# What is Your Christmas Decor Theme?



## texasgirl (Nov 2, 2008)

What is your theme for Christmas decor?

Mine is Blue, white and silver. Snowflakes and snowmen. I have snowglobes and snowman all over the shelves.






I had a thread from 2005 for this, but, it wouldn't let me bump it up. Shows at off topic chat when I find it in a search?? So I did a new one.


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## quicksilver (Nov 2, 2008)




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## lifesaver (Nov 2, 2008)

those trees are so pretty.


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## quicksilver (Nov 2, 2008)

Oh, no you don't, tg. If you can, so can I !!!!! LOL!!!!!


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## texasgirl (Nov 2, 2008)

quicksilver said:


> Oh, no you don't, tg. If you can, so can I !!!!! LOL!!!!!



what, what?? You do the same?


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## Saphellae (Nov 2, 2008)

I don't put up Christmas decorations before remembrance day, it is considered rude. It takes away from their day. I know many soldiers and am related to many, Nick is also one.


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## Alix (Nov 2, 2008)

Really Saph? Considered rude by whom? My Dad was a WW2 vet and I never heard him complain about that ever. 

I think TG was just asking what people's themes would be, not when they put up their decorations. I know how staunchly she is behind her country's troops and I would hate for her to get the mistaken impression that you are critical. I know you aren't, so I'm hoping this will clear things up for you both.


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## deelady (Nov 2, 2008)

I don't really have a "theme" but the colors I concentrate on are a deep wine red and gold trim....I guess I would call it a classic/traditional look...?
This is actually the first year in many many many years I am actually starting to feel the spirit again!


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## babetoo (Nov 2, 2008)

i don't really do a tree anymore. have a huge fake ficus and i put lights and garland on it, i call it my california christmas tree. i have a lot of wreaths and those go up. have one metal tree for kitchen table that has lace angels on it, i made it. theme is cottage, kinda old fashioned things. i have to get really into spirit, to do more, cause only me to admire it.


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## kitchenelf (Nov 2, 2008)

I have to agree with Alix - this isn't a "when" question but a "theme/color" question.  So, say it's AFTER Remembrance Day Saph - do you have a theme?

My theme is ANYTHING as, while I love to have everything decorated I hate doing it.  One year, ok, TWO YEARS!...I put lights and garland on the tree and that's all   It still looked good and I didn't have to put ANY decorations up after!!   

Mostly I do red/green/gold/a bit of lime green/white...there's a few other colors in there...I guess you could say it's all pretty traditional except for the lime green...I bought a few things last year that were "limey" and loved how it brightened everything up!


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## middie (Nov 3, 2008)

I don't have a theme. Most of my ornaments are mis-matched lol


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## simplicity (Nov 3, 2008)

My theme is also unmatched, especially in the Christmas tree.  It is sentimental. I have a few bulbs dating to the early 1900's, paper chains  and clothespin dolls made by the children when they were very young, ornaments given by friends.  Each year we string cranberries and popcorn.  We add candy canes and red bows. It is a mismatch.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.


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## foodisfood (Nov 3, 2008)

texasgirl said:


> What is your theme for Christmas decor?
> 
> Mine is Blue, white and silver. Snowflakes and snowmen. I have snowglobes and snowman all over the shelves.



probably going to be mine as well. I think that a deep blue and silvers and whites are an amazing combination... can't wait to start decorating for the holidays!


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## Constance (Nov 3, 2008)

I finally came to realize that what goes up must come down,  so I set my grapevine reindeer out on the front porch, put a wreath on the door, and buy a couple of big poinsettias for inside the house...one red and one white.


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## quicksilver (Nov 3, 2008)

texasgirl said:


> what, what?? You do the same?


Nooooooooo, you coy thing, you. I meant that crazy first post you edited. And then it made my comment silly. So I edited the comment. LOL!

I put a ribbon wreath I made on the front door, dress
'weiner dog' in his elf suit to visit, and cook stuff to bring to everyone.
That's it. I don't really have many guests, so it's so
much work to not have anyone, including me, enjoy.

But I still have everything I've collected for 33+ years.

Whenever I move or clean the shed, I get to look through them.

