The best one I was ever given was that "one can never have too many picks". Those pretty Christmas picks, that don't cost much, add a LOT to garlands or TREES, or centerpieces.
You can use them almost anywhere to add color and greenery.
I had never known how much that enhances a tree, but tucked into the branches they really are wonderful. So this was my favorite bit of Christmas advice to ever get.

Karen

Use lots of lights, strands of lights can be added to trees, mantels, hutches, around doorways and windows, even down the middle of a table and they add so much ambience. I love them added to my garlands. Luvs

Karen already shared the best piece of advice I was ever given.
Those little and ofton very inexpensive picks can easily do all kinds of colorful wonders. I started buying them by the buggie loads and now stuff them everywhere for filler. Looks sooo much better in my opinion.
Another was from a florist friend of mine who is far more creative than I'll ever be.
She says "it's Christmas! Don't fear excess and do it BIG." lol

For several years now I've used many white silk pointsettias to fill in my tree and really like the look. I also bot *LOTS* of those inexpensive silver balls to hang on the inside branches which reflect more light. I think that was a suggestion from Judith.

For crafters the best advice is to make things all year altho that's advice for next year. I'm always last minute on making things but that's part of the fun for me. Stressful for many tho.

However my best advice is what I've gradually been doing over many years and that's to give up trying to be Martha! LOL She has staff and I don't so I simplify wherever I can. I don't bake as much as I used to and no one has noticed the difference! LOL Also only do one large tree instead of 3. Started simplifying when I had a retail business and Christmas was so hectic it was no fun at all if I tried to do everything.

I also shop all year altho give fewer actual gifts, much easier and I know more appreciated to give cheques or gift cards! Always give each person a Christmas ornament and bought them at the after-Christmas sale last year. Can give nicer gifts for less money that way. I now have a gift drawer(s) since in the past I've forgotten where I put things!

LOL, LG, I have a gift drawer too after losing some things I bought early in the year a few times.
I'd forgotten about Judith's great advice of putting the cheap dollar store silver balls on the inside of the tree to reflect the lights and show off the prettier ornaments better. Glad you remembered that one!
Also Luvs is right, you can NEVER have too many lights!

I'm so glad this thread was started, its a good one for all of us. Thanks, Judy.

hugs, Karen

Don't have any hints, but I'm getting some great ideas.
NanaK

I learned this just the other day, in the nick of time.

I'm making my living room a Winter Wonderland theme since I have a white tree..my main decor colors will be white and silver with a touch of green and red.

I needed new stockings for the mantel since it's just my dh and myself. The pretty one's online cost way too much money.

On Monday I went to Walmart and they have their Christmas stuff out. I'll be darned, they had THE most gorgeous silver stockings, in two different materials, for only five dollars.

Plus, WM is starting to sell very nice Christmas ornaments and doodads now in different theme colors.

I also like the picks idea. I'm using those this year instead of a garland for my tree, which I can neve

My message got cut off. the sentence should end, "which I can never get right!" :)

Many people these days, myself included, have artificial trees (I'm unfortunately allergic to real ones). I tuck real pine cones into mine to give it a more realistic look.
Lynn

The one thing that everyone comments on at my house, is that I use every day and home made items as part of my Christmas vignettes. Antique coffee cups and butter pats look cute on the Christmas tree, the wooden toys that my Dad made are perfect in "snowy" displays on hutch and shelves. A poster my DS gave me is the perfect mantle display combined with my grown kids and my own musical instruments. Christmassy kitchen towels, hot pads, mitts and trivets decorate the kitchen and breakfast area and are very useful. The above mentioned "picks" poked in around my white ironstone collection, makes it look oh so festive. I also tie ribbons on any handles, chair backs, stair posts, light fixtures etc. that I see!! The easiest thing to use for "snowy" backdrops is angel hair...they have a new version of it that is not itchy, and looks beautiful under my village and on shelving units. The easiest "glitter" to fancy things up and still get it clean after the holidays, is the glitter you can spray on your hair and skin. It will brush or vacuum right off. You can also spray artificial tree trunks with "fir or pine" scented room spray when you assemble the tree. It will smell good for most of the holiday season, especially when the lights are on. HTH

