Tis the season for Christmas lights.

By Jane Moore

The Christmas season is fast approaching. The first week of December often heralds the beginning of Christmas decorating including the putting up of festive Christmas lights. Although, the fact of Christmas lighting has remained constant for decades, the actual Christmas lights have undergone an enormous evolution.

At first glance it seems as though Christmas lights and Christmas decorations rarely change. We still use the same wreaths, garlands, mistletoe, stars and angels that out grandparents did. We still hang Christmas lighting from the edges of our roof tops. One of the special things about Christmas is the cherished continuity. It always feels the same. However, in reality Christmas lights have undergone a metamorphosis.

Historically, Christmas decorative lighting was cumbersome. It was heavy and fragile which is always a bad combination. Each individual light was hand screwed into the string of lights. One burnt out light bulbs caused havoc. Each bulb had to be individually tested to find the offending bulb. Each year multiple replacement bulbs were required. In short old fashioned strings of Christmas lights were beautiful and joyous but often a big fat hassle.

Science has made stringing our homes with Christmas lights much easier. These days Christmas lighting is almost entirely composed of efficient LED lighting. These new strings of lights are reasonably priced, energy efficient, durable, light weight and last a long time. Putting the lights up and taking them down is no longer a burden.

Given their light weight and small size, these wonderful new LED lights are perfect for creating single standalone focal pieces such as light stars. The addition of a three dimensional light star to your Christmas lighting scheme will be dramatic. Light stars are reasonably priced and come in many sizes.

The season of glorious Christmas lighting is upon us. Embrace the opportunity to decorate your home for the festive season. Feel free to experiment with Christmas lights schemes. - 32397

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Some news about Holiday lighting with LED Christmas Light Bulbs

By Dewey Finn

Discount-light-bulbs.com is new ecommerce website specializing in energy-efficient holiday lighting, offers the most efficient and reliable brand of LED holiday lights currently available. In recent testing of a variety of LED Christmas lights , the product offered by other Holiday LED suppliers outperformed the competition.

HolidayLEDs' LED Christmas lights (and LED string lights of several other manufacturers) were sent to the EPA for testing under the ENERGY STAR program. The following are highlights of the results of the ENERGY STAR testing.

What is a LIFE TIME TEST. This test is designed to determine the performance of the product after extended use. All LED string light samples from the participating manufacturers were illuminated for a 24-hour conditioning period and then entered a 1,000 hour period of actual use.

ACCELERATED WEATHERING TESTS. After a 24-hour conditioning period, all lights sets were subjected to high humidity and UV radiation, simulating outdoor use for an extended period. All samples underwent 20 cycles of accelerated aging, 12-hours per cycle for a total of 240 hours.

Here is some more news:

Oct 15, 2008 - Alpharetta, GA -- Alpharetta, Georgia-based Christmas Lights Etc. one of the largest U.S. suppliers of premium Christmas trees, decorations and holiday lighting for homes, commercial decorators and businesses is proud to announce its' partnership with ENERGY STAR, a joint program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

For years Christmas Lights Etc. has provided customers with low energy consumption, environmentally friendly products including LED Christmas Lights and pre-lit LED Artificial Christmas Trees, Christmas Wreaths and Christmas Garland. Today, in partnership with ENERGY STAR, Christmas Lights Etc. continues its commitment to a greener Christmas by offering consumers over 75 different products bearing the ENERGY STAR label. This to insure that ChristmasLightsEtc.com customers are presented with the highest quality, longest lasting, environmentally friendly options that not only benefit their pocketbooks, but benefit the planet as well.

Consumers adopting environmentally-conscious LED holiday lighting can expect to reduce power consumption 80-90% over traditional incandescent holiday lighting. Speaking on the practical benefits of switching to LED Christmas Lights, a recent October 2008 announcement by the New York State Energy Research and Development Department (NYSERDA) encouraged residents to "Upgrade decorative or holiday lighting with ENERGY STAR qualified Light-Emitting Diode (LED) holiday lighting strands." The department went on to note that "LED holiday lighting strands last up to 11 holiday seasons, rarely burn out and will save you up to $100 per year on your energy bill!"

Commenting on the significance of the ENERGY STAR Christmas Lights partnership, William Hale, President of Christmas Lights Etc. said: "We're proud to partner with ENERGY STAR and to do our small part in encouraging our customers to switch to energy-efficient LED lighting in order to help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and overall energy consumption. Today more than ever we invite our customers to experience the benefits of lower energy costs by switching to environmentally friendly ENERGY STAR certified LED lighting."