The one thing I always do for the past 14 years is I give my niece a unique ornament every year 
for her mother to put away til she's on her own. 
She'll have quite a starter collection and keepsake by then.

It's what my grandmother started with me. 
I have no kids, so I passed it on to niece.


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## Alix (Nov 3, 2008)

OOPS! I totally forgot to mention my theme is "early handmedown" with a touch of "make sure the dog/cat won't die if he eats it". LOL, we have no theme. I am decoratively impaired and we just toss things willy nilly til it looks like the Christmas elves threw up on our living room.


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## kadesma (Nov 3, 2008)

I love Christmas and enjoy putting up my tree. My oldest daughter always comes and helps with the lights and setting out my angels..My tree is done in silver and gold, crystals, the only colors would be the robes on the angels, we have a lot of balls that are mirrors, lots of icycles and white lights...My dinning room buffet is white and silver  ...I do this mostly for the little ones, you should see the ooo's and ahs when they see it the first time. It's as if it's brand new and you don't mind the work so much. Dh is a darling about helping take it all down so I don't mind and after being sick and wondering if I would even put up a tree last year, I'm looking forward to this year...I'm wishing everyone some joy and peace and a quiet evening just looking at your tree and the flickering lights and remembering how it was when we were children.

kadesma


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## pdswife (Nov 3, 2008)

Every year about a million snowmen take over my house around the holidays..
a few of them stay out to make me smile all year long.


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## texasgirl (Nov 3, 2008)

Alix said:


> Really Saph? Considered rude by whom? My Dad was a WW2 vet and I never heard him complain about that ever.
> 
> I think TG was just asking what people's themes would be, not when they put up their decorations. I know how staunchly she is behind her country's troops and I would hate for her to get the mistaken impression that you are critical. I know you aren't, so I'm hoping this will clear things up for you both.



You're beautiful, you know that!?

Saph, I just like to know what other people decorate with. When people put their stuff up is of no interest to me. Everyone does their own thing. I don't put my stuff up until the day after Thanksgiving.
BTW, my daddy was a Vietnam vet and my brother served in the Army, I NEVER forget the men and woman that give me my life. No matter what day it is. I don't feel that Christmas has any affect on that.


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## kadesma (Nov 3, 2008)

Stacy, you and Erica could be sisters She is a snowman person..Take her looking at ornaments  and I go for a beautiful angel and guess what my girl comes at me with?  Yep  a chubby little snow person. She just loves them...I just love getting her things for her collection doesn't matter the size, each one is loved  Now her sister, lordy, she drags her feet, til I could wring her neck..I finally had to guilt trip her, saying what about Olivia and Ethan, they need a tree and lights..now it's time to do it again.. Deep breath and get ready ma

kades


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## jabbur (Nov 3, 2008)

I don't follow a color theme much but I do like to make my Nativity the centerpiece on the mantle and the tree has a preponderance of angels and sentimental ornaments.  My grandfather made some lovely wooden ornaments and my grandma painted and decorated them plus ones the kids made over the years.


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## luvs (Nov 3, 2008)

silver/red bulbs, clear baby lights, also around my ceiling.


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## Andy M. (Nov 3, 2008)

I thought Christmas already came with a color theme - red and green!


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## LPBeier (Nov 3, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> I don't put up Christmas decorations before remembrance day, it is considered rude. It takes away from their day. I know many soldiers and am related to many, Nick is also one.



Saphellae, my DH puts lights up November 1 (or thereabouts) every year.  We don't put up decorations, per say, but lights galore, inside and out.  I never thought of it as rude.  My Dad is a veteran of WWII and he always gets a chuckle about our lit up house.  Don't think he has ever made a connection with Remembrance Day, which I respectfully acknowledge every year.

I apologize if it offends you.

Oh, our tree (which goes up 1st of December) is always just mostly white lights and simple gold ribbon and balls with some favourite decorations thrown on (but most of them are subtle colours.  The rest of our house is just lights of every colour in every room!  Hydro loves us for two months of the year!

The reason for the flood of light so early?  DH is convinced it helps with "seasonal" depression!  I just think it looks great.


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## texasgirl (Nov 3, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> I thought Christmas already came with a color theme - red and green!



Touche!!

