Christmas Candlelight Home Decorating Ideas

Fast and Easy Ideas with Candles
1. Put a three-branched brass candelabra in the center of the table. Use ten-inch taper candles that have holiday colors.
2. Use a single taper candle and holder with a glass hurricane for a centerpiece, and encircle it with evergreens and colorful tree balls. Or simply group three hurricane lamps together.
3. When you are having a holiday buffet, place multiple clear glass votive holders on the dessert table as well as on occasional tables and shelves all over the house. Spice- or fruit-scented votives are great in some areas.
4. An idea for the bathroom: Tie or pull back your shower curtain and lay a votive holder on the edge of the bathtub. Put an additional one atop a small mirrored coaster on the sink.

continue reading this article: Christmas Home Decorating Ideas Using Candles

Budget Christmas Decorating For Your Home

Adding Christmas atmosphere to every part of your home need not be expensive. In fact, you could use items already found at home; add some accents and personal style then you have your homemade Christmas décor. Here are some budget friendly Christmas decorating ideas.

Read more:  Christmas Home Decorating On a Budget           

Buying and Decorating The Christmas Tree Alone

When it concerns Christmas traditions, you don't need to decorate the Christmas tree until about twelve days ahead of Christmas, and if it's a real tree, the closer to Christmas the better so there will be less pine needle dropping incidents. The crucial thing is that you take down the tree by twelfth night, which is the Epiphany, 6 January.

Almost like padded bras and fake tans, plastic Christmas trees are also good, but not as good as the true thing. If going traditional, don't be tacky. There is one rule you must not break: trees are always green. Blue, white, red, gold, or silver trees are not good options.

When you purchase a real fir tree, pick the freshest one obtainable. To test this, grasp a twig towards you; a small number of needles, if any, should drop. If you could lightly shake or bounce it, and it leaves a pool of pine needles or leaves, pick another one. If you are not decorating immediately, store the Christmas tree in an inch-deep of water, the most ideal place woud be in a garage out of the wind or sun. You should set up the Christmas tree in a corner. Keep it far from radiators, because this will cause it to dry up and die.

Sweep or clean the area under the tree daily to avoid leaf build-up.

An undecorated tree is a distressing sight. The first embellishment must be the star on top, mainly as you may want to bend the tree to place it. The star is going to inspire you on how the tree is filled. Then place the lights. These will certainly fuse but its needs to be added at this moment so you can guarantee that they are evenly distributed. Wind the lights from top to bottom, in the direction of the plug socket. Candles are fancy but opt for the electrical sort, as real flames on trees are fire hazards. Then set out decorating over the tree your themed embellishments. Do you have a color theme? Is it traditional or outlandish? Minimalist or packed full? Is it child-friendly or just for you? If it has goodies, be careful not to place them next to the lights as these could melt.

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How to Shop For The Right Christmas Tree For Your Home

© Athena Goodlight

Save on Cooking Time During The Christmas Season

Spend time to note the baking and food items that you intend to make for your family's use and as gifts this year.  Use a planning sheet with separate columns for amount, food item, purpose, recipe reference, preparation time, and when this will be given.

Note every food item and the amount you intend to make on this planning sheet. Also list the purpose. Is it for your family's consumption or to be given as gifts? Note where the recipe file is found or the specific page number in a cook­book. These recipe references will really come in handy later on when it's time bake and cook. Note down a time period for the completion of every item. Some treats need to be served freshly cooked; others can be made ahead of schedule and frozen until needed. Fruitcake, for instance, needs to be baked about six to eight weeks ahead because the flavor gets better as it ages. Include on this planning sheet the items for your Christmas dinner or for any entertaining that can be cooked ahead. The "Time Period" column in the planning sheet indicates the day or days at which you have scheduled the item into your calendar. At this point you'll be able to see whether this part of Christmas preparation is viable in relation to your available time. You might need to remove some items if time gets too short.

Review your recipes and make a shopping list of ingredients as you plan your Christmas baking and entertain­ing activities. Buy the ingredients early while supplies are still ample or on sale, perhaps a few items with each shopping trip to avoid too much strain on your December finances. If possible, shop during the times when the stores are less crowded. If only weekends are your available times, shop as soon as the stores open so you have more fresh produce to choose from and you don't have to endure the crowds that come out later in the day. Do an inventory of the contents of your freezer, refrigerator, and pantry just to know what you have available and save money by avoiding duplicate buys. You may want to have enough quick-meal food stuff on hand for at least two meals. Unanticipated guests may come by or you may even find your own family caught short one day when you are held up. Canned ham, canned chicken, canned vegetables, biscuit mix, and a frozen dessert make good emergency supplies.