About ENERGY STAR Energy Star is a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy in encouraging Americans to take the Energy Star Pledge to Change a Light/Change the World. ENERGY STAR qualified products and practices meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

About Christmas Lights, Etc. Christmas Lights, Etc. is a nationwide leading online retailer of premium Artificial Christmas Trees, Christmas Lights, Christmas Garland, Christmas Decorations, and Christmas Ornaments. Their products have been featured by the CBS Early Morning Show, Smart Money magazine, Wall Street Journal, and HGTV to name a few. - 32397

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Christmas Lights Add Beauty

By Doug Winston

Christmas lighting schemes add beauty to any home. Even the simplest lights are heartwarming. Christmas lights are essential to community building. Even in areas where neighbors barely speak as they rush off to jobs feel more cheerful when the street is decked out with sparkling Christmas lights.

There was a time during my childhood when, for a while, people tended to shun Christmas lights. Although I was young at the time, I seem to remember that it was related to the energy crisis. All of a sudden it was socially irresponsible to put up Christmas lights. Thankfully that has changed. The older strings of Christmas lights were wildly inefficient when it came to energy consumption.

Christmas lighting has undergone several innovative phases. The most common Christmas lights on the market these days are the small LED lights. With development and experimentation, LED lights can now be produced in mass quantities and that has resulted in increasingly low prices. These light weight strings of lights use only a small fraction of the energy required by the older lights. Therefore LED Christmas lights are cheap to buy and cheap to run.

The most common indoor decorating theme that has been used for years is the single or double strand of string lights that spiral up a staircase railing, intertwined with garland in the color you have chosen for your Christmas lighting theme. Equally as charming is a string of icicle lights affixed to the underside of the staircase railing. It is a little harder to secure this style of lighting, but it looks just as cute.

Another trend that I've been noticing lately is the use of a Christmas lighting centerpiece. The most common one that I have seen is the LED light globe. There are a number of sizes, ranging from small little hanging balls, to huge centerpieces meant to hang sort of like a disco ball. These would make great additions to a backyard garden party if you are lucky enough to live in a warmer climate at Christmas time. Along with the light globes, there are also variations on this, such as large stars, moon shapes etc, again, designed to be centerpieces.

Christmas lighting can be dramatic, whimsical, or subtle. It can be effectively used in mass quantities or sparingly. In all cases these lights are lovely and contribute to a happy joyful atmosphere. With the advent of the low cost energy efficient LED Christmas lights there is no reason not to sparkle this holiday season. - 32397

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Tips For Using Environmentally Friendly Christmas Lights

By Mark Jacobs

There are many different holiday light options you can choose from. Your Christmas decorations can be environmentally friendly and earth friendly. The holidays are almost here so it's time to hang up the Christmas lights and put the home in a festive mood. Here are some ways you can decorate your home and still be kind to the earth.

Use fresh Christmas decorations: They're lots of holiday decorations that do not use electricity at all. You can decorate your home with live evergreen wreaths and other winter plants like holly bushes and poinsettias. Green decorations are environmentally friendly, won't end up in a landfill and add an unexpected touch to any home's decor.

Use light-emitting-diode Christmas lights: Some home improvement stores are trying out Christmas decoration trade-in programs to help encourage people to switch to LED holiday lights. LED (light-emitting-diode) Christmas decorations cost a little more new but they offer huge energy savings over incandescent light bulbs. You may save up to 40% on your electric costs for holiday lights if you switch to LED lights. But be aware, light emitting diode lights aren't always a good deal.

Reuse decorations you already own: One of the greatest ways to save cash is to go shopping in your own basement! By reusing holiday lights again and again you are keeping lots of plastic out of your local dump and being wise about using resources. Try to skip purchasing all new holiday decorations each year.

Many of these environmentally friendly decorating ideas will put more cash in your pocket that you can spend on holiday gifts! With a little planning you can decorate for Christmas and still be environmentally friendly. Remember that your choices today can be a perfect gift for tomorrow's children. - 32397

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Beautiful Xmas Decorations You Can Do At Home

By Giselle Taylor

Is it just me or do 11 months of the year crawl by so slowly but December just whizzes on by like a reindeer powered sleigh? December is a great time of the year, and it comes to no surprise that many people across the globe just love celebrating this time. If you are just itching to get your holiday hat on then go ahead, get to your little christmas tree shop and let the fun begin.

Christmas trees are perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of the holidays. Make your fir stand out by infusing it with personality and intimate family moments. What do I mean? Xmas decorations are not about being proper and expensive. Cut out special milestones, attach notes and embellishments to it and hang them on the tree. String up pictures with personal trinkets with pretty ornaments and wind them around the tree.

While your living room may be the centerpiece of your house, do not leave out rest of your home. Place festive wreaths and unique garlands on doors and walls. Get some of those little christmas trees; decorate it with candy canes, colorfully wrapped chocolate treats and the like. You will be smothered with kisses by visiting nephews and nieces for sure.