Ok, what do you decorate with then? lol


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## elaine l (Nov 3, 2008)

I decorate in Early American Yard Sale.....only kidding but all of my decorations are handed down to me and are all from my childhood which makes them antique. The ornaments for the tree are my mother's, grandmothers' and a few from my great grandmother.    I just love having them and reliving every time I pull them out.  I also inherited my mother's collection of Buyer's Carolers.


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## GrantsKat (Nov 3, 2008)

The first time my Dad came to visit me here in Florida, he brought ALL the christmas decorations that my Mom had used since I was little! At first I was suprised & asked why he didnt want to use them....of course I knew by the tears in his eyes how dumb I was to ask....since she had passed he didnt want to decorate anymoreit was just too painful for him.
So I decorate my house and tree with many ornaments & decorations that my Mom collected over the years. Some of them are older than me, some of them she made, & some of them her & I made together.
Now that my Dad is also gone, christmas & decorating are even more difficult because everything I decorate with brings back so many memories.
I think right now I do it solely for my boys....ugh Im crying like a big, silly baby! Time to go.........


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## texasgirl (Nov 3, 2008)

GrantsKat said:


> The first time my Dad came to visit me here in Florida, he brought ALL the christmas decorations that my Mom had used since I was little! At first I was suprised & asked why he didnt want to use them....of course I knew by the tears in his eyes how dumb I was to ask....since she had passed he didnt want to decorate anymoreit was just too painful for him.
> So I decorate my house and tree with many ornaments & decorations that my Mom collected over the years. Some of them are older than me, some of them she made, & some of them her & I made together.
> Now that my Dad is also gone, christmas & decorating are even more difficult because everything I decorate with brings back so many memories.
> I think right now I do it solely for my boys....ugh Im crying like a big, silly baby! Time to go.........



What an awesome gift your dad gave you!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




Cherish them and love them. Don't let the fact that they are gone, bring you down, sweethear. Look at them and smile at all the times you woke to see them with Santas gifts under them. The memories of your mom so lovingly decorating with them. It's hard, I know, that is why this year, I have decided to love it instead of letting it get me down. It's a magical time of year. Let the magic take over and let those memories flow and tell them you love them, out loud and know that they are both looking down and loving that you are carrying on for them.


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## kadesma (Nov 3, 2008)

Kat,
you have the perfect opportunity now to capture some memories for your boys. Share your good times with them. Sit them down with some hot chocolate and cookies and tell them several stories of way back when..Do this with them through this special season, take out pictures of grandpa and grandma, let them imagine how it was then for you, that magic little children   can invision...This can make the holidays magic for them and for you, it will warm your heart with yesterday's
kades


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## suziquzie (Nov 3, 2008)

Well Kathe you're not crying alone!!! 

Alot of our stuff was DH's grandmas'. His Mom also gets us a new something or other every year.....
The kids each get to pick out an ornament at the store every year, sometimes we make some. 
I learned to crochet thread snowflakes last year.... I gave them all away but I've got myself a little blizzard tucked away, hopefully I'll have a couple for me this time. 
 
Pretty much anything goes, so long as its  CUTE!


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## smoke king (Nov 4, 2008)

A whole lotta lights on the house, illuminated candy-canes along the walkway, and my favorite, a life sized inflatable Santa riding a chopper on my roof!! (Hey _everybody_ does the sleigh & reindeer thing....)


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## Barbara L (Nov 4, 2008)

Alix said:


> OOPS! I totally forgot to mention my theme is "early handmedown" with a touch of "make sure the dog/cat won't die if he eats it". LOL, we have no theme. I am decoratively impaired and we just toss things willy nilly til it looks like the Christmas elves threw up on our living room.


You took the words right out of my mouth Alix!

I love bright, colorful, and cheerful decorations. I have a thing for penguins and polar bears, as well as all the other things that come with Christmas. I have a combination of cute and silly decorations as well as the serious ones (still looking for the perfect Nativity set though), and I don't combine the two. One of my favorite decorations is a clay type tree (12 to 15 inches high) with various animals playing in it. (I just found it and took a few pictures of it--sorry for the shadows!).

