Making a home more xmassy

[Eesha]

Hi,

Not sure this is the right place to post but everyone seems so creative here!

It's my first proper Xmas as a single parent of toddlers and I'd really like to make my home very xmassy for the children who are small enough to really believe. I'm really drawing a blank other than window stickers, stockings and a tree we will decorate together. My ex was a control freak who wouldn't let the children near anything or would rage if things weren't perfect so I really want to make the home as magical, child friendly and xmassy as possible for them.

Any ideas? Thank you all!

Look at 2D and 3D felt Christmas trees for your toddlers. My DS loved his 2D one last year as he could decorate it as much as he wanted.

I've got ds a lovely fabric Xmas tree advent calender, to hang on the wall, you just fill the pockets with chocolates and I think he will love having a treat each day on the lead up to Xmas.
I've also just orded some lovely vintage santa bunting for the fire place.
You could go for the little musical xmas scenes, I always found them magical as a child.
Maybe the singing and dancing Xmas soft toys you can buy! Ideal for toddlers!
Little Xmas eve boxes for the evening before? Little Xmas film, or book inside!

@Figmentofimagination I'm going to look into the 3D tree!

Love the 3D tree!

Also, garlands up the staircase, lots of fairy lights, somewhere to hang and display cards and their Christmas decs made at nursery.

Candles, make it smell Christmassy! A nativity set always looks lovely too if you want the kids to know the true meaning of Christmas. Lots of nice child friendly ones about these days.

We have some special Christmas cushions that come out in December, a red and white blanket.... etc etc.

Perhaps fairy lights up at their bedroom window? You could set them on a timer so they appear at special times?

I find with my kids that it’s the process of making things look festive, in the run up, that they enjoy even more than the house actually looking festive.

Paper chains are fun and festooned all over the place they make a big Christmassy impact for a very low price.
Collect pine cones, holly etc, and cut and dry orange slices to make a vase arrangement and/or door wreath.
Decopatch a large cardboard reindeer or star with them. Again, makes a big impact but not expensive if you use napkins rather than proper decopatch paper.

If your children make any Christmas decorations at nursery or with you, write their name and the year on the back. Then put them away carefully after Christmas. Over the years they can come out every Christmas and bring back lovely memories and a sense of family tradition for all of you. If you have lots, then just keep one for each child each year.

3d Christmas tree

Advent calendar - I'm making one this year which will have things like stickers, hair clips, hand painted wooden peg dolls, little chocolate occasionally etc.

Fairy lights make things look special

Visiting a Santa's grotto

Ice skating

Going to buy a special ornament for the tree and helping decorate

Salt dough decorations they can make and paint themselves

I just did baked orange slice garlands and my nearly 3yr old loved that
Could also do popcorn garlands or paper chains

Window stickers like you said and a wreath on the door or little reindeer ornaments etc

Going on a winter walk... My dd likes going out for a night time adventure where we wrap up and look for the moon/owls/bats

Have a look on Pinterest for family traditions to start - matching pj's, Xmas eve movie night or watching a Christmas film each weekend leading up

Little Christmas tree in their room or a pompom wreath on their door or paint a santa and add cotton wool beard to stick on their doors

Stick any nursery or school Xmas arts up on the fridge etc.

The works have lots of Christmassy bits cheap - colouring books, kits, card making

Going round where you live to light switch ons and taking photos to put on the wall or in an album

I'm sewing a christmas dress for my dds favourite soft toy
If they have a dolls house or small world play you could decorate that like little bristle trees or putting tinsel up etc.

Make a gingerbread house and display it or put a jar with gingerbread men or Xmas treats in

Cut out shapes in sandwiches like a snowman or star

Themed play ideas like shaving foam and glitter etc

I know some of these aren't home decor but I find the run up can really excite children and you can take photos of these things or stick art up and they can look at them or older kids can make a Christmas scrap book. Can be helpful for a transition so they can recall happy memories