It would be good, if possible, to set aside the month of November as make-ahead month. As you cook your usual meals during November, make double batches of main dishes and freeze a portion to be used in December when the stress starts building up. Good make-ahead dishes in­clude soups, meatballs, casseroles, cakes, pies, etc. You could try making at least one double batch of something weekly so that for every week in December you can have one instant-preparation meal? Also take a few minutes to plan daily family meals during the month of December. It will be worth your time and effort once you experience the comfort of having something prepared ahead. Next year you could use the same menu, making a few modifications if needed.

Planning Tips for Cooking Christmas Goodies


© Athena Goodlight

Planning Tips for Cooking Christmas Goodies

If your Christmas holiday goals include making your own food, you will have to carefully plan and organize this activity. In your mind, reassess the success of last Christmas's baking. Did you make too much, too little, or just enough? If you baked cookies that didn't get consumed until March, then, don't bake as many this year. On the other hand, did you run short of homemade goodies last year? Did you gain 10 pounds due to oversupply that you were forced to finish the rest of them? 

A good way to measure the success of your homemade Christmas goodies is to ask your family what food items they really enjoyed most during the past Christmases. From the answers you get, you have a guide on planning this year's baking, doing away with the items that were not favorites unless they are something that you truly like. Sometimes we are accustomed to think that it is a necessity to make certain traditional foods, no matter what. Evaluate. Perhaps your family did not ever enjoy these as much as you thought they did. Some people like dark fruitcake and others favor light fruitcake, while some don't like fruitcakes at all. If your family likes a bit of both, then have a friend bake the dark and you bake the light, and do an exchange-cakes activity. You may find that your Christmas baking can be much simpler this year with your family members truly enjoying the food that they like.

Creative Ways to Wrap Food Gifts for Christmas

Recipes to try:

Christmas Cookie Bonanza

Yule Log Cake Recipe

Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes

Traditional Raisin Fruitcake for Christmas



© Athena Goodlight

Gifts that Convey the Spirit of Christmas

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There are gifts that can be bought in stores or online. There are gifts given hand-carried, while others through door to door delivery. But there are gifts that are far more lasting deep within the heart of the receiver. Here are some gift ideas that cannot be bought yet convey the Spirit of Christmas:

Incorporate into your holiday schedule a time for even just one family service activity that will help emphasize the spirit of Christmas. This would involve thinking of others rather than just focusing on getting over all the preparations and concerning yourself about the gifts you will give and receive. The best cure for loneliness is to help someone, especially those in need. Even if you are not lonely and very busy and stressed out with all the holiday rush - compassionate service is still good for your soul. Your acts of kindness and goodwill can bless the lives of others for a long time. Make arrangements to visit a hospital, nursing home, an orphanage, prison, or other institution. Find someone who will be spending Christmas alone and invite him or her to share Christmas dinner with you. Think of someone you know who may be a widow or widower, a housebound or handicapped person, a student who can't go home to his or her family this Christmas, or another family who is financially needy this Christmas. As you look for good deeds to do, try to be sensitive to the feelings of the receiver. There are times when we reach out in a different way, people don't react the way we imaged they would. We may fail in spite of our benevolent efforts and intentions. Some individuals "expect" help, but the reward of giving is of far greater value than the emotional risk it may take. Start being sensitive to observe the good in others, try to put yourself in their shoes and later you'll notice how the spirit of Christmas grows in you.

Making Christmas More Meaningful Without Spending Too Much

© Athena Goodlight

Christmas Traditions For Your Family and Home

• Draw names and for a week become a secret Santa for another immediate family member. Plan special things to do each day without being found out. The days fill with fun, suspense, surprises, and good deeds, helping to create the true spirit of Christmas.
• Feature a different country each week; study its tra­ditions; eat something that is part of that nation's cuisine.
• Write some gifts to Jesus and hang them on the tree -things individuals need to improve on (such as breaking bad habits and forming good ones). Once a week each family member adds a new gift to concen­trate on that coming week.
• Hold a weekly Christmas letter night. Make a list of those to whom you wish to write letters. Create or purchase Christmas stationery, and have each family member add a note to each letter written.

More Ideas for Christmas Traditions:  Ideas for Christmas Eve Family Traditions

 

Most Practical Ways to Shop for Christmas Gifts

Whether you are the type who enjoys shopping or someone who loathes it, put yourself in a better state of mind. When you shop, imagine the person you are giving the gift to and recall some of the special qualities in that person that you like and admire. This simple exercise would help to keep the special gift-giving spirit, make the task more pleasant, and prevent irritations from crowds or commercialism...READ MORE>>>

How To Manage Housework During the Christmas Season

While you are working on your Christmas preparation, don't allow everything else go to pot. Continue on the basic household routine—cooking, laundry, and pick-up— and you'll have more time for Christmas projects and fun.

