Holiday Decorating Ideas, Themes, Photos etc

[MikeysGrrrl]

So my husband and I just bought our Christmas tree and we plan on decorating the week following my birthday, which got me thinking of all kinds of themes, colour schemes, DIY vs store bought etc...

We've decided to go with a rustic natural theme/scheme this year, so we'll be making our decorations at home as opposed to buying them in a store Since neither of us are a fan of multi coloured lights, we'll be going with a string of white lights.

Has anyone else already started decorating for the holidays? Given any thought to what you'll be doing? This also got me wondering if anyone here has done a Pony themed tree? Do you like to change your theme or style every year or do you tend to decorate using the same decorations every year?

[Sunshine]

My tree has been the same since I "became an adult" lol - my theme is also "natural" and also, a whole bunch of ornaments that were purchased for me by my parents each year of my childhood... now I'm "responsible" enough to have the expensive ornaments on our tree... We also use white lights for our tree. Multicolored lights for outside decorations (we use the big giant glass ones to line the house and the roof) and my white-light reindeer outside...

We have like a 130ft Cedar Tree that is absolutely PERFECTLY shaped, and I've always wanted to get the HUGE lights and HUGE ornaments and decorate that BIG tree outside, like the rich people did where I grew up - but, as mentioned... the RICH people did it because those ornaments and lights are SO expensive!

We won't put our tree up until after Thanksgiving though... it's a rule in my house that Thanksgiving deserves just as much face time as Christmas does Plus I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday... mmmm turkey....

[sweetlittlejenny]

Typically I don't change the theme of my tree each year but I often will do a theme with my wrapping paper. I may do all silver or pick a few coordinating papers. Or each child's presents in a certain paper all their own.

Last year I bought a ton of mark down ornaments to make decorations for this year. I really need to get started on them! I'm kind of a procrastinator. >.<

I plan to make some ornaments with my kiddos this year. I think it would work well for your theme as well.
Salt dough or corn starch ornaments. You make them yourself with baking ingredients and there are endless possibilities!
You can Google it or look on Pinterest.
Stamp them, shape them, paint them, all sorts of ideas. I saw some where they pressed a doily/lace onto the ornament. It looked so nice.

Post Merge: November 10, 2013, 07:35:28 AM

Hey Sunshine, you could buy cheap beach balls at the dollar store come summer time and paint them and hang them in your tree.
Not sure what to do about the lights though.

[Kiwi]

We use the same decorations each year - I have a little 2 foot MLP tree, all MLP decorations. And we have a full sized green tree, multi-coloured lights, and misc decorations (some pony, some not). Plus garland and some bows and such around the house.

We've figured out where the tree is going, but not sure where anything else is going (our 2nd Christmas here, but last year we didn't decorate since we had just moved).

[MikeysGrrrl]

Beach balls painted it's not a bad idea, or you could leave them unpainted, buy some flip flops on markdown and toss them into the tree, beachy theme

Well since our thanksgiving was last month I wanna decorate now However gotta make the decorations first. I have looked up tons of ideas and I've seen the recipes and pics for what you mentioned sweetlittlejenny, they do look so lovely and I will probably try making those as well.

I actually just took some no bake clay, rolled it out, imprinted a lace pattern on it, used a penguin shaped cookie cutter on it and then painted the penguins various colours just to test it out I love how they look. Very pretty. Here's a picture of them, like I said they aren't finished, this was just a test to see how it would turn out.
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I've also seen some great ideas using twigs and other natural items to give the tree a more rustic appearance, so I can't wait to try those out

We don't typically change our tree or theme, but when we moved we decided to forgo bringing our previous tree and decorations, the only ones that we kept were of sentimental value to us.

Kiwi is the MLP tree similar to the G3 one that shows up on ebay once in awhile?