We haven't been able to put up a full-sized Christmas tree since moving here. I can't wait to have a full-sized real tree again someday. We don't have enough ornaments for a full-sized tree right now anyway, but when I see one that has special meaning to one of us, I buy it. For instance, James loves Star Trek, so a few years ago I found some miniature Star Trek ornaments on ebay and bought them. I usually buy an ornament or two at church each year as well (the kids make them to raise money for missions).

Barbara


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## texasgirl (Nov 4, 2008)

That is too cute, Barbara!! I love the stuff like that!!


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## LPBeier (Nov 4, 2008)

smoke king said:


> A whole lotta lights on the house, illuminated candy-canes along the walkway, and my favorite, a life sized inflatable Santa riding a chopper on my roof!! (Hey _everybody_ does the sleigh & reindeer thing....)



Smoke King, for some reason, even though I have never met you, I could have pictured that Santa on your roof without you mentioning it!  Why don't you invite those church ladies over for tea and cookies after you put if up this year!


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## LPBeier (Nov 4, 2008)

Barbara, that is beautiful and I like the idea of the kids making ornaments for missions.  That's something I should suggest at our church!


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## suziquzie (Nov 4, 2008)

smoke king said:


> A whole lotta lights on the house, illuminated candy-canes along the walkway, and my favorite, a life sized inflatable Santa riding a chopper on my roof!! (Hey _everybody_ does the sleigh & reindeer thing....)


 
LOL, does your house look like Chevy Chase's in Christmas vacation??
Gosh I love a corny movie!!!


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## GotGarlic (Nov 4, 2008)

My style is colorful and eclectic. I like red, blue, green and yellow strings of lights with red and gold garland and lots of ornaments collected over the years for the tree, and greenery like tree trimmings and ivy and rosemary branches from the garden strewn around on surfaces. We buy one new ornament every year and they're all different.


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## Fisher's Mom (Nov 4, 2008)

My Christmas decorating has changed dramatically over the years. I love a beautiful live tree with simple white lights and lots of special ornaments. I made a beautiful tree skirt that I've been using for many years and each child has a stocking that I made years ago, too. I love swags and garlands of real evergreenery (?) and big red bows and real pine cones. You get the idea - very traditional.

Well, I proceeded to have 5 sons - all of whom inherited their father's "good taste". Hence, I now have a hideous, fiber-optic tree that turns purple, green, orange and red. I have inflatable Santas and snowmen. I have a big stuffed reindeer that sings "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" every time you walk by it. I have a wreath decorated with chili peppers and little chihuahuas dressed in Santa suits. I could go on and on but it's too depressing.

Anyway, I decided that since the men in my life get such a kick out of having the tackiest decorations on the planet and they seem to find them absolutely splendid, I just look the other way. I figure one day they will all be gone and I can have everything decorated just the way I like it - and I'll probably be crying my eyes out that the house is so empty!


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## suziquzie (Nov 4, 2008)

LOL I love all those silly talking things!!!! 
My MIL had a butt-shakin' dancin' santa at one point.... of course her husband probably bought it...


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## Fisher's Mom (Nov 4, 2008)

suziquzie said:


> LOL I love all those silly talking things!!!!
> My MIL had a butt-shakin' dancin' santa at one point.... of course her husband probably bought it...


 I have a Santa that laughs really hard and his belly shakes and then he farts. Really. I swear. Maybe my hubby got it at the same place your FIL got his Santa?


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## GotGarlic (Nov 4, 2008)

Fisher's Mom said:


> I have a Santa that laughs really hard and his belly shakes and then he farts. Really. I swear. Maybe my hubby got it at the same place your FIL got his Santa?



All right, someone's got to post a video of that!!!


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## Barbara L (Nov 4, 2008)

Fisher's Mom said:


> ...I figure one day they will all be gone and I can have everything decorated just the way I like it - and I'll probably be crying my eyes out that the house is so empty!


And the following year you will decorate with all the tacky stuff to bring back the memories!

I guess you could say that I'm about halfway between traditional and tacky in my decorating tastes!

