Natural Decorations for the Holidays

We all like to decorate for Christmas. It puts the entire family in the festive mood of the season. Each year, many families purchase new decorations to change the look of our Christmas tree. This year, why not choose to use some natural decorations for your home?

Natural doesn’t mean decorations that look like nuts and berries. It refers to using actual nuts and berries as decorations. Using nature to spruce up the place is safe for the environment. After the holiday is over, it is easy to dispose of these decorations. There is no need to pack up anything except for the tree, if it is artificial.

Start with the garland. We like to decorate banisters, mantles, and archways. Nurseries have natural garlands for sale and so do farmer’s markets. Do you have holly bushes or evergreen bushes in the yard? Use the remnants to create strings of garland to lay about the house. The little pieces can decorate candle displays and be used to create wreaths.

Berries from the yard add color to the Christmas tree. Using a needle and thread, string a few berries intermittently with some popcorn kernels. The kids can help you do this. To make the decorations last longer and keep the bugs away, add a little shellac to the string with a small brush to seal in the smells.

In art class years ago, they taught kids to make ornaments using dough and salt. This was the one time salt was preferred over sugar in a recipe. Regular cookie cutters made various Christmas shapes in the dough before they were baked. The ornaments would get rock hard and then they could be decorated with non-toxic paint. A hole was punched in the cookie ornament dough before baking so a ribbon could be passed through later.

Pine cones are another decorating favorite. A dollop of glue applied to the bottom of the pinecone made a place for the string to be attached for tree hanging. For eco friendly decorating, use strips of organic cotton fabric in holiday colors to hang the ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Decorating is not limited to the Christmas tree and the banisters. Many people keep their Christmas cards from years past and hang them on the walls. This is a great way to recycle old Christmas cards.

Those same cards can be used to make placemats for the holiday table. Affix the colored covers of the cards to a piece of cardboard and laminate the entire thing. Old paper towel rolls can be turned into napkin rings for the table.

What are some of your ideas for the holidays? Wherever possible, substitute manufactured decorating materials with natural decorations. You will save money and the environment.