Traditional Christmas decorating can encompass many things. Perhaps the main element of traditional Holiday decorations is that all time favorite – an evergreen Christmas tree. While in some ways, the décor of the season has undergone a slight change, there are some things that have remained the same over the years.
Christmas tree decorations were once hand strung popcorn and cranberries. Dried oranges were hung with thread. Candles were balanced on fresh evergreen branches. Traditionally, all Christmas trees were freshly cut, still bearing the scent of pine and still oozing sticky sap.
Now we have a multitude of options when it comes to Christmas trees. In addition to live trees, whether freshly cut by ourselves or purchased from a Christmas tree lot, we also have the option of buying artificial trees. Christmas trees can be purchased in a variety of heights and widths.
They may be artificially flocked or even colored. For a traditional look, choose either a green tree, whether live or artificial fir, pine or spruce, as a start for your tree decoration. Although not impossible, it can be very difficult to have a fabulous Holiday decorating theme around a mediocre or lackluster Christmas tree.
Traditional Holiday colors are red, green, white and gold. Yellow, blue and silver can also be used in appropriate shades but are not the primary traditional colors. Your Christmas tree can be decorated with lights. Electric lights in white replace the old fashioned candles both for safety and cleanliness reasons.
Ornaments can be hung and popcorn and cranberry strands can be hand strung or purchased freshly made or in artificial varieties. Highlighting your Christmas tree will be easy with the use of a braided oval rug in cranberry or forest colors. Placing the tree atop an area rug will also help define its area in a room.
Decorations can easily continue throughout the rest of your house with the use of braided area rugs, old fashioned wooden accents and traditionally colored textiles and wall hangings. Holiday wall quilts, hand stitched throw pillows and painted wooden Christmas crafts will add to the traditional feel of your decorations. Round glass ball or glass-looking ball ornaments will brighten a tree and reflect the lights throughout your room.
One of the nice features of traditional Holiday decorating is that you can utilize old fashioned looks without having your house appear outdated. Old fashioned accents or rugs will give your décor a homey warm feeling when at other times in the year those same pieces will make your home feel outmoded.
Keeping large pieces of décor available to exchange during the holiday season can really set your decorations apart from the rest of the year. Large area rugs, special pieces of furniture like rocking chairs, standing decorations such as rocking horses or old fashioned drums sets, and even large basket sets for holding blankets, throws and pillows can all be brought out and used as part of your holiday decorations to bring that traditional feel to your home.
Keeping your color scheme to the traditional colors will help to maintain the traditional feel throughout the Christmas season at your house. Allowing the cranberry reds and forest greens to dominate your décor will help to keep this theme alive.