Barbara


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## YT2095 (Nov 5, 2008)

Predominantly Red and Green here, but I like lots of shiny silvery glittery stuff too, I even put a small tree in my Lab


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## chefmaloney (Nov 5, 2008)

I love all the colors and I have collected everything from angels - santas - snowmen-  candles & holders - stockings - you name it. 
I guess I have more snowmen than anything. each year I pack everything very carefully because a lot of it is glass or fragile. It all goes in the shed after new year.
I didn't have the energy to put up the lights last year. My property is surrounded by trees and you can't really see much of the house from the road so if I do it it's mostly just for the family. Not gonna run extension cords to the trees. I do like the indoor lights, so festive.


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## texasgirl (Dec 3, 2013)

In 2008, I had the honor of getting to know this sweet lady. She reminded me so much of my mom that I felt drawn to her immediately. She helped me through some tough times and I just had to show her how much I cared for her.
This thread was to see what all everyone did, but, my goal was to see what CJ liked at Christmas. Fitting too that angels were her favorite. I found a beautiful angel doll and sent it to her for Christmas. She loved it. I hope she put it out every year and remembered how much she was loved by this Texas girl!!
I will miss you so much CJ!! The Toso family will always be in my prayers and my heart. God Bless!!!



kadesma said:


> I love Christmas and enjoy putting up my tree. My oldest daughter always comes and helps with the lights and setting out my angels..My tree is done in silver and gold, crystals, the only colors would be the robes on the angels, we have a lot of balls that are mirrors, lots of icycles and white lights...My dinning room buffet is white and silver  ...I do this mostly for the little ones, you should see the ooo's and ahs when they see it the first time. It's as if it's brand new and you don't mind the work so much. Dh is a darling about helping take it all down so I don't mind and after being sick and wondering if I would even put up a tree last year, I'm looking forward to this year...I'm wishing everyone some joy and peace and a quiet evening just looking at your tree and the flickering lights and remembering how it was when we were children.
> 
> kadesma


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## Mad Cook (Dec 6, 2013)

When I was little we always put them up on the Sunday before Christmas Eve but when I first became a householder in my own right I followed the German/Austrian tradition of putting them up on Christmas Eve. Not that I and German or Austrian, I just liked the tradition. Now I've gone back to the Sunday before Christmas Eve as I follow the tradition of keeping them up until January 6th so they are up for Christmas, New Year and Twelfth Night (in case I run mad and have a party over the holiday). For me, November is far to early to decorate. If absolutely essential there could be an excuse for putting them up on the first day of advent but I feel that is still pushing it a bit.

This year in shops and magazines the fashion seems to be white and gold. Very pretty and an improvement on last year when it was black including black Christmas trees - I know some people find Christmas depressing but that was going a bit far! I usually go for red and gold and a real tree, with the mantel over the fireplace got up with off-cuts of fir branches and holly from the garden, artificial berries if there aren't any real ones around and pine cones sprayed gold. And, of course, Christmas cards.

Over recent years a practice has grown up around here of decorating the outside of your house with fairy lights and illuminated Father Christmases, snowmen, reindeer and, for some reason American type steam railway engines with cow catchers on the front. In some districts this seems to have become a competition to see which house has the most garishly lit with every plant in the front garden festooned with coloured lights. (Oh dear, I hope this doesn't make me sound like an awful snob!)

Talking about muddling your festivals, the local supermarket here had hot cross buns on display a month ago (for the uninitiated these are a sweet yeasted cake made with dried fruit and spice and with a cross design on the top, traditionally eaten on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter Sunday)!!!!


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## Addie (Dec 6, 2013)

When I was a lot healthier, I would have all the grandchildren over the day after Thanksgiving. All my decorations for the tree were made of wood and child safe. I would put the lights on the night before and then let the go to it. I had some very interesting trees over the years. I always let my kids decorate the tree. 

When they were done I would take the Pillsbury cookie rolls, cut them in half and each kid got to make cookies. When they were done, I had a big pot of cocoa to go with the cookies. At the end of the day, I collapsed.


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## CarolPa (Dec 7, 2013)

TexasGirl - I am so glad you re-posted Kadesma's Christmas post from 2008.  It is very touching and appropriate as she passed away right before Christmas.  Thank you!


