This Week: Decorating for Christmas

I find it amusing that now that money is in shorter supply, people are cutting back on the money they spend to decorate for the holidays. It somehow suggests that the only way to decorate is to buy decorations. That is so not the case, even if you are not an antiques person.

You can look at what you already have to see what you can use in new ways. If you use things that you have, together with things that you love, you can make your house warm and cozy for yourself and the holidays without spending a lot every year.

Country Junque is all decorated for the holidays. All it really took for them to do it was time. Most of their displays have been rearranged to group sparkling items and things in holiday colors together. Then they added in some decorations. The look is simple, elegant and seasonal.

When I got home, I tried to duplicate the look on a smaller scale. I took my antique silver iced tea spoons, placed them in three of my mother's water goblets and placed them on a white vintage cake stand. Now I have a beautiful display for my side table that was free and allows me to enjoy my collection of spoons and some family heirlooms I cherish.

I love old glass and mercury Christmas ornaments. They are too fragile to hang on a tree so instead I put them in a glass cookie jar so I can still enjoy them but they are safe from harm. I also have a Mason jar filled with a bunch of old, big colored bulbs from an old string of lights that did not work anymore. If you do not have the jars, anything glass will do: a salad bowl, a vase, even a tumbler to hold smaller ornaments. If you do not have old ornaments, any glass or shiny plastic ones will work just as well.

Another great way to display a glass ornament or one that you want to give a special place of honor is to put it in a wide glass that has been filled half way up with salt. It makes the ornament appear as if it is sitting on snow. Adorable and inexpensive, since regular table salt costs less than $1 for a box in practically any store. If you do not have any glasses wide enough, stop in at GoodWillies or the to pick up some for pennies.

Candles are always a part of my Christmas decorating scheme. I use only off-white or vanilla pillar and tapers so they will work anywhere in my house. I add some color to the pillar candles by putting some cranberries around the bottom of them.  Sometimes I use a small Mason jar of cranberries by themselves since their color is so perfect for the season.  At CVS candles start at 2.99 each. A bag of cranberries at King Kullen in Blue Point is $2.49.

Poinsettias are another must for me during this season. I must admit I prefer the white ones over the red ones, and I always buy at least two of them. One I leave as is, but the other I use just the flowers to display in individual glasses. When I am in King Kullen getting my cranberries I can also get three poinsettias in four-inch pots for $9.99.

Fruit, nuts and candy make great simple displays for the house, but they also serve another purpose: By having them on hand you always have something to offer people who drop by unexpectedly to wish you a Merry Christmas.  At King Kullen a can of assorted nuts starts at 3.99 each. When I am in CVS picking up my candles, I also buy a bag or two of holiday colored M&M's, Hershey's Kisses or Peppermint Patties, which are $2.99 to $3.49 each.

I also buy a box of 12 candy canes for $1 and two bags of spearmint leaves ($.99 each) since they look just like little Christmas trees. They look especially festive when I put them inside a few inexpensive antique dessert dishes or martini glasses instead of candy dishes. A small Mason jar or glass filled with a dozen candy canes will also add a little Christmas flair anywhere, especially on a desk or bedside table.