Decorating on a Dollar

Take out the holy, garland, and mistletoe.  String up the lights, ribbons, and bows!  Decorating for the Holidays can become costly and overwhelming, adding to unnecessary stress in a time when joy should be especially present in your home.  There are many fun and creative ways of making the house festive without crystal and hand blown glass.  Sometimes simplicity adds great focus to the meaning of the celebration and centers the household on the family within.

Classy
There is no reason to enter the Griswold Christmas Decorating contest this year.  I am sure that Santa will be able to find your house just fine, and you don't want a plane accidentally landing on it instead.  As well, I am sure the people inside the house would prefer to go to sleep without feeling like they are in Grand Central Station.

I love the look of white icicle lights, candles, and silver snowflakes. These silver glittery snowflake window clings were a new find this year.  They can be found almost anywhere, from the Dollar Store to craft and retail stores.  They are simple, reusable, and add a fun touch of winter to any window.  This is a very easy and classy way to make a room shine with a little glitter for the Christmas season!

Along the same lines, these Dollar Store snowflakes are great for using on windowpanes.  Simply hang from a small suction cup.  They look nice both inside and outside the house.

Creative


There are so many things to be done with scraps of this and that when it comes to decorating.  Thanks to the almighty Pinterest, any fragment of an idea can become about a million different projects in reality!  I contributed my own creation to the Pinterest Holiday mix this year with my Over-the-Door Holiday Card Display.

 

I found these plates for $1 each at Michael's Craft Store, and as well the garland was 60% off the original price!  The plates can be used as a centerpiece with a large candle, to present cookies, or with the garland as a mantle display.

The garland also works well as an easy and colorful way to decorate railings without the hassle of lights.

These Dollar Store candy canes were hand picked by my toddler and actually look like blown glass rather than plastic.  I used them outside, attaching them to the railing for a little gingerbread house flare.


Get crafty decorating small clothes pins that can be used to hang cards, lights, Advent calendars, ornaments, or on the fridge with magnets.

Add color to your front door with a berry wreath that is easy to make and some glitter to your home with personalized bows.

Sacred

The most important element of Holiday decorating of course is to keep the focus on the sacred event that is being celebrated, the birth of Jesus!  All focus in the home should reflect that central joy.  Nativity Sets should be visible so as to breed discussion.  They should also be interactive, for example keeping the Christ child out of the scene until Christmas, and having the three wise men at a distance until Epiphany (12th Day of Christmas), getting closer every day.  

A great project for kids is to make their own interactive nativity scenes out of Popsicle sticks or clothes pins.

The white candle of the Advent wreath is finally lit on Christmas Day to Celebrate the Savior.  

Prayer to Jesus in the Manger

O Divine Redeemer Jesus Christ, prostrate before Thy crib, I believe Thou art the God of infinite Majesty, even though I do see Thee here as a helpless babe. I humbly adore and thank Thee for having so humbled Thyself for my salvation as to will to be born in a stable. I thank Thee for all Thou didst wish to suffer for me in Bethlehem, for Thy poverty and humility, for Thy nakedness, tears, cold and sufferings.

Would that I could show Thee that tenderness which Thy Virgin Mother had toward Thee, and love Thee as she did. Would that I could praise Thee with the joy of the angels, that I could kneel before Thee with the faith of St. Joseph, the simplicity of the shepherds. Uniting myself with these first adorers at the crib, I offer Thee the homage of my heart, and I beg that Thou wouldst be born spiritually in my soul. Make me reflect in some degree the virtues of Thy admirable nativity. Fill me with that spirit of renunciation, of poverty, of humility, which prompted Thee to assume the weakness of our nature, and to be born amid destitution and suffering. Grant that from this day forward, I may in all things seek Thy greater glory, and may enjoy that peace promised to men of good will.