Christmas is around the corner, and preparing your home for the festivities is probably the best way to enter the Christmas mood effortlessly. They say that having a visual cue is the simplest way to remind yourself of something important. Well, Christmas decorations can help remind you that the holiday, your day off, and all the good things that come with it are just around the corner.
This can help you power through some of the hardest days at the office and ensure that the interpersonal relationships in your home are at an all-time high. Here’s what you need to do to get there.
When Should You Start Decorating Your House for Christmas?
There are too many opinions on this subject matter. Some people start decorating as soon as Halloween is over, while some wait for the middle of December to get going. The truth is that there’s no general rule and that anyone who comes out with a definitive statement is doing nothing but expressing their elitist, gatekeeping stances.
There are a few things to take into consideration, nonetheless. First of all, Christmas decoration is usually quite power-hungry. So, starting sooner and taking it down later might be noticeable on your power bill.
Second, the very reason why Christmas decoration is so special is that it’s not there all year round. So, some might find that the longer they keep it, the less special it feels.
Lastly, if you’re hoping to see a date or any date, many people are putting up their Christmas tree (and the rest of the decorations) on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Nonetheless, it’s your house and your rules reign supreme.
How Do I Make My House Cozy for Christmas?
The first thing you need to do is ensure that there’s an ambiance of coziness in your home. Just think about snow and why it makes Christmas so special. Sure, you like making snowmen, practicing your aim with snowballs, and making snow angels… for about 20 minutes on the first snowy day. The rest of the month, you’re just shoveling snow from your driveway and avoiding muddy patches on the sidewalk. The real special feeling comes from the ambiance of it being snowy outside and cozy indoors.
To achieve this, you must first appeal to all the senses. Naturally, you want the home to be warm, so if your home is on the older side, you need to learn how to seal your windows for winter. When it comes to your heat source, there’s nothing wrong with an electrical heater but being able to produce a real fire (either through a fireplace or a wood stove) is incredibly important. The crackling of fire can add to the whole Christmas ambiance.
Speaking of which, the crackling of fire and howling of wind outside should be the natural aspect of your Christmas soundtrack. These, however, are not something that you’ll be able to affect. It’s not like you’ll order a wood-burning stove just for this Christmas, and you have even less control over the snow. On the other hand, you can make an amazing Christmas soundtrack. It’s also worth mentioning that all these Ambiental noises (wood crackling in fire, i.e.) can be found on YouTube.
Finally, you want to light up some scented candles and put some cinnamon buns in the oven. This way, your home will be filled with an authentic Christmas scent.
Clean and Stock Up
Cleaning your home before Christmas is incredibly important, seeing as how, during this period, you’ll be spending a lot more time indoors. First of all, you’ll probably be on your Christmas holiday. Second, the weather outside is going to be wetter and muddier, which means that your hallway might get particularly dirty if you’re not tending to it regularly. Third, it’s not unlikely that you’ll entertain more guests than you usually would.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that during the holiday season, there’s usually a buying frenzy. So, if you want to get gifts for everyone, as well as stock up on your home for your private celebration, it’s best that you make a list and start buying as soon as possible.
Christmas Decoration Checklist
Lastly, we come to the part that you’ve all expected since the title – the decoration. Now, keep in mind that everyone’s list is different, so feel free to cross off anything that you don’t see as necessary and add anything that we might have left out. Generally speaking, you should at least:
These five items are the basics and, combined with the steps we’ve described in the segment about making your home cozier, should be enough to introduce the spirit of Christmas in your home. If you want to add a bit extra, you can always look for figurines you need to set up the nativity scene, as well as add candles, tinsel, mistletoe, etc. One of the ways to gain some extra inspiration is to look up various decoration ideas online.
One of the best things about Christmas is that it’s a family holiday, which is why you should avoid doing it all on your own. Enlist some help and turn the Christmas decoration into a group activity. Remember, it’s all about the spirit of Christmas, and this decoration project might be exactly what you need to set it up. They say that, for the holidays, there’s no place like home. Make sure that your home lives up to these expectations.
Wrap Up
The last thing you need to understand is that preparing your home for Christmas doesn’t take too much effort. How is this possible, seeing as how there’s so much there to do? Well, because a lot of people don’t see it as effort. The very act of preparing your home for Christmas is one of the most universally loved activities around the year. With that in mind and a brief list to help you out, you can almost get started.
About The Author
Stacey is a freelance writer living in Minnesota with her cat, and she’s passionate about yoga, languages, home improvement, and drinking strong coffee. Find her on Twitter @StaceyShann0n