Before Christmas Arrives

I am one of those people who likes things in their season. That makes me guilty of complaining that Halloween isn't over and already people are advertising Christmas. What's with that?

These days, I'm looking at it from another angle. One of the reasons that we get so stressed during the Christmas Season is because we leave everything till then. I'm not talking about putting a gigantic Santa on your lawn in October but a little preplanning goes a long way.

Before we know it, Christmas will be here. For most of us it is such a mixed blessing. We love the sights, sounds and tastes that go along with it but hate the hustle and bustle of last minute shopping. Why not start early? Make a list and check it twice. Begin thinking about those special someones you want to buy for. Put on your super sleuth hat and give yourself time to come up with the perfect gift. You can already find many sales online. By buying early, you will be able to relax and look forward to visiting your friends and family.

Here in Florida, I plant Poinsettia plants in my garden landscape. I live on a corner and you will be able to see my planter from way down the street. I've seen other people actually create borders for their walks out of them. We may have to cover them a night or two to ward off frost but the visual impact is worth it.

If you live in a cooler area, You will probably keep your plants inside but they will still help to get you in the holiday mood. With a little care, these long lasting plants add holiday color all season long. Shop early and enjoy them to their fullest.

Smart Shopping Tip:
Shop smart while saving time and money online. Join Ebates now and save when you are ready to buy. It's easy and they have a long list of national retailers to choose from. If nothing else, you can recoup some of your shipping costs and sometimes find additional coupon deals as well. My biggest hurdle was training myself to go there first before visiting my favorite Vitamin site

Are you one of those people who loves to decorate with lights but hates the power bill that comes with it? What if you could use solar powered LED lights?

When I was a child, seeing a well lit-up home was part of the charm of christmas. Even now, I love to walk my neighborhood and see the wonderland my friends have made of our familiar streets. If your heart responds like mine does, check out the new lights that are available. These days you can find light nets, LED lights, icecicles, and probably some your neighbors haven't seen yet.

Our parents would have loved these. :0)

Did you know that wreaths can be used for something other than a door or wall decoration? Many people lay them on their side as a table centerpiece. Add some candles, flowers, pinecones, ribbon and something that sparkles, and your table takes on a holiday glow.

I used to live in a house that had a woodburning fireplace (yes, here in Florida). We didn't always need to use it in December so I would place a wreath on the hearth along with several candles in holders that varied in height. I added a matching garland around the top of the fireplace and it looked great.

I also used a more traditional wreath on my front door. Even if you live in a place where the landlord says, "no nails", Over-the-door hangers make it easy.

I mentioned in my Christmas Trees Galore lens that I always keep a Christmas stable down where my littlest guests can play with it. Amazingly, none of the central figures have ever been broken by those tiny gentle hands. They seem to realize how important it is to be careful with baby Jesus. At the same time, I wouldn't let them play with a very expensive set because accidents have been known to happen. If you keep an expensive set in a prominent place, you might want to find ways to make it special for the little ones. Maybe they can bring little gifts to baby Jesus or help decorate the scene with flowers. However you choose to do it, don't miss this opportunity to let them know what Christmas is really all about.

If you children are grown or you don't have the budget to buy individual nativity pieces, consider a one piece table display that will also get the message across.
A candle decorated with a bit of greenery strategically placed nearby and the Christmas story read from Luke, Chapter 2 are good places to bring the holiday focal point down to where it should be.

It's nice to think about the fact that our gift giving stems from those first gifts the Magi brought to the young Christ child. It would almost seem inappropriate to give such a young child gold, frankincense and myrrh. We would think more in terms of toys, baby clothes or other necessities but it turned out that their gifts were very timely considering that this little family would soon have to flee for their lives.

Some things never go out of style: spotlighting a beautiful tree, a garland wrapped around your lightpost, poinsettas and even the lights you outline your house with. These things have changed slightly over the years but the basic idea is the same.

The biggest reason I shop online is to find the special pieces that I can add to my basic decorating scheme to add a special impact. If I am going to purchase something to display, I want it to be unique. I can find things online that aren't in the store down the street. You know the first year something comes out it's fascinating. After more and more people buy one it becomes, "Oh, they have the blow up globe with the tree in it. That's nice". I like to look for something that I will be able to use year on year and still cause those who see it to pause and reflect.

Speaking of different. Have you seen these stone nativity scenes I found at Christmas Trees Galore. They are the type of thing that you can put in a special niche and might not want to put away when the season ends. Now there is bang for your buck - Christmas decorations that can stay on display all year long and not look trashy.

Aren't these wonderful?