Christmas Decorating Ideas and Themes

If you are hosting the family or holiday work party at your house this Christmas season you probably have a lot of work to do getting everything ready. Impress your guests with some Christmas decorating ideas and themes using a couple of our tips listed below to help get you started.

Windows. Turn your shutters into giant presents using wrapping paper, large ribbons and bows. Complement the look by taking a large potato sack and connecting to your window box using as Santa's bag. Fill the window box with a variety of gift wrapped boxes. Place some rocks or other heavy items inside the presents to help keep the wind from blowing the presents away.

Snack Display. Cover your snacking area with a white tablecloth. Pull out the old train set and construct a circular track around the area the perimeter. Place a gingerbread house in the center of the display. Place the food on wicker place mats and finish your decorations with scattered sprigs of fir, nandina and acorns.

Mailbox. If you are really good with crafts, try dressing your mailbox up like a Nutcracker doll. You could use nice dressy clothing for boys, with straw, newspaper or rags for the stuffing. Construct the head and hat out of cardboard, and use paint for the face and feathers for the hair. You can use the mailbox door for the mouth and dress the mail box post as if this were the nutcracker lever.

Front Door. Adorn your front door with a classic Christmas theme. Create a wreath to hang from the door, and matching garland for the door frame using a fir wreath and garland with large red ribbons. Place freestanding planters on either side of the front door and fill with either small Christmas trees or poinsettias. Also try wrapping white columns with large red ribbon to provide a look of candy canes.

Fireplace. In addition to hanging stockings from the fireplace, dress up your fireplace with a winter theme. Have the children make a variety of homemade snowflakes and display them around the fireplace. Cover the mantel with confetti or soft white feathers to represent snow. Include accent pieces of white Christmas balls, vases of candy canes and fragrances of peppermint and vanilla scented candles. You could even try hanging faux icicles underneath the mantel to complete this winter decorating Christmas idea.

Dinner Table. Use leftover quilting Christmas theme fabric to create a complementary look for your tablecloth, table runner, place mats and window swag. Incorporate lots of items such as flowers and candles in traditional Christmas colors such as red, white and green into your centerpiece. Adding a single sprig of mistletoe onto everyone's dinner plate can go a long way to complementing your look.

Impress your neighbors and holiday guests with your great Christmas decorating ideas and themes. They will appreciate the hard work you put in to create the perfect Christmas environment and may even ask you for tips or help for next year.