Gothic Christmas Decorating

Use simple lights that are found in most bargain stores. Skulls, pumpkins, ghosts, etc. If not, choose a color - orange and purple lights come out during Halloween so buy a few extra strands. Red and blue always make a bold statement.

Create a theme. For example, if you wanted to make a Witch's Christmas tree, try purple lights, crystals wrapped in wire hanging from a few of the branches, string up some tarot cards, create mini broomstick and black cat ornaments, and use a huge pointed hat for the tree topper. Complete the look with silver tinsel for magical appeal.

For a spider tree, you could use leftover webbing from Halloween (good luck taking it off again), and hang plastic mini spiders from the branches. Create beaded web ornaments, or use clear ornament balls to spread glue inside in a web design and attach a mini plastic spider to the outside of each one. Top your tree with an over-sized velvet spider figurine.

More dark themes are available on my Gothic Christmas Tree Themes lens.

If you want to be completely dramatic about it, hang your tree upside down - from the ceiling and hang skulls off it. LOL

Every few years you can find black or metallic black glass ornaments. But a simple handmade touch can be a bigger statement.

*Find or purchase pine cones and dried twigs. Roll them in a thin layer of glue and sprinkle them in fine black, purple and wine colored glitter.

*Save foam skulls and plastic spiders from Halloween to create unique ornaments. Paint, add feathers, glitter, or glue spiders all over them.

*Fill clear balls with mini bats, plastic spiders, small skulls, black floral petals, glitter, or figurines.

*Sew a decorative pendant in the middle of black silk rose heads. Tie them up with ribbon.

*Use your Gothic rings and jewelry as ornaments.

*String mini skull beads in between cranberries instead of popcorn.

*Create thick tulle bows to hang on your tree. Tie your favorite ornaments in the center of each bow to "feature" them.

If you don't have a mantel, use a bookshelf, hang up a decorative shelf, or make one with wood.

Accessories:
Use large dark colored pillar candles, mini tea lights, figurines, glittered vines and fruit shapes, and black/red silk roses.

Garland:
Regular garland can be dressed appropriately, but also use tangled vines, lace ribbons, black evergreen strands, and feather boas. Tie your garland up with large black, red, or purple velvet bows.

Hang varied lengths of long black and red socks from the edge for Santa. Or fill them up with coal yourself to save time. :-)

Place black silk roses in a small vase and use your extra ball ornaments inside or around the edges.

Use your imagination with different figurines that you collect. Dark angel statues, gravestones, dragons, etc. A roll of batting works well for the base of a very morbid snow scene. Cut out foam pieces to create platforms for depth and to seperate sections of your display.

Mini-lights in orange or red will keep your scene erie. Those small battery-operated mini lights that are used instead of tealights in pumpkins during Halloween come in handy.

I love wrapping gifts - even more than buying them! Every year, I make friends and family wonder what I'll do next, and then be afraid to open them and ruin the decorations. :-) I prefer wrapping elegantly, rather than something dark and silly. A few years ago, I used silver and red foil, black velvet ribbon, and large crystals that look like they should be on a chandelier.

To personalize gifts, I either hand craft ornaments that pertain to each recipient's personal likes, or write their name on a small glass ornament that gets tied up with the ribbon. One year, I made clay ornaments in different decorating styles - vintage, modern, rustic, etc. so that they could be reused on everyone's Christmas tree the following year.

I buy all my wrapping paper the year before in order to save money and to choose a style that no one else will have. This year, I have all the black and red wrapping paper that no one wanted last Christmas and it will look fantastic with large velvet bows and silk roses. All for a few bucks...

When you wrap your presents, you can incorporate your own decorating style. Black lace over foil looks very Victorian, cutouts on a second layer of wrapping paper can include modern or traditional touches. Be unique and creative, unless you really don't care and then just wrap the gift.

See my Gothic Gifts lens for more wrapping ideas...

Candy Cane Bones
Save foam bone shapes from Halloween and use tape to cover thin strips where you want the bone to show through. Paint the larger stripes red and allow them to dry. Peel the tape off carefully, then set up a few smaller stripes to spread a thin layer of glue. Sprinkle on red or green glitter. You can arrange the bones in a candy cane shape, or leave them as is. Poke a hole through the foam to tie up your decoration, or to add trimmings such as garland or feathers.

Gothic Snowflake Ornaments
You need clear ball ornaments, glue, and glitter to make these. Brush a thin layer of glue on the entire inside of the ball. Grab a pinch of red, purple, or whatever color you want the snowflakes to be and carefully drop the glitter in place. 3 lines with arrows on each end is a good beginner's design. When finished, and before the glue dries, sprinkle black glitter on the remaining empty spaces inside the ball. Give it a couple shakes to spread the glitter out evenly...