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Holiday Accents for Your Home by Nikki Willhite Here are some more economical ways to make your home look more festive during the holidays. - Use toys you already have for display. If you have an electric train set, working or not, set it around the Christmas tree. Some other toys that look great under the tree are little wagons, dolls and teddy bears (which you can place in the wagon), building blocks, and stuffed animals. I use to make Raggedy Ann dolls and sell them. If you make the clothes with zippers, you can make outfits for each season to display them in. I like to display a Raggedy Ann doll with her arm around a teddy bear. Put a big red bow around the bear, and you have a darling display, whether it is under the tree or elsewhere. Use what you have. - Make the gifts you display under the tree for family members more decorative by using fabric ribbon. It costs more to buy, but you can use it over and over. Just collect it after the presents are opened and store away for the next year. You also have the option of adding them to augment the look of other Christmas accessories like wreaths, garland and candles. You can use them on the tree, like a garland, or in big bows. Watch for these ribbons to go on sale during and after the Christmas season. A lot of people decorate with garland, around their fireplaces and up their stairs. It looks really pretty with lights added to it, but if you don't have a strategically placed electrical outlet, this may not be an option. Add shiny metallic ribbon to decorate the garland and make it sparkle. - Instead of spreading out magazines on your coffee table, lay out colorful Christmas story books. - Display Christmas Cards by laying on a table, covered with a sheet of glass/plexiglass. - Paint some Christmas artwork on a window. Kids love this. Use stencils, or freehand Christmas designs. Finish by spraying around the borders with spray snow. Your will find the stencils, window paint and spray at your local craft store. When I was in college, my roommate and I did our window up with a list of 10 things (humorous) that we wanted for Christmas. We were on the first floor of the dorm, so everyone saw it. It was a lot of fun. - Make sound part of your Season. Attach bells to your front door that ring when it is opened. Again, these bells are versatile, and can be added as decorations to all other accessories. Some people with young children like to add bells to the bottom of their Christmas tree as a safety measure so that if the kids start playing with the tree, they can hear it. Change your answering machine to reflect the holidays. Give a short Christmas Greeting before your standard message. Personally answer the phone with a holiday greeting. Play those Christmas tapes and CDs! Music often sets the tone in your home. Take the time to have it softly playing in the background when your family is home. - Add more Christmas patterns to your room with the use of fabric. You don't have to buy large table clothes. Just use small square pieces of fabric and drape them over tables or the back of chairs. You don't even have to sew to make these throws. Just buy the fabric in a design you like, and use your iron to hem with fusible tape (stitch wizary). If you are unfamiliar with this product, just ask at your local fabric store. - Add as many Christmas smells to your home as you can afford. Bake those cookies, or simmer those spices. If you can afford them, nothing is as beautiful as fresh Poinsettias. If you just want the color, buy them in silk. I've had some I've displayed now for over a decade. They still look as good as new. If you have the time, and the money, add those special little touches. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!  Article first published at www.allthingsfrugal.com

 

 

 

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