Gather a collection of your favorite, no-longer-used,
or unusual tree ornaments into a crystal bowl or a basket for a last-minute
centerpiece, or to keep on display throughout the house during the holiday
season.
Drape your exterior doors and windows in pine or
spruce branches. (Most tree lots give away leftover branches for free!) To
keep them fresh, use a spray bottle to spritz the boughs daily with water.
Gild small castoff toys with gold spray paint and tuck
them into branches or wreaths of fresh greens. Add a gold string to use as
hanging ornaments.
(Mismatched toys are mini-items like plastic tools, tea
cups cars,
trucks, Legos™, animals, balls and puzzle pieces.)
Wrap small cardboard containers (pasta, rice and
cereal boxes work well) as gifts, in waterproof papers, pieces of plastic
tablecloths or decorative bags, then hang with ribbon on tree branches or
shrubs in your yard.
For mini-tree decorations wrap tiny boxes such as
those for raisins, juice, individual cereals, or jewelry.
Have lots of shells from your summer vacation? Spray
them gold or silver, or leave natural, drill a small hole, string them as
ornaments on a seaside-themed Christmas tree or as a garlands of shells.
Customize smaller trees with collections such as
sports cards (in plastic protectors,) souvenir spoons, cookie cutters, bells,
mini-dolls, costume jewelry or fancy hair ornaments.
Use permanent markers to paint festive designs on
cast-off beverage glasses, tie a pretty ribbon around the stem and use as
votive candle holders to make a festive collection on your holiday table.
If you display all your gifts under your tree before
the holiday, color-coordinate the wrapping paper with the rest of your
seasonal decor. Gift boxes with beautifully wrapped tops can be used year
after year.
Spray dried pasta in holiday colors and let children
string the pieces together to use on your tree or around your room.
Make a free-form table runner using leftover pine
branches, votive candles in holders, ribbon, battery-operated twinkle lights,
nuts and fruit. (Be extremely careful with candle’s flames and heat so they
don’t come in contact with the branches.)
Decorate the doors to your children’s rooms as large
gifts using wide ribbon and paper specially sized for the job.
Make paper chains of metallic wrapping paper and swag
them over windows, doorways and on stair rails.
Place a small tree in each child’s room to decorate
as he or she dreams it.
Tie a festive plaid bow around the necks of your child’s
stuffed animals or dolls and pose them prettily around your home.
Fill a shiny red wagon with holiday packages as a
decorative display.
Save and display your children’s hand-crafted
holiday cards and holiday photos in picture frames.
Create ornaments using your child’s photo, one for
each year. When it is time for that child to decorate his own home for the
holidays, present him with the entire set.
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