How to get maximum Christmas out of decor?

[GreyishDays]

Children have requested a house covered in tinsel, which seems reasonable, given all the things we can’t do this year that we usually would.
I can’t quite picture how to achieve this though. Also without spending a fortune.

We normally have:

Lights up at a few windows, a couple of light up house things, two Christmas trees, bead things on the bannisters and between wall lights. What else can I do? Don’t have that many surfaces and won’t get round to lighting candles.

[DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult]

Christmas scene setters. You can get rolls with all sorts of patterns.

Last year I had a winter scene all over the living room for less than £20.

[UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername]

Get the kids to make paper chains. They want maximum Christmas, they have to work for it

[GreyishDays]

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

Just had a look on amazon.

Oh my god! Amazing! Did not know they existed.

Thanks.

[GreyishDays]

Good point Utterly

[Notgoingonholiday]

Literally ordering scene setters right now...also cannot believe I didn't know these existed!

[Notgoingonholiday]

My DD16 has also requested ott Christmas decor this year . I am happy to oblige, am thinking of a lot of fake snow, cotton wool?

[DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult]

Also for OTT decor, look at getting inflatables, they are ridiculous, and very ott, but can be folded away when you dont want them up. And they are pretty cheap too (depending what you get, around £25) I am the mad christmas lady in my house Also, for those who have sheds, turn them into christmas gingerbread houses by sticking plastic candy canes and sweets onto it (silicone is probably best as its waterproof and scrapes off) I bloody LOVE christmas decorating.

[thelegohooverer]

Just a word of warning from a recovering Christmas nut: don’t decorate every surface because it will drive you demented when you need to put things down! Better to add garlands/tinsel/snow to the edges of things - on top of picture frames and doorways, under the edges of tables and cornices. But leave yourself surfaces or everything will be horribly cluttered.

For Christmas oomph you need a train chugging around your tree. I wrap empty boxes in paper and bows, with holes cut through for tunnels and then stack the real gifts on top so that the train is protected. It gives the impression of the train just meandering through the presents.

You can maximise the impact of your decorations with music, candle light and the right smells (oranges studded with cloves drying in the oven and the smell of mince pies baking).

Greenery can be cheap if you can get it. I poke clippings from the hedges into our fake garlands and wreaths for a cheap but really lush effect. This time of year we pick up a few pine cones on our walks too.

Paper snowflakes on the windows can be lovely. Google how to cut them properly and check Pinterest for ideas to display them.

I recycle a big cake board each year for our gingerbread house but you could also just cut a circle from a cardboard box. The gingerbread kit is just a few £ from Tiger or Ikea but we do a snowy garden scene with a chocolate finger fence and sweetie trees. We pop the walls in the oven for a few minutes on parchment with crushed boiled sweets to make windows and seal an led light inside. It makes a lovely centrepiece until we eat it on Christmas Eve.

I have some lovely fur throws and woolly blankets that come out every year that aren’t quite Christmas decorations but really add another dimension to the house. We have winter bedding too (gorgeous brushed cotton). I know some people have Christmas bedding specifically.

[thelegohooverer]

Forgot one: if you have a white Fridge or other white goods you can turn it into a snowman with a couple of paper cut outs.
The picture is from amazon, but it’s easy enough to make yourself.

[Plussizejumpsuit]

I love that your kids have asked for this. Very cute and also what I'm feeling
I normally put decorations up mid Dec but think they will be up as early as poss. I do have a lot of decorations. I have garlands up on walls and windows. Plus Christmas tree shaped ornaments. Do you have room for a second tree or one next to the front door? Going to follow the thread for other ideas.

[ShaunaTheSheep]

Bring the outside in by decorating trees and bushes visible through the windows with lights (solar/battery are easy) and cheap shiny baubles.

IKEA usually have large illuminated paper stars to hang in the windows.

Definitely stealing the tree train idea, although I may use Scalextric track so we can race cars around it

Appealing to all five senses is the way to go.

[Londonmummy66]

DIY is more fun and they get to help.
Paper chains - buy some and bulk out with pages cut from glossy magazines,
Ivy if there's somewhere you can pick it for free and your kids aren't too tiny as its poisonous - twist lengths of it round bannisters and drape over pictures and mantlepieces (its really pretty with little lights twisted in it),
Paper snowflakes (you can download amazing templates from the net) cut out and stick in the windows with whitetack so it doesn't leave greasy marks,
Felt decorations - either teach them to sew or use glue and make garlands with mini stockings, mittens, trees etc - one year we made a garland with stuffed hearts and bells from Kirsty's Handmade Christmas which is always good for cheap ideas.

[Plexie]

Try searching 'Christmas window decals' for window clings, eg
christmasstickerfactory.co.uk/index.php/product-category/christmas-window-stickers/

I actually have a book with patterns for paper snowflakes

[OhioOhioOhio]

The scene setter sounds amazing

[Crocky]

images.app.goo.gl/tynibYCZHhXZGUjP6
My daughter made these a few times. They look fiddly but are actually really easy to make.

[AutumnleavesturntoGold]

Op, wrap rl tinsel around lamp bases, what ceiling lights do you have? Every year our lights are transformed into Xmas scenes, hang those tinsel type stuff ceiling... Wilko have them can't remember the name!

I'd personally think of a theme, perhaps land of the sweets from the nutcracker?

[AutumnleavesturntoGold]

In my experience, it's things hanging from the ceiling that really makes the house look different and exiting.

[Chottie]

Have a wreath on your front door with little LED lights in it. Put lights in any trees / bushes in your front garden.

[lexloofah]

The fridge idea above, you can do on internal doors either snowman or wide ribbon to make it look like a present, sure there just be lots of ideas on Pinterest

[goose1964]

We have tinsel on the top of the bookcases and the units which are put over strands of light. The drawers have a nativity and lots of animal figures, often glittery. It takes DH three or four days as we have a lot of furniture. After he's does the living/ dining room the banisters are covered in tinsel too. We keep it all dived or white an it really sparkles with the lights.

[GreyishDays]

What great ideas. I am pondering now!

Thanks everyone.

[NellyTimes]

www.dimoohome.co.uk/search?q=christmas%20*&type=product

Am so tempted by these...

[Mutabilis]

We've had a few budget Christmas years recently and white and silver paper chains and snowflakes cut out of white and silver/ holographic paper and attached in strings that hang down from the ceiling were really effective plus fairy lights, we got lots of "wow you've really gone all out this year" from visitors which was great and entertained the kids. We all got a bit competitive on snowflake designs as we went along.

[WisestIsShe]

@NellyTimes those sofa covers are amazing!

[lexloofah]

@Plexie I ordered from the Christmas sticker factory that you linked above, they are fab, really looking forward to Christmas-ing our windows and doors nearer the time, thank you