Don't be in rush to down the tree... The 12 days of Christmas start Christmas day and go to the Epiphany (Jan 6). Leave the decorations up and enjoy!

xoxo

I don't know if this is my mom's original idea or not... but she has always stored her xmas ornaments in a BIG LIQUOR BOX! the kind you get from a liquor store that have cardboard dividers inside to protect each bottle. She wraps each ornament in tissue, tissue-paper, or a papertowel (depending on size and type of ornament) and slides them down into each section of the box, stacking them onto each other. They're all in one place and very well protected! It's what I do too! :O)

I wrap my presents as I buy them, so I already have a large number of gifts in the closet that are wrapped and tagged. I add the pretty ribbon/bows when I put them under the trees.

I also separately wrap the top and bottom of 2 piece boxes.
The recipient just removes the ribbon, lifts off the box top, removes the gift, and the box gets stored to be used again next year.

Address your Christmas/holiday cards now. Then they are ready to go after Thanksgiving, and there is one less task to do during the holiday rush.

When I put out my Christmas decor, I place the items they are replacing in the Christmas boxes and then switch it all back after the holidays are over.

Decorate your walls also...decorate mirror or picture frames with holiday picks and ribbons on the corners or swagss across the top, wrap large pictures to look like gifts hanging on the wall, change out your candles to holiday themed ones and add pretty holiday candle rings to wall sconces and cute or pretty stockings can replace small pictures on the wall, not just hang on the mantle.

I took a thrift store childs coat rack, painted it white and added a sign at the top that I painted "the stockings were hung by the chimney with care" and then spiraled red ribbon around the trunk to resemble a candy cane. My daughter uses it sitting next to her fireplace to hang her holiday stockings because one of the DGS's pulled down a stocking hanger when he was smaller and had to get stitches, so she didn't want to use the mantle hangers any longer.

TTFN,
Candy

I have bought a couple of artificial trees at the TS or SA and took them apart and used the branches to tuck in on shelves, cabinet tops, behind wall mirrors and pictures much like you can do with picks only on a larger scale. My mantra is you can never have too many greens and that is a cheap way to get a lot of greens.

Dollar Tree ribbon and LOTS of it - the spools are just enough to make a very generous bow with long streamers at a very low cost - $1.00 per bow

I take old scratched Christmas balls and cover them with ModPodge and generously apply glitter all over - let dry and then ModPoge again to hold the glitter on - there is no flaking off and they don't yellow over the years, Hung inside the tree they just sparkle

love all the other ideas .....

Lynne

I keep a big plastic tote on a closet shelf that I fill throughout the year ...especially after-Christmas sales...you can get the loviest ornaments for up to 75% off. I buy those expensive ones from specialty shops (that I drool over before Christmas like the glass dangly ones) & keep them for gifts that come up over the holidays. At this time of the year, I go thru the box & write down what I have ...it's fun & gets me inspired for Christmas! Jeanne S.

I'm getting lots of neat ideas from this post too--I love it! Being more organized and finding creative ways to use things makes it all more fun. ;o)

Luvs

Wrap the inside trunk of your Christmas from the top of the stand to the last branches with twinkle lights. This is in addition to your normal. Lights. I just wind a string around and around till I get to the top. I learned this from a professional window decorator in new York. It is amazing how much this little trick adds to the beauty of a tree...showing off ornaments tucked inside wonderfully.

Will someone please explain what the "picks" are - mentioned several times. Thank you.

PWMama, I'm lazy today, so here's a link showing some different kinds. They are usually around a dollar or less apiece at Michaels and Hobby Lobby.
Hope it helps.

hugs, Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: picks n sprays

simmer some apple peelings on the stove with some cinnamon. Your house will smell like you have been cooking all day. Janet