Decorating Ideas for the Holidays

Theresa was a featured guest on our live #HolidayHangout which aired November 5th. You can catch more of Theresa and her holiday décor suggestions here.

There’s more to decorating for the holidays than just trimming the tree and hanging the stockings.  Why not spread the season throughout your home?

Bring the Holidays Into the Kitchen:

It’s always said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. So why would it not be one of the 1^st spaces you decorate?

Use your Kitchen Island or bar and create a centerpiece. This tends to be the space where everyone gathers in your kitchen so why not utilize it. Grab your favorite glass jars and vases. Arrange them so they are all different heights. Using your children’s holiday books is a great festive way to create height. Fill the jars with your family’s favorite holiday snacks. Oranges, apples, cookies, trail mix and candy.

Bring the Outside In:

For most of the country, the leaves have fallen and the green grass has faded. Bring the green back into your house with a few strands of garland. Simply lay it across a mantel, hang on the railing of the staircase or even over a door frame. To add some color tie in a few bows or some Christmas ornaments.

Simple Can Be Elegant:

Elegant doesn’t have to mean extravagant. In some cases all you need is the simple touch of a single holiday item placed on a table or three simple garland candleholder rings lined up on a dinning room table.

Picking a Theme:

I do not mean you have to use the same theme throughout the house. For example decorate your entryway traditional and your living room a little more whimsical.  It’s completely up to you.

I love the cranberry theme on Personal Creations.  It was the inspiration for our entry way. Lining the railing with garland and weaving in decorative cranberry twigs. I added a small cranberry Christmas tree to the entryway table to help carry the theme down.

Decorating Using Your Personal Style:

Decorating for the holidays doesn’t mean that you have to hide your personal style. Look around your home, what are your favorite small décor items? Include them in your holiday decorations.

Hanging Stockings:

Stockings don’t have to be hung by the chimney with care; they can be hung just about anywhere. This year we have hung ours from the staircase, but I know many of you don’t have a fireplace or staircase.

Try hanging a shelf with hooks right by the front door. Decorate the shelf and hang the stockings below. You could also hang stockings on the bedroom doors or at the foot of the bed.

Don’t Forget the Tree:

Everyone has their own special way of decorating the tree. My advice, don’t be afraid to use not traditional colors. I love the bright colors and the more color the better. There are some beautiful trees out there that stick with just red and green and who doesn’t love a family mishmash tree.

This year skip the metal tree hooks. Head over to your favorite craft store and buy four or five spools of thin ribbon in the favorite decorative colors. Cut the ribbon into five to eight inch strips. Loop through each ornament, tie a knot to create a loop and hang from the tree.  This will help add more color to your tree and is safer for the little ones.

We hope these suggestions will inspire and invigorate as you prepare for the winter holiday season, no matter which ones your family celebrates.

Theresa Seid is the founder of Rock On Mommies a site that reminds moms not to lose themselves in motherhood. Theresa is a former NFL Cheerleader and has appeared on both local and national shows including ABC’s Moms Get Real.