To create more time for Christmas projects, learn the fundamental principle of setting priorities. Choose what has to be taken care of and which things can be put off or skipped. Some people call this a system of "selected neglect." Here once more, it often helps to write down your ideas so you can appraise them logically, using your physical senses instead of running ideas around and around in your mind trying to organize them...READ MORE>>>

The Best Time for Christmas Preparation

Christmas projects and festivities require some direction and boundaries if you do not want them to run your whole life. Most of us do not have the luxury of dedicating all our spare time on November and December to Christmas activities. All the things you like to do can impart pressure if you don't rule your wants into a manageable agenda. Seizing this can bring about an ambiance of unity, attracting your family closer together. Christmas is not sprung on us at the eleventh hour. The date is constantly the same. We know there are 365 days between Christmases, and still we find ourselves making yearly statements like, "I can't believe it's almost Christmastime again!" Let's face it, when Halloween is over, there are just seven weeks left and the pressure is on! At this point you'll need to make some decisions as to your intent in celebrating Christmas. ... Is it to get the family together? . . . To impress others? ... To have fun? ... To step-up spirituality? ... Or just to endure the season? Your priorities reflect these goals, and getting control of Christmas would help you accomplish them...READ MORE>>>

Last-Minute Holiday Decorating Ideas

Holiday decorating is a good project to do with kids; and every year you add to the previous year's output. You'll be surprised when you see how laden your trees are with all the ornaments you've made over the years. This would seem like a nice family tradition to have passed on. These don't have to be excessive or difficult and you can begin right now even when you've already decorated your Christmas tree. There's always room for more.

Here are some last-minute Christmas decorating ideas that are really quick and easy and demand absolutely no brain power, talent, or energy...READ MORE>>>

Christmas Crafts: Patchwork Ornaments

Decorating for the holidays usually start with your tree. Ready made decorations can be costly, and it's super easy to make your own from some scraps of fabric. A country theme is readily warm and inviting. When you use one design for all the ornaments, changing the look using different fabric patterns and colors, you will be able to make plenty to cover the tree in just one weekend, and the cost would be minimal.

Decorate your Christmas tree using stuffed patchwork shapes (lights, hearts, tree, star, etc)  then make a few more to fill up with dried lavender for small sachet gifts. If you've got an old quilt that's irreparable, this is an excellent method to make it last. Cut up the usable parts to become tree decorations. If you will be using new fabric, use 100 percent cotton and pre-wash using a little bleach and fabric softener to give it a soft, washed-out look that would add old-quilt quality to each ornament. If you love the look of quilting, you can create these shapes using pre-quilted fabric available in most yard stores. Alternatively, you can just make stuffed patchwork Christmas ornaments decorations without the quilting...READ MORE>>>

Wrapping Homemade Food Gifts for Christmas

Giving food gifts and creatively wrapping them is not exactly a matter of decoration, it is more an extension of personal style. At Christmas we beautify our homes, we entertain, and wrap gifts. Some people enjoy giving homemade gifts straight from the kitchen. Because many people enjoy homemade items at Christmas time, you may want to create interesting ways to present them...READ MORE>>>

Homemade Holiday Wreaths for Your Front Door

Front door decoration give the first impressions to guests during the holidays. Many people hang a simple wreath or pine, even before the weekend of Thanksgiving. It's easy to create a holiday mood and ambiance with anything from a few green branches tied with a bow to a very richly ornamented crown. To make your own crown, you will find forms and all accessories in a well-stocked garden. Here are some ideas to consider...READ MORE>>>

Christmas and Holiday Decorating for the Busy People

It seems that everyone has more load of responsibilities over the holidays than at any other time of year. Most people are just too busy with family and jobs to entertain or to decorate in a fancy manner. In this regard, the following would give you some ideas for DIY party decorations that can make your home warm, refined, and welcoming without too amount of time invested...READ MORE>>>

