How to Decorate a Dorm Lobby for Christmas

These creative decorating tips will help bring holiday cheer to your dorm lobby - and build on the anticipation of winter break. Get your floormates to help.

Things You'll Need

• Christmas Wreaths
• Clear Tapes
• Empty Cardboard Boxes
• Glues
• Masking Tape
• Metallic Garlands
• Mistletoe
• Scissors
• Holiday Music
• Post-it Notes
• Construction Paper
• Fishing Lines
• Silver Spray Paints
• green, white and red rolled paper
• colored, felt-tip markers

Instructions

1. Cut giant holly leaves out of green rolled paper. Make "leaf lines" with a green felt-tip marker. Cut three giant berries out of red rolled paper. On one berry, write "Winter Break." On the second berry, write "Countdown." Write the number of days left before break on a large Post-it note and stick it on the third berry. Change the number each day.

2. Make white paper snowflakes, and use tape and fishing line cut in different lengths to suspend them from the ceiling. Spray-paint the snowflakes silver, if desired.

3. Cut three circles out of giant rolled white paper to make a snowman, and tape him to the wall. Draw a face and decorate with markers. Cut out two outstretched arms, as if the snowman were stretching something out in his hands. Tape a long garland (or holiday lights) to his hands for a 3-D effect. If desired, have other students sign their names and holiday wishes on the snowman.

4. Make paper chains using various colors of construction paper strips. Hang the chains across or around the lobby area.

5. Attach strands of holiday lights around the rim of the ceiling.

6. Cut a Christmas tree out of giant green rolled paper. Cut a star out of yellow construction paper for a tree topper. Cut ornaments out of old Christmas cards. Add a shiny tinsel garland if desired. Cut a tree skirt out of red paper. Tape the tree to the wall so the base comes down to the floor. Wrap empty boxes as presents and set them under the tree.

7. Hang a holiday wreath on the lobby door, or attach it to the middle of the dorm lobby desk.

8. Hang holiday garlands or strands of poinsettias around the dorm lobby desk.

9. Buy holiday window decorations and creatively arrange them on the windows.

10. Play holiday music instead of what usually plays in the lobby.

11. Don't forget the mistletoe. Hang it under a doorway or hallway entrance.

Tips & Warnings

• Work with your dorm's resident advisor to get decorating approval before you start decking the halls.

• Make sure the decorations aren't specific to a certain faith, unless your college is a parochial school. Or include all the major December holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa - so that all students are included.

• Be aware that whatever you hang up will be susceptible to theft or vandalism.

• Avoid the holiday snow in a spray can. It may look good, but it is extremely difficult to remove.