Since we came home from Texas last week I have been non-stop getting prepared for Christmas in our home. I LOVE decorating for the holidays. I love the making of garland and wreaths. I love going and picking out our tree and lighting it. I love putting the music on and lighting a fire and getting cozy as we decorate each evening. If I had my choice I would spend every day leading up to Christmas in December making garland and wreaths if I could.
Along the way though, I have learned a few little things that I thought I would pass along if you need some little tips and tricks to make the experience easier and more enjoyable. You can always employ professionals such as the Painters and decorators north London in order to make things lighter for you.
- Removing sap:
I caught myself last weekend with my hands coated in sap after getting our tree, trimming the branches, and putting up lights. I found that I was sticking to everything I touched and nothing I could do fixed it. I thought back and had this vague memory of someone telling me to use olive oil to get it off. Sure enough, I splashed a small amount of olive oil on my hands, scrubbed, and washed with dish soap and voila it was like I had never touched that impossibly sticky substance. - Keeping the tree upright with a toddler:
I had a couple of you comment on how you tied your tree with fish line to two nails in the wall to make sure your tree didn’t fall down. This is brilliant and I just had to share. Hayes is nearly a week or so from walking so anything that looks as if it will be the perfect walking support is fair game these days and the tree is number one on his list as you could imagine. - Water your tree properly:
Your house is probably dry right now if you live in a cold climate. You probably have a humidifier running, but your tree will need some water too. Make sure you are watering and topping off your tree every day. I try to give our tree at least 8-10 ounces a day in the least. - Use nature As much as possible:
To decorate I think it is easiest to use the greens around you. If you don’t have access to greens in your yard or near you, when you go to get your tree from the lot or farm, nab some trimmings from the trees. There is usually leftovers and piles and typically they are free. If you don’t see them, just ask. Many times they simply burn them or make them into woodchips so using them in your home is a great use for them. - Skip the skirt:
I have FOREVER had a serious problem with buying a tree skirt. The one I always love is over $100 and I cannot bring myself to spend the money on it for the 4 weeks at most it is used. So, I instead love to either use a favorite fur blanket, linen table cloth, or large throw for our skirt. Sure it doesn’t always stay perfect, but once the presents are placed on it, you never even see much of it anyways. Also, there is a wonderful trend going around where people are using baskets for the base of the tree. I love it. I think I will be switching to that next year.
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What tips and tricks have you learned to use over the years when preparing for the holidays?
