Short on time to finish your long to do list? If you have left decorating until the last minute or are expecting guests with short notice, here are some ideas that are fun and fast.
Frame it up. Is your mantle or entry table still looking too empty? Take a quick look through family albums to find your favorite photos from Christmas past, then use your smartphone to take pictures. Print out and place in extra frames, or create a collage on poster board with gift wrap as a background. Add a bow or some glitter, to finish your masterpiece.
Snow Globes. Old mason jars with lids, fake snow, or coarse salt, plus small ornaments, tiny figurines, or mini toys make perfect DIY waterless snow globes. If you have smaller jars, you can even use them as placeholders at your dining room table. To personalize, consider adding an old photo instead of a name. If the jar lid looks worse for wear, add a ribbon or bow to finish off your project. Still looking for your table centerpiece? Create a snowy holiday scene in an old fishbowl or shallow glass container.
Books. Check your bookshelves – and your kids’ – for everyone’s favorite Christmas stories or poems. Favorite cookbooks will work in a pinch, then just place in a book holder or on a coffee table as part of your theme. A plate of holiday cookies is always welcome, by guests and family alike. If you still have more space to fill, add hurricane jars of extra ornaments or bowls filled with holiday candy to your display. For more ways to decorate with new and used books all year long, let House Beautiful inspire you.
Nature. Bring the outdoors inside to add to your décor, with pine cones, seashells, evergreen branches, holly, and poinsettias. (Just a reminder that some of the most common decorative plants, such as poinsettias, are poisonous for pets.) Display in vases, bowls, or large glass jars. Add glitter, ribbon, or raffia, plus LED votive or pillar candles for that finishing touch.
Food. Cinnamon sticks and ribbon ornaments, citrus and clove pomanders, popcorn, and cranberry garlands are simple and fun to make. If your pantry is well stocked and you enjoy being creative in the kitchen, consider making waffle cone Christmas trees or Santa strawberries.
Kid Art. Last but not least, get out the finger paint, glitter, felt, and construction paper for the little ones to create. Older kids can use cookie cutters to create salt dough ornaments, a favorite that never goes out of style. Scrapbooking supplies and decoupage ornaments are easy as 1-2-3 for your kids of all ages that enjoy crafting.
For more inspiration, check out advice from the experts at Real Simple, Southern Living, and HGTV.