Share & Win Holiday Decorations for the Home

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Nov 09, 2011
569

The smell of snow in the air. The sound of family members' laughter filling the house. Turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie on the table. Eggnog and hot chocolate filling our bellies. The glint of the colored lights decorating the neighborhood.

The holidays are just upon us and with that comes all the wonderful moments we're about to share with our loved ones. In addition to the  food, family, and gift-giving that make the holidays special, it's also the decorations around the home. It's the wreaths, the lights, the snowmen. It's the decorations that remind us it's THAT time of year.

And while this may be the first time you will be decorating your home for the holidays or the hundreth, we hope to get you started early and in the holiday spirit by sharing a few do-it-yourself ideas and also giving away some amazing holiday decorations!

Here are a few simple do-it yourself ideas that can help brighten your home:

  • A simple but classy way to dress up your dining room is to wrap each place setting with a length of wide, pretty ribbon. Do it in satin for a graphic statement, or in a loose organza for an elegant finish.
  • Colorful candy strands are a magical way to dress your mantel or tree. All you need is a sizable stash of wrapped treats and an ordinary office stapler. Simply staple the ends of the wrappers together in a regular pattern and voila!
  • Decorative candles are rarely cheap. Buy plain pillar candles and embellish them with thumbtacks and pushpins. Simply slide a rubber band around the candle to act as a guide, then stick in the pins to form a border at the candle's base (courtesy of www.goodhousekeeping.com)


We also want to hear from you! Share your holiday decorating secrets below and enter to WIN  fantastic holiday decorations for your home this holiday season. Do you have a favorite store that you turn to for inspiration? What are your favorite scents and where do you find them? Do you make any decorations yourself? Do you have tips on creating festive centerpieces or wreaths? How do you assemble your place settings? Any advice on creating your own garlands or candles? Share your ideas by posting a comment below! 

 

Prizes include:

The contest starts Wednesday, November 9th and ends at 6:00 p.m. EST November 14th.  Open to all United States & Canada residents. One prize per winner. No purchase necessary. **Note: Members please make sure that the address in your SheSpeaks profile is up-to-date . Prizes will be sent to the addresses we have on file. We will not resend any packages that are sent to the wrong address. To update your profile, please click HERE.

Good luck!

 

 

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dawnlovesmike by dawnlovesmike | BROOKLYN, NY
Nov 25, 2011

My decorating tip has to do with wrapping gifts. I take great pride in giving gifts that people don't want to open because the wrapping is so beautiful. In order to do this in a way that both makes Martha Stewart jealous and costs very little, I will look for (faux) wreaths or center pieces that are reasonably cheap and take them apart... hot glue gun a small "sprig" of holly, a small pine cone, whatever instead of using a bow. I find ribbon (cloth and wide always look best) on sale throughout the year (reds, greens, white, even blue) and toss it in my Christmas wrapping box. The final effect is FANTASTIC and costs next ot nothing when I find good deals. People always comment on how pretty they are and have even offered to PAY me to wrap their gifts! LOL

stef42678 by stef42678 | LAS VEGAS, NV
Nov 22, 2011

I change out my pillows for a great holiday look by adding fall and holiday colors on couches and chairs.

rkosully by rkosully | DOTHAN, AL
Nov 19, 2011

I love using pinecones to make wreaths or arranging them in a centerpiece around a candle. They stay good for a few years, too, so if you gather them be sure to save them!

ngcisneros by ngcisneros | GRANT, MI
Nov 16, 2011

We use the decorations that have been passed down to us through the years. Me and my kids do most of the decorating- no actually all of it.

BlondieChell by BlondieChell | WASILLA, AK
Nov 16, 2011

my holiday decorating secret isn't a secret! after i come home from Black Friday sales, I pull out all our Christmas stuff & the whole family joins in!

crismac by crismac | Bay Minette, AL
Nov 16, 2011

My holiday decorating secret is family decorating and ribbons and can't forget the childrens holiday art work from years past :)

stef42678 by stef42678 | LAS VEGAS, NV
Nov 16, 2011

I bake up gingerbread cookies and let the kids cut them in shapes for great ornaments on the tree.

nanceym by nanceym | NORTH WALES, PA
Nov 16, 2011

My secret holiday decorating tip is decorating a three foot topiary that sits in the foyer. Just purchase some holiday picks and insert them into the greenery add some ribbons and lights and you have a beautiful arrangement. Next holiday just get some holiday appropriate picks and replace picks in arrangement. Easy as pie and beautiful!

heatherfarr by heatherfarr | CREEDMOOR, NC
Nov 15, 2011

One of the easiest decoration ideas for the holidays is to buy a huge hurricane vase to use as a centerpiece. Many stores sell the cinnamon scented pine cones. Buy a bag of those and put them in the vase. Not only is it attractive and quite homey to look at, but it smells fantastic. Definitely a great way to ring in the holidays.

deegee166 by deegee166 | METAIRIE, LA
Nov 14, 2011

I like to have my home "smell like the holidays." A half hour before company arrives, I place a bowl of water with cinnamon and vanilla in the micorwave and boil the water for about 15 minutes. No need for chemical air fresheners, and guests think I've been baking all day!

Donnalynn by Donnalynn | Island Park, NY
Nov 14, 2011

Instead of using garland or tinsel on my Christmas tree, I use babies breath. I break tiny pieces off and lay it on each branch. It take some time to do, but in the end the tree looks like it has snow on it. Its very pretty.

drericsson1 by drericsson1 | DANVILLE, IN
Nov 14, 2011

Must involve the whole family, even the dog (who often is found wearing wreathes around the house). We like to drink a special holiday punch while decorating and listening to Xmas music.

bublebt13 by bublebt13 | Dewitt, VA
Nov 14, 2011

I love to put up tree and decorations directly after halloween. Then I start to make my wreaths out of squares of cloth and a screw driver. Using the screw driver in the center of the cloth, push into a naked wreath and continue until the fullness of your choice. You can do many different color cordinates and add glitter or different christmas decorations. My son and I also love to fill up the house with sweet aromas from baking cookies and holiday deserts.

Jackie77 by Jackie77 | Salem, OR
Nov 14, 2011

I love to decorate! I like to watch TV for ideas and we get started the day after Thanksgiving!! We go cut down our own Christmas Tree. The kids and I will decorate inside, while my husband takes care of the outside!! We then meet in the middle with a good ol fire in the woodstove and some good hot chocolate!!

love2dance by love2dance | ISLAND PARK, NY
Nov 14, 2011

Hi, I have something very different that I do on Christmas Eve, I make a tree covered with antipasto. I get a large Styrofoam cone and the I cover it with aluminum foil, I get colored toothpicks with the streamers at the ends and I stick each one in with different antipasto items like olives, artichoke hearts, salami, cheese, etc.... I then make the skirt for the tree out of cold cuts and put the tree on a Christmas plate. Then its time to decorate the tree. I have little boxed presents that you buy from the 99 cent store and I put them under the tree and then I have tiny garland from the 99 cent store that I decorate over the toothpicks and then I put a star on top. It really is amazing, everyone can not stop talking about it and said they have never seen anything like it. I have pictures from last year if you would want to see it.