The Nutcracker Suite: A Popular Classic Christmas Ballet

One of the landmarks in ballet history was Pyotor Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s creation of the Nutcracker Suite.  With Swan Lake (1876) and The Sleeping Beauty (1879) behind him, he was commissioned by the director of St. Petersburg’s Imperial Theater to write a new ballet to a book by Marius Petipa, who completely outlined the moods and dances the musical score was to fit.  Tchaikovsky’s Opus 71, The Nutcracker, premiered by the composer himself as an orchestral suite on March 19, 1892, is based on Alexander Dumas’s version of a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann.  It was then choreographed by Lev Ivanov for a first performance at St. Petersburg’s Maryinsky Theatre on December 18, 1892.   The first night was not as triumphant as that of Sleeping Beauty’s.  It was confusing for the Russian audiences of that day to see a performance dominated by children in the first act, and they did not exactly favor the German story on which it was based either.  Today, however, there is hardly a major world dance company or regional ballet that does not mount an elaborate Christmastime production of The Nutcracker...READ MORE>>>

The Magical Experience of Christmas

Christmas is that special time of the year when joy and ethereal magic fills the season. It emanates in the delightful ornaments, awesome gatherings with family and friends and the sheer sense of joy one experiences both from giving and receiving presents. 

While is apparent that the commercialized nature of Christmas nowadays is often rebuked, we still cannot deny that shopping is a significant and fundamental activity that adds to the magic of Christmas, especially for the fashionistas and the shopaholics. At the malls or shopping centers that several of the favorite sights, sounds, and scents of Christmas can be sensed.

Something about Christmas and the holidays bring about special and unforgettable memories...READ MORE>>>

Movies to Watch on Christmas

Movies and films with a Christmas theme can help create a fun atmosphere and at the same time also impart moral lessons.

While each person will have varied opinions and choices on their favorite Christmas movies, there are some classics that remain popular to this day. There are some notable newer movies as well.

READ MORE>>>

Tips on Shopping For Christmas Gifts For Children

 To a lot of people, Christmas is a magical season; and more than anyone else, the season of Christmas is enjoyed most by kids. It could be the thought of some much awaited break from school activities, the allure of the decor and lights, the beauty of the first snowfall that is often associated with Christmas or the anticipation of the gifts and toys that excites the children so much. But it is plainly seen that most kids are genuinely fascinated by Christmas. This is one main reason why adults enjoy shopping for kids during Christmas season.

When Christmas shopping for children, there are some considerations one should take note of. Some of the particular concerns include choosing age appropriate toys, picking out toys which are not overly noisy or too large for the child’s size and living conditions, choosing toys the child does not already possess, choosing toys which are acceptable to the parents, and most importantly, selecting toys the child will find enjoyable...READ MORE>>>

How to Shop For The Right Christmas Tree For Your Home

The Christmas tree tradition in the United States came from German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania.  This tradition of Christmas trees is believed to stem from Germany from as early as 700 A.D and was part of the German tradition in the 1800s.  During that period Christmas trees became available for sale in the United States since 1800s just about the same period that the former Woolworth's department store began selling ready-made decorations for Christmas trees.

Although artificial Christmas trees are very popular, a lot of people still choose to have a freshly harvested Christmas tree either inside their homes, or out on their lawns. Just like all other trees, Christmas trees also come in different shapes and sizes that make a few types more popular than others.
      
Many consider having a Christmas tree in the home very important, accompanied by other Christmas decor items such as garlands and wreaths in order to create a special ambience for the holidays.   
      
It is important to choose the right type of Christmas tree because these are a main attraction in many family activities and traditions...READ MORE>>>

Christmas History: Not Everyone Was Excited About Christmas

When people just go along with the commotions and celebrations of the season, ask, what are we celebrating then?

The glitter of bright and colorful decorations, the sounds of joyous Christmas carols, the happy children, and the cheerful greetings of “Merry Christmas!” may give the impression that everybody is glad that Jesus came to our planet. But reality is, that isn’t true, and it never was... READ MORE>>>
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Homemade Dips and Spreads as Christmas Gifts

 

Make up a basket of treats for a friend, neighbor, or a loved on with choice dips and spreads as gifts.

Red Devil Dip

Walnut-Cheese Spread

Nutty Olive Spread

Creamy Chili Dip

Eggplant Spread

Get recipes HERE 

Getting More Out of Christmas

A few days before Christmas, some of us will still do the last minute Christmas shopping.  Many are weary of shopping because the store merchants began urging us to start buying our gifts and treats long before Thanksgiving.  Some purposely wait up to the last minute in the hopes of getting in on some sales.
At any rate, Christmas shopping gets out of hand, does it not?  Many of us spend too much and are left with big bills to pay after Christmas.  Perhaps we even have to give less to the church and to missions this month because we have overspent or we “might” overspend during Christmas...READ MORE>>>

Christmas: The Schizophrenic Holiday

Christmas may carry Christ’s name but someone else gets most of the attention.

