Christmas Decorations

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Christmas is round the corner and you must have made plans to brighten up home. As you adorn your home with the decorations do you know their significance? Here are some…



MISTLETOE

Mistletoe is a symbol for peace and joy. During the times of Druids, whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. From this comes the custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

In the ancient times, it was forbidden to fight under the mistletoe. Mistletoe was considered to be a healing plant, capable of healing everything from infertility in woman to poison ingestion. Scandinavians also thought of mistletoe as a plant of peace and harmony.

CANDY CANE

Candy Cane is yet another important symbol of christmas traditions. The white color of the candy cane symbolizes the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus. The hardness of the candy symbolizes the solid rock, the foundation of churches and the firmness of the promises made by God. The candies are made in a "J" shape to represent the name of Jesus and the shape of the staff of the "Good Shepherd". And the three red stripes on the candy represents the Trinity and the blood shed by Christ to let us have the promise of the eternal life.

CHRISTMAS BELLS

Christmas Bells are an integral part of Christmas traditions as Christmas without the bells is incomplete. Bells represent Joy and Sorrow. They are a symbol of creativity and harmony; the creating Word, and the music of the spheres. [Genesis 1; John 1:1-4] High in the towers, suspended between heaven and earth, bells and especially their clappers, represent communication and suspension between heaven and earth, or humans and God.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Christmas Tree and its decoration forms an integral part of the Christmas celebrations. The Christmas tree is an evergreen coniferous tree which is decorated with sweets and lights in the spirit of Christmas. The Christmas Tree originated in Germany in the 16th century. It was common for the Germanic people to decorate fir trees, both inside and out, with roses, apples, and colored paper.

It is said that Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to light a Christmas tree with candles. While coming home one dark winter's night near Christmas, he was struck with the beauty of the starlight shining through the branches of a small fir tree outside his home. He duplicated the starlight by using candles attached to the branches of his indoor Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was not widely used in Britain until the 19th century. It was brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans in the 19th century.

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How To Make Outdoor Christmas Decorations

With Christmas just knocking on the door, decorating the interiors and the exteriors of the house is a daunting task at hand. Christmas decorations should be one that should exude both traditional and creative aspect. There are a lot of choices you can aim for whilst you are preparing to make your own Christmas decoration. From themes like forest, food or rustic to the much simpler options of Santa Claus and snowman, the options are varied. However, remember one thing that the decoration should be such that it should be inviting and create a wonderful atmosphere.



How To Make Outdoor Christmas Decorations

* Choose a particular theme and stick to it. While red and green are the traditional colors for the Christmas decoration, do not limit yourself just to them. You can opt for an entire gamut of bright colors and give a new and vibrant look to the outdoor of your house.

* Since we are talking about outdoor decoration, a greeting message at your front gate or door is the best way to start. Hang a warm Christmas welcome message on the outside door. Maybe a wreath or small bells, along with a message, is just the right option.

* You can decorate the outdoor walls using ribbons and balloons. They have a prominent presence in Christmas decorations. You can make bows out of ribbons of different colors and place them on the walls.

* Tie up three to four balloons together, in order to make a bunch, and stick them on the outside wall.

* When we talk about Christmas, trees form an inevitable part of the whole décor. Place a nicely decorated Christmas tree in your garden outside. Make sure that the tree is neither too small, nor too big. It should be of just the right size. The best way to decorate it is by using rings, bells and candies, wrapped in beautiful colored wrappers.

* Apart from the Christmas tree, you can decorate other trees and plants in your lawn as well. This would create a wonderful festive look. Lights, wrappers, chocolates, strip papers qualify as the best options when you are decorating plants and trees.

* Talking about Christmas, who can forget Santa Claus. Place a huge Santa Claus outside your home. Make sure that it is placed where there is ample of light, so that it is visible to even those who are on the street outside.

