest. Arrange the branches to cover the jars and to fall over the basket edge. Tuck large pine cones, artificial berries or holly in and around the greenery, if desired. Place a second basket beside it as a holder for holiday cards.

Choose a pretty or interesting jar and fill it with one of the following to put a little bit of Christmas in a small place.

• ribbon candy or candy canes
  

• nuts in their shell mixed with a few small bells
  

• scraps of ribbon left over from wrapping gifts
  

• gingerbread men
  

• shiny tree balls or other small ornaments
  

• pine cones
  

• dried fruit, such as lemon, orange or apple slices
  

• cinnamon sticks tied together in bunches with Christmas ribbon

A swag is one of the easiest decorations to make and it uses the branches trimmed from the tree. Start with the longest branches at the back. Add shorter branches and pieces in front, layering them one on top of the other. The shortest trimmings go on the very front and some may be turned "upside down" to cover the cut ends of the branches gathered together. Tie all the ends together with several pipe cleaners or with heavy garden string. To add interest and to fill in bare spots, holly, eucalyptus or pine cones may be glued in place with a glue gun. Tie a large bow using wide Christmas ribbon to cover the pipe cleaners or string and to give the swag a finished look. Hang on a door or lay on a fireplace hearth.

 

A Festive Touch For a Christmas Table

Place a simple tree ornament at each place setting as a small gift for each guest. Using pretty Christmas ribbon, tie a simple bow around napkins. Tie a matching bow around the stem of wine or water glasses. Create a simple fragrant centerpiece. Wrap bunches of cinnamon sticks with one colour of Christmas ribbon. Press whole cloves into several oranges. Arrange both in a shallow basket and tuck a few pine or cedar trimmings into spaces for a finishing touch.

Be Creative By Using . . .

a glass pitcher for a flower vase a punch bowl to hold salad a baby spoon as a serving spoon in cranberry or dessert sauce a new clay flower pot to hold raw vegetables and a smaller one inside to hold the dip a wooden salad bowl to hold buns a new bedsheet for a tablecloth a wine carafe to serve orange juice a pottery bowl to hold holiday cards an afghan or velour bath towels for a tree skirt pompom upholstery trim as a tree garland gingerbread cookies as tree ornaments a candy dish as a candle holder

 

Candles

Keep safety in mind. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Protect furniture and carpets from candle wax. Place candle on a base deep enough to hold any melted wax that may overflow. Place votive candles on heat-resistant surfaces that will not be damaged if the candles burn to the base of the candle holder.

Use a candle snuffer to snuff out candles as it will prevent spattering of melted wax. Trim wicks to 1/4 inch (6 mm) before lighting candle to help prevent smoking.   Burn large candles a maximum of one hour for every inch (2.5 cm) of diameter to prevent the sides from softening and the wax flowing through. Allow the candle to cool and the wax to harden before relighting. Here is a tip that really works – candles that are dull will regain their shine when buffed with old pantyhose.

	Decorate using familiar things . . .
	Fill a glass pitcher with candy canes, tree balls, or Christmas ribbon trimmings.   Wrap throw pillows with inexpensive craft ribbon so they look like gift packages. Set along the top of a chesterfield or a comfortable chair.   Use indoor mini lights to decorate a silk plant.
	Trim a cedar or fir tree in the yard and tie the boughs together with pipe cleaners. Add a pretty red Christmas bow and hang on the front door.   Place a tall pillar candle in a glass serving bowl. Fill the bowl with a mixture of pine cones and unshelled nuts that have been sprayed with gold paint.   Hang pretty tree balls in varying heights from a dining room light fixture with invisible thread or lightweight fishing line or pretty ribbon.   For a simple touch, tie a ribbon around a pine cone or candy cane and put in an unexpected place like the bathroom or on a doorknob.   For a special centerpiece, spray a few pears or apples with gold paint. Set on top of pine cones in a pretty shallow bowl.   Tie a ribbon or metallic cord around the stem of wine glasses.

Decorate using children’s toys . . .