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## CarolPa (Dec 7, 2013)

I have a green tree and a white tree and my tree looks different every  year.  I have boxes and boxes of trimming in the attic, labeled with  different color themes.  I guess I have about 6 different themes that I  rotate.  This is probably the first year in a while that I haven't  bought a new color theme.  The rest of the house is also decorated to go  with the color scheme of the tree.  Last year was "Candy Tree."  I used  the white tree.  The garland was made to look like gum drops strung on a  string.  I baked ginger bread men women and children ornaments and my  husband painted them.  I bought any ornament I could find that was  "candy" related.  Ribbon candy, candy canes, toffee, and actually hung  some chocolate candy santas and snowmen that people could take off and eat  if they wanted.  It was cute.  This year I'm doing "Old Fashioned  Tree."  I have a few old ornaments, but most of them are just made to  look like the ornaments of the 50's.  One year I printed out a picture I  found online of a Thomas Kinkaide tree and went shopping and bought similar ribbon and decor to duplicate that tree.  It was pretty.  I get a lot of my ideas from looking at the display trees the stores have decorated.  I definately have too much time on my hands.


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## phinz (Dec 15, 2013)

At our Knoxville place we have a blue tree. No ornaments. Just a blue tree. We think it looks prettier without ornaments.

At our Gatlinburg place we have a lime green skinny tree with ocean-themed ornaments. We call our place The Beech House and decreed no mountain-based (bears, moose, etc.) will be displayed when we bought it. Instead we made it a coastal theme. We figure if we ever buy a house on the coast it will be called Bearfootin' and we'll have rustic furniture and black bears everywhere.


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## Whiskadoodle (Dec 15, 2013)

My theme is Cat Proof and Cat Compatibility and Cat Friendly. I moved a table away from one of their favorite windows to make room to set up the tree. I hang non breakables on the lower branches with long enough cords so they can bat them around. The most fun I';ve had so far was actually putting up the tree. They both kept hopping in all the boxes of stuff and preferred that as opposed to the activity. 

Lots of lights on my tree, and I usually light the fireplace this time of year. No other lamps on, and it's pretty cozy in the living room.


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## bakechef (Dec 15, 2013)

I have a few different themes and I really need to get them organized in their own bins this year.

This year, the year of our wedding we did the tree in our wedding colors, teal blue and purple, it's a new theme.

I have a red and gold theme, a blue and silver theme, and a silver and gold theme.  

Some years I just do a mix of stuff and make it look more old fashioned and non themed to showcase the ornaments that are special to us, that tree has multicolored lights.


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## Katie H (Dec 16, 2013)

Most of the time the tree is decorated pretty traditionally and I like lots and lots of shimmery icicles.  The kind that have to be draped over the limbs and get all over the carpet as the holiday goes on.

This year, the big hand-carved nativity that Buck and I put together on our many anniversary trips to Shepherdstown, WVA will be replaced with most of my nutcracker collection.  We'll have lots of little ones around this year and I'm going to turn this year's theme a bit to whimsey.

Most of the rest of the house gets decorated with plenty of greenery (artificial) and many, many tiny lights.  I really enjoy the sparkle they give when they're tucked in here and there.

I've included some pictures of this year's outside front entry decor.  It's done in a slightly childlike manner, which I think the grandchildren will enjoy.  The front door wreath is one we've had for several years and love.

We also have 3-foot tall lighted "L-E-O-Ns" flanking the studio.  Looks pretty at night, along with the little lighted tree in the sleigh on the table and Frosty who changes from soft red to soft green.  There's also a large Moravian star on one side of the front, which gives off a gentle white glow.

If you didn't get the LEON reference, it's just my twisted sense of humor.  They're candles that have "N-O-E-L" embossed vertically along the length of the candle portion of them.  I can't help myself, for years I've been calling them, "LEONs."


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## phinz (Dec 16, 2013)

I just picked up our newest tree.


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## Addie (Dec 16, 2013)

For those of  you who have real trees, what do you do with them after you take them down? A few years we stuck ours in the snow out in the back yard and filled it with balls of suet rolled in bird seed and then hung on the dead tree. It kept the birds fed for many weeks. It not only gave the birds food, but a place to hide from the cold wind. My kids loved sitting in the kitchen window watching them. 

Now, our city will provide free a large bag to place your tree in for pickup.


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