Home And Family

With so many things to take care of during Christmas time, it is very easy to procrastinate decorating till the very end and then realize that you simply don抰 have any time left to decorate. However, Christmas decorating does not necessarily need long hours and days devoted to it. Some simple touches in a flash are all that your house might need to look festive.

Here are some beautiful and quick ideas for busy housewives looking to decorate their homes for Christmas:

1. Make a festive centerpiece in seconds by filling a tall jar with cranberries and tying a red ribbon bow at the bottom of the jar.

2. Tuck in sprigs of evergreen behind photo frames to give the walls a distinct festive look.

3. Turn colored stem glasses upside down and use their bases (now their tops) to place tea lights and votives on. It makes a wonderful, glowing centerpiece.

4. Fill a bowl with pinecones and tuck in sprigs of holly or evergreen in between for a simple, yet festive centerpiece for any table.

5. Use garlands to quickly fill up blank spaces with Christmas spirit. Wrap them around banisters, pillars and poles, around mirrors or bedside poles, windows etc.

6. Use ornaments to decorate more than just your tree. Instead of stuffing your tree with more ornaments than it can handle, use them in other creative ways. Fill a bowl with baubles or string snowflake shapes in yarn and hang from windows.

7. Use candles for a festive effect. Mix pillar candles of different sizes or display a group of tall tapers together in any corner that looks dull.

8. Tie bows to your flower pots, door knob, kitchen grater, store-bought plain wreaths and any other unusual place to perk it up.

9. Potpourri is a bring Christmas spirit. Place Christmas scented potpourri in bowls set in different places especially near warmer places like near candles, fireplace or even the kitchen over so that the pleasing fragrances fill up your house.

10. Wrap empty boxes like gifts with festive wrap and ribbon and place them in stacks of 2 or 3 and place them on the side table, near the door, near the stairs or any other place they might look good.