• Use children’s building blocks to spell words like NOEL or PEACE on a fireplace mantle.
  

• Fill a toy truck with Christmas candies or nuts.
  

• Tie simple bows with Christmas ribbon around the necks of favourite stuffed animals and place beneath the tree with Christmas gifts.
  

• Small cars, tiny dolls, children’s jewelry, baby toys or even a little boy’s bow tie can be tied on the tree as ornaments.
  

• Small school pictures in simple frames nestled in the tree boughs make a Christmas tree a family tree.

• Cut photographs into small cards to make personalized gift tags.
  

• Check fabric outlets for gold or silver thread. Use to tie gift tags onto parcels or use in place of ribbons or bows on very small gifts.
  

• Use newspaper or brown paper for inexpensive, casual gift wrap. Tie with Christmas ribbon for a festive look. For a thoughtful touch, search out a foreign newspaper or magazine to use as gift wrap for someone who would appreciate it.

• Poinsettias are a favourite Christmas plant. They will hold their leaves better and stay lush and green if the soil is kept slightly moist and the plant is kept away from drafts.
  

• If a stem is accidentally broken off or if the plant begins to look a little bare, cut stem and dip the bottom 1 inch (2.5 cm) of stem into boiling water for 5 seconds. Place in a vase of cool water. The flowers will look bright and fresh for another week or two.

Quick and Simple Decorating Ideas . . .

Place several small pieces of cedar, pine or spruce tree trimmings together on a mantle instead of draping a long garland from end to end. Tuck several bright tree balls or favourite family ornaments into the greenery. Wrap gifts as early as possible and group together on a chair, in a corner or on a buffet. Use Christmas ribbon to hang a Christmas stocking from a doorknob. Place a bowl of candy canes on the coffee table.

• Spray tree balls that are scratched or have lost their lustre with a metallic spray paint.  This gives them a fresh new look.

• Broken ornaments or tree balls may be glued, damaged side down, onto an inexpensive twig wreath.  Small tufts of craft store moss may be tucked around it to soften the look and hide any glue or broken areas.

• Old tablecloths can be made into protective storage bags for delicate decorations. 

• For a casual and inexpensive gift wrapping idea, wrap the item first in brown paper or crumpled tissue paper.  Add a band of beautiful Christmas paper around the middle.  Make the band as wide as you wish.  Tie raffia or thin twine around the package and end with a simple bow. 

For many of us, decorating the tree means the holiday season has begun.

A Classic Look Use silver, gold and white ornaments. In place of garland, twine matching or contrasting ribbon in and over branches for an elegant look.

An Upscale Metallic Look Choose ornaments of bronze, pewter or copper. Combine with glass or mirror accents. Silver or copper-coloured garland softens the overall tone of the decorations.

A Nostalgic Antique Look Use small lace or tulle pouches filled with lavender and tied with satin ribbon. Combine with bunches of dried baby’s breath, silk roses and frosted tree balls to remind us of times past.

A Masculine Look Choose a selection of simple large and medium tree balls and a few small tree balls with a matte finish in strong bold colours. Wide velvet ribbon tucked into the branches keeps the look masculine.

A Country Christmas Gingerbread men, felt ornaments,
popcorn garland, bunches of cinnamon sticks tied with gingham
ribbon and candy canes give a cosy look. Use large multicoloured tree lights.

A Collector’s Tree Any collection of treasures that can be set onto tree branches or hung with ribbon makes a truly personal tree. Use coffee spoons, teacups, tiny toy cars, antique ornaments, small stuffed animals, old jewelry, small carpenter’s tools, tiny mittens or baby items.

Very Special Tree Ornaments

Treasured old toys and keepsakes, such as baby shoes, hold wonderful memories.  Store them with the holiday tree decorations and bring them out each year.

A Professional Looking Tree

Here's a tip designers use.  Layer ornaments throughout the tree, including the interior.  It adds depth and interest! It also gives you more room if you have an abundance of ornaments.  And, it's a great place to put the ones that aren't your favourites or the ones that are showing their age.