* For the backside seating area, have a snowman and a sledge give a wonderful look. Snowman forms an important part of outside décor. Make a jolly snowman, smiling all the time. You can also have the sight of a reindeer that merrily runs on the fallen snow. Place a small red light on the nose of the reindeer to give a real look.

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Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa", is the legendary and mythical figure who, in many Western cultures, brings gifts to good children on Christmas Eve, December or on his Feast Day, December 6 (Saint Nicholas Day). The legend may have part of its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas.



While Saint Nicholas was originally portrayed wearing bishop's robes, in modern times, Santa Claus is generally depicted as a plump, jolly, white-bearded man wearing a red coat with white collar and cuffs, white-cuffed red trousers, and black leather belt and boots. This image became popular in the United States in the 19th century due to the significant influence of caricaturist and political cartoonist Thomas Nast. This image has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, and films. In the United Kingdom and Europe, his depiction is often identical to the American Santa, but he is commonly called Father Christmas.

One legend associated with Santa says that he lives in the far north, in a land of perpetual snow. The American version of Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, while Father Christmas is said to reside in Lapland, Finland. Other details include: that he is married and lives with Mrs. Claus; that he makes a list of children throughout the world, categorizing them according to their behavior ("naughty" or "nice"); that he delivers presents, including toys, candy, and other presents to all of the good boys and girls in the world, and sometimes coal or sticks to the naughty children, in one night; and that he accomplishes this feat with the aid of magical elves who make the toys, and eight or nine flying reindeer who pull his sleigh.

There has long been opposition to teaching children to believe in Santa Claus. Some Christians say the Santa tradition detracts from the religious origins and purpose of Christmas. Other critics feel that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie, and that it is unethical for parents to teach their children to believe in his existence.[6] Still others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, or as an intrusion upon their own national traditions.

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Tips for Decorating A Christmas Tree


Choosing a Christmas tree:

You will surely get fake Christmas trees in the market, but it is always a fun and an experience when you get and decorate the original one. When you buy a Christmas tree this time follow these guidelines.

Buy trees with shorter needles, as it is easier to decorate. They even offer some space between branches for decorations as well as hold heavier ornaments, as the stems of these trees are stronger.

Main thing to emphasize while selecting a Christmas tree is freshness. Make sure that the needles look shiny, green and fresh. The needles should be resilient they should not fall off when you pull on a branch.

Make sure that the handle of the tree is straight as it is extremely important when you are securing the tree in a stand.

Check whether the Christmas tree is free of insects and egg masses before you get it inside the house.

Once you get the tree inside cut off atleast half an inch from the bottom of the trunk. The cut should be smooth and clean for maximum water absorption.

Decorating Christmas tree:

While placing the Christmas tree inside, ensure that it is placed away from heat sources such as fireplaces, television sets or radiators.

Do not ruin the carpet or get watermarks on hardwood flooring. Place a plastic or other waterproof covering on the floor

Use fireproof decorations and light reflectors. Make sure that the lights with brittle or cracked insulation is replaced.

Do not overload electrical circuits. Remember if a fuse blows it means the line is overloaded or it is attached to defective equipment. Get three 100 - light sets per tree foot.

Do not hang all your ornaments on the tip of the branches. Place some ornaments even inside the tree to add depth and curiosity.

Filler ornaments like basic solid colour balls should be arranged evenly around the tree. You will need about 20 filler ornaments for every 2 feet of Christmas tree.

Use thin beaded garlands. Even thick paper, ribbon or foil garlands look best when wrapped loosely around the entire tree. For a vertical foot tree use about two strands of garland.

To make the decoration more interesting use about 10 themed ornaments.

Spread cotton as thin as a paper on top of the branches to create an image of snow on the branches.

Place a star or an angel on top of the Christmas tree to get a traditional look.

Ask the kids to dress three teddy bears in a Santa dress with gift packed boxes in their hands. Place the three teddy bears below the Christmas tree.


Christmas tree decoration should not be one mans affair but a family fun. Get the whole family involved while decorating it.