Holiday Fireplace Decorating
Decorating the mantel of your fireplace for the holidays will creatively enhance this focal point in your home. Fireplaces add warmth and ambiance to rooms during the winter months and make scenic backdrops for the family to take a holiday portrait together. Changing your theme each year offers one option, although many people use sentimental holiday decor, such as miniature villages, trains or snow globes to accentuate the mantel with their own traditions. Decide first whether you want your mantel theme to feature whimsical figurines that children enjoy, a formal or elegant style, a country look, or just to coordinate with the rest of your holiday decor. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Fresh or faux pine garland
- Decorative Christmas-themed picks
- Christmas light strands
- Narrow lace doily or table runner
- Tall Christmas decor or candlesticks
- Decorative holiday ribbon
- Florist wire
Instructions
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Go through the decorations you already own to determine what will fit with your theme. Typically, people use the same Christmas stockings for years as part of their holiday traditions. Alternately, you can use Christmas garlands and light strands that you normally put on the tree each year to decorate this area.
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Place a long, narrow lace doily or a table runner in a holiday fabric on the mantel. This will create a base for your holiday decor.
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Drape a long garland over the fireplace and let the ends hang off either side. Fresh pine garlands scent the air and add to the festive touch in the room, while you can reuse faux garland year after year. Twist a strand of Christmas lights around the length of garland to give the focal point a bit of sparkle.
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Twist holiday ribbon around the fresh or faux garland and allow extra ribbon to pool on the floor on either side of the fireplace. This will hide the ends of the garland and frame the fireplace beautifully. Make two or three large bows out of the same type ribbon and attach them to both ends of the mantel and place one in the center to add to the holiday spirit. Tie them onto the garland with florist wire.
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Stick decorative Christmas picks throughout your garland, such as gaily wrapped miniature presents, jingle bells or other holiday decor.
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Gather pinecones and nuts from your yard to place on your mantel. This will give it a warm, country look. Alternately, spray paint them with silver or gold metallic paint to give the mantel a more formal look.
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Hang Christmas stockings from the mantel, especially if you have children or visiting grandchildren during the holiday season.
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Place tall decorations at either end of the mantel, such as a pair of silver candlesticks, a Santa figurine or a scenic snow globe. This will balance and add a bit of contrast to the shorter decorations.
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Add pillar candles to your mantle in holiday-inspired candle holders. Light the candles, Christmas tree and fireplace in the evening when your family is gathered around and dim other lights or turn them off. This creates a sparkly, cozy ambiance that is sure to make the holiday season memorable.
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Tips & Warnings
Fireplace mantels provide the perfect place to display holiday collectibles, such as vintage Christmas ornaments, decorative figurines, trains or Christmas villages. The mantel is likely high enough that there shouldn't be any danger of collectibles being knocked over by a curious child or pet.
Buying Christmas decorations at the end of the season is a frugal way to stock up on decorations for your home. At other times, you can buy them online or at craft and hobby or party supply stores.
Never leave a lit candle in a room unattended and always blow it out before going to bed.
Always turn off your Christmas lights when leaving your home or going to bed.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Christmas Stockings by Fireplace image by Mary Beth Granger from Fotolia.com
