Yards of Garlands

    A fun way to make your home look like a Christmas fairy land is to use lots of lighted Garland.  It looks beautiful around doorways as well as windows.  Use it around large mirrors or to just fill in a large open areas between rooms.  Garlands allow you to use more Christmas lights and make a classy, cozy atmosphere.  Various themes can be used depending on the theme in the rest of the room.

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The garland above, is hung around a large mirror which allows for the lights in it to be somewhat reflected back.  It is a simple garland. I use red lights and a red velvet ribbon which I weave into it. The last touch is to wire clusters of three small red balls together at their their tops.  Cut the wire plenty long so that you can twist it to make the balls stay together, but still have enough length to wire each cluster into the garland.
    The fans and candle sconces have Christmas arrangements wired on to them.  These arrangements are not taken apart after Christmas.  Then the next year all that needs to be done is to pull them out and wire them onto the fans and sconces.  A safe and handy thing to use in place of wire on these, is soft, fuzzy pipe cleaner. You never have to worry about the wire damaging the shiny metal surface.  Just leave it in each arrangement so that it is quick and easy each year to attach.

Garland worked into a candelabra

   The candelabra above is very versatile.  I especially like to  use it at Christmas time.  I have cut a pine garland into two pieces.  One piece, I wrap around the pole and the other piece I have worked into the arms.  I then wire or just set in Christmas picks with holly, red berries and small pine cones.  To give it a finished look, I use a fairly sturdy, shiny red ribbon (about 5/8 inch width) which I weave back and forth through the garland; next, I wrap it up with a string of small red beads.  These are looped from the garland in the top (arms) of the candelabra and then add three long, slender red ornaments to dangle with the loops of beads.

Stair Railing Garland

    Stair railings are great places to use garland.  You can buy a pre-decorated garland or decorate your own. Be sure to work lights into it for an extra special touch.  White lights are especially classy.  However, in the one pictured above I used red lights to follow through on my red and green theme from the living room.  The red lights help to emphasize the red of the poinsettias.

White Pine Cone Garland

     In the garland pictured above, I have a small string of white pine cone lights that I leave in the garland for easier assembly each year.  I also wind a narrow, white and silver ribbon into it, and add white plastic snowflakes and clear acrylic gemstones.  A note about the tree.  This is an small alpine tree.  It is what I call the Icy Tree.  I use white lights, a collection of various acrylic snowflakes, clear or white snowflake balls, acrylic or glass icicles, small plastic pine cones, and iridescent strings of beads.  

Icy garland hung between the dining room and living room.

The icy garland above in the foreground, is part of the dinning room, snowflake theme.  The main goal of this garland it to create a classy, elegant look.  I use white lights, various sizes and shapes of white and silver balls/ornaments that I have collected here and there.  I also use different types of snowflakes.  However, before I start hanging ornaments on it I weave narrow white tulle through the garland.  This tulle can be bought by the spool in a craft or fabric store.  It is already cut to about a 8" or 10" width.  I just bunch it together and wind it in and out.  Fragile ornament tip: in order to be sure that the breakable ornaments do not get knocked off of this garland, I crimp each ball hanger around the garland as I hang the pieces.  The very lowest balls that you see pictured are actually plastic, so they can take the traffic of people walking past. The most fragile pieces I hang up high where they don't get bumped.

A bedroom garland

 The above garland is one I used this past Christmas in one of the bedrooms.  I used  a red velvet ribbon and then just filled in with an assortment of various sizes and types of ornaments--classy and cutesy.

    The kitchen has a theme of Gingerbread and candy.  The garland around the window (pictures not available just now) is done in white lights and a ribbon that has candy canes on it.  I then hang candy shaped ornaments on it.  These are just inexpensive plastic or acrylic bobbles--nothing fancy, but it has a cute affect.  In the middle of it there is a Santa Claus ornament that also carries the candy/baking theme.
    The upper kitchen cabinets do not go all the way to the ceiling so the top of them can be used for decorating as well.  One side has a perfect place for a garland.  I use a more rustic looking type garland here.  It is more like a vine with less pine in it.  I use a short string of red lights in this garland and add some red berries.  With an elf or two tucked in, it becomes an easy, fun way to add coziness to the kitchen. 

Garland over the living room window

    Over the windows in the living room, the garland is just a plastic holly garland--one of the old traditions of this household which have been in the family for a long time; maybe as long as I can remember.
    Garlands just have a way of adding a new dimension to the Christmas decorations.  They add a warm, homey touch and soften the edges of a room.  Don't be afraid to use plenty of them.