[sweetlittlejenny]

Aw, those are cute little penguins!
The thing about the salt dough I liked was the color. White or off white and very natural/simple. I really liked the stamped ones. I have a lot of scrapbooking stamps so I'm going to try that. I'm sure my girls will want to paint theirs though.
You could do pinecones dipped in paint or glitter if you have them in your area.

Post Merge: November 10, 2013, 09:34:26 AM

We have sea urchin shells that wash up on the beach here. I've cleaned many of them up and am gonna try making some ornaments out of them.

[Bekuno]

Well we have about four tree's in our house and each one has a different theme.

My mother has her two snoopy trees, a small one for her mini collection and a bigger one just for peanuts ornament.
Then there's our big big tree in the living room which has a mix of everything from family, to pets, to mine and my parents favorite things. I also have a decent size tree in my bedroom just for cartoon, Disney, and pony ornaments

We don't put up our tree or decorate until after Thanksgiving. I can put up my tree whenever I want but I just don't feel right putting it up until everyone else in the house has.. and we have a small assortment of lights for outside and little things but thats about all.

We've never done a themed Christmas but we have all kinds of awesome indoor decorations from electronics to plush toys.

I do however, have a super special pony addition to our Christmas this year but I cant talk about it on here till it's done ^^

[Kiwi]

Kiwi is the MLP tree similar to the G3 one that shows up on ebay once in awhile?

Yup, it's the pink G3 tree. I've had it for a number of years now.
(not my pic)
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[Sky_Rocket_Sammie]

I have a small fiber optic tree and a small box of family ornaments (for a full sized tree). Though this year due to family issues, am not putting up anything. Beyond a light up wreath out front and jingle bells on my front door.

Am going to help my bff put up Christmas lights at her house, after Thanksgiving. Her family has the same rule my did, nothing up till after turkey day. That way each holiday has its chance to be celebrated. And the humans a break from decorating.

MikeysGrrrl, where did you find the penguin cookie cutter? Would love to make penguin ornaments for a friend. It's her favorite hockey team (Pittsburgh Penguins). Great idea, I've worked with salt dough ornaments before. Cheap, easy to make and they hold up well.

I have a kitten, who would gladly help herself to any indoor Christmas decorations. Am going to wait a year, till she is older and calmer.

[Bow Tie]

My fiance and I got a 4' tree today since this is our first Christmas living together. It's being decorated with all my Disney ornaments because that's all we have. We are also putting a menorah on our windowsill because I'm Jewish as well as Christian.

I have a Disney Princess tree, but I think it is still at my parent's place.

[kaoskat]

We've done a pony themed tree before. Now we do a mostly pink and blue tree.

[MikeysGrrrl]

So many great ideas and cute themes/colour schemes guys

Sky_Rocket_Sammie, I got my penguin cookie cutter in a swap box last month. However I was looking them up on ebay and they have the same ones listed for $1-$2. They really do make cute ornaments, especially for anyone that loves penguins

[NoDivision]

I have a small white tree with white lights that I have for my apartment - it's a nice size for a small space and it sits on my dining table for a couple of months. I do a pink, purple, silver and My Little Pony theme. The past couple of years I've put blind bags in the tree, but I've gotten rid of most of my extras so it might be a little more regular ornaments and a little less pony this year. Here's a picture from last year.

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[Navi]

I have a small white tree with white lights that I have for my apartment - it's a nice size for a small space and it sits on my dining table for a couple of months. I do a pink, purple, silver and My Little Pony theme. The past couple of years I've put blind bags in the tree, but I've gotten rid of most of my extras so it might be a little more regular ornaments and a little less pony this year. Here's a picture from last year.

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Blind bags on your tree? That's a great idea! Mine might be a little pony heavy this year.. 

[MikeysGrrrl]

That's a lovely picture of your tree, although I've never had a white tree before, the idea is growing on me more and more, especially using colours like pink, purple, silver etc Very beautiful

I've thought about using my BB to decorate, or add a little pony touch, although I don't have many of them, so it would be a hint, although it doesn't really go with the theme we're doing