Don’t misunderstand.  I’m no Scrooge dedicated to banishing innocent make-believe.  On balance, Santa Claus has probably made the world a happier place for thousands.  But it seems significant that we have invented a fantasy-figure for our children and ourselves that resembles the Savior so closely.

Several years ago, a religious magazine carried a Christmas cover illustration of Santa Claus nailed to the cross – white beard, red suit, and all.  The editors received a lot of letters criticizing the blasphemy.  But the illustration did what is assumed the editors wanted it to do – it shocked people into realizing how confused we can become at Christmas.>>> READ MORE>>>

Christmas Cookie Bonanza

Seven different cookies all from one basic recipe!

Get recipe HERE>>>

What Kind of Gift Giver Are You?

September and October are the perfect months to start planning your Christmas gift shopping, especially if you’re on a tight budget.  You can carefully choose the gifts and you don’t have to buy them in bulk.  You can buy gifts in a series of shopping trips.  But no matter how early one plans the gifts to give, it is quite realistic to say that no Christmas ever dawns that doesn’t bring its own disappointments, regrets, and plain old sulking.  How we’d wish we could sign a gift-wrapped card with love and enclose it with a check for a million dollars.  But only a few can do that, and still we all want our beneficiaries to say, “Wow, I’ve always wanted this!”  Fortunately, expense isn’t the main factor in getting that response.  In fact many costly gifts remain cold and lifeless things.

What kind of gift giver are you? What do your gifts say about you? Are you annoyed by your own motives for giving at Christmas and on other occasions? How can you improve your gift-giving habits? >>>READ MORE >>>

Why You Should Set a Budget for Christmas Shopping

Some people take an interesting plan to setting a budget for Christmas shopping by waiting until they are set up to start shopping to set the actual budget. These people normally do this since they are saving specifically for the purpose of Christmas shopping. Whether they open a bank account specifically for Christmas shopping, earmark money for this purpose in an envelope every week or plan on using a part of their income from the month of November for Christmas shopping. It is important to set a budget and set a plan for buying all of your Christmas gifts without exceeding this budget.

Read More: Why You Should Set a Budget for Christmas Shopping 

Are You Becoming an Impulsive Christmas Shopper?

Impulsive Christmas shopping is a habit which plagues a lot of people during the Christmas season and it can come in a variety of complications. Some of the dilemmas which often result from impulsive Christmas shopping are spending beyond budget, buying unnecessary items and even purchasing identical items that were already bought. All of these matters present their own set of dismal outcomes which are all caused by impulsive buying during Christmas. However, it is also important to take note that although there are a lot of problems connected with impulsive Christmas shopping, some advantages are also merited to this shopping move.

Read more: Are You Becoming an Impulsive Christmas Shopper? 

Tips on Buying a Christmas Gift for Your Boss

Christmas shopping for your boss can be a hard situation. First of all buying a Christmas gift for your superiors at work is regarded to be somewhat of a faux pas unless the gift is being bought by a group of employees. While giving Christmas gifts to subordinates is commonly an acceptable practice, gifts from individuals to a boss can be deemed an attempt to gain advantages such as promotions or favorable projects or discourses. As a result care ought to be always be taken when giving Christmas gifts to a boss. Taking a look at situations in which giving a Christmas gift to your boss is accepted will help you shop for Christmas gifts for your boss.

When an individual giving a Christmas gift to the boss is not an acceptable practice it is acceptable for a group of employees to buy a joint gift for their boss. As an example, a boss who supervises the work of a small group of employees may receive a gift from this small group jointly and this would be regarded appropriate. In this way the gift is deemed a gesture of appreciation from the members of the group and not an attempt by one of the members to gain favorable discourse. Still, even in this acceptable situation, Christmas shopping for your boss could be quite hard.

Read more: Tips on Buying a Christmas Gift for Your Boss 

The Value of Early Christmas Shopping

If you're one of those folks who get their Christmas shopping done early every year, you'll likely find yourself getting a good deal of mean looks from other people around the holiday season. This is particularly true if you make a habit of allowing others recognize you have already finished your Christmas shopping. This happens since the vast majority of people does not get their Christmas shopping done early and may be jealous of those who pull off to finish their shopping early. The fact that most Christmas shoppers wait until the eleventh hour is evident by the crowds who flock to plazas and shopping centers in the last days before Christmas.

If you abide by this simple strategy when the Christmas season arrives, you will already have most, if not all, of your Christmas gifts bought already and you can spend your time resting and enjoying the holiday season rather than running around trying to find the perfect gift for each person on your list.

Read more: The Value of Early Christmas Shopping