Do not forget to leave your stockings by the chimney. If you have no fireplace to hang them on, put them by the wall or stairwell"prominently displayed so Santa wont have a hard time looking around for them. Tie pretty silk ribbons and flowers by the windows and lamps. Oh and before I forget, buy your mistletoes and keep them in a strategic spot by the doorway.

If you have some extra time in your hands, how about doing homemade Xmas decorations yourself? Its really not that hard. In fact, play some holiday tunes and youll even have fun while youre at it. The money you save is another upside too. Make little baskets filled with holiday goodies and weave sprays of mistletoes and lace on its handles. You can also attach bells and shiny balls in stockings, or miniature figurines or patterned fabric.

Dont think you have to restrain yourself to the inside of your house"spill forth your creative juices outside as well. Especially if you have a wide and spacious front lawn, you have so many things you can do. Dont worry; it need not even be expensive or too solemn. Have fun with it! Make wooden cutouts and spray paint them with glitter. Buy those large Styrofoam balls and put them together to make a party of crazy snowmen living it up in your front yard.

As you begin decorating your holiday home, be aware of taking safety precautions amidst the excitement and flurry of activities. Do not have liquid near electrical Xmas decorations, dont leave christmas lights on all night, and use a sturdy stool when reaching for the higher areas. A reliable friend is also a good accessory to have for help and to have fun with.

And of course, love. Christmas is Christmas because there is love. Put this vital ingredient in all that you do and you will find that it is truly a magical time of the year. Enjoy all that life has to offer, Happy holidays! - 32397

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Share The Christmas Love With Outdoor Xmas Decorations

By Giselle Taylor

Christmas has a sound-it's in the carols, friendly greetings and overall undercurrent of joyfulness. Simply put, it's a magical time of the year. Glitter, sparkle and all things fabulous takes precedence during this season; you are not looking to waste this opportunity now would you? You probably have planned every last mistletoe and glitter in your home; but have you mapped out your front yard yet? It's time to roll up our sleeves and get into the business of fun with awesome outdoor Xmas decorations.

Let's get down to it then. Are you ready to be challenged? Are you willing to go beyond your limits for the best yuletide home yet? Are you up for it? Then invite your little children to take part of this special project. Now don't go backpedalling on me now, you will be surprised at their creativity and eagerness to help make a beautiful home with you. It is well worth the little stubbornness and impracticality that makes children such adorable and exasperating creatures.

What motif do you want to build your outdoor Xmas decorations on? You can go for the timeless and beautiful Nativity scene and set it amidst a softly lit lawn and inspiring hymnals in the background. The angels, shepherds, and travelling magi can take positions on different parts of the grass as they make their way to the manger-a priceless moment in history captured in your home's front yard.

How about Santa Claus and his pet reindeers stealthily landing on your roof? If the roof is too high, bring Santa down in your lawn and create an abbreviated version of North Pole complete with cute toy making elves. Include blue, white and silver ornamented trees with tin icicles on the tips of the branches-christmas tree themes are always interesting to set up outdoors.

Depending on the neighborhood, you can also design a few outdoor trees with edible accessories hanging from them. String popcorn or cranberry and wind these strands prettily across the tree. Hang candy canes and ribboned little treats on the boughs of the tree. Just remember that you need to space the christmas lights well when you decorate. Keep the sizzle in the kitchen not on your tree. When you go for the food inspired creations, let your imaginations loose and don't hold back.

Actually, you don't even have to stick with the traditional holiday themes. Think out of the box and create something totally unexpected and unique. Go space age with a silver spray painted tree with metallic and robotic accessories. Are you known for your gastronomic skills? Cover outdoor trees with vegetables and fruits of a variety of colors. How about your love for cartoons and animation? Cut out large cardboard pictures of your favorite character and dress them in a Christmassy fashion all over the lawn.

It might have been a particularly hard year, I don't know. What I do know is you can still nurture the simple joys of life starting this Christmas. Start with your outdoor Xmas decorations; not only will you catch the Spirit of Christmas-you will be a conduit for it to the people who are fortunate enough to look upon your special works of art. Have a wonderful and meaningful holiday this year! - 32397

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Create A Holiday Ready Home With Excellent Tips On Decorating A Christmas Tree

By Giselle Taylor

A beautifully done christmas tree is a sight to behold and a joy to have in a home. Hanging up the lights and ornaments is an exciting ritual for many children and continues to be to this day. Many make it a habit to look for christmas tree decorating ideas every year. However you decide, here are some great tips on decorating a christmas tree you can use this season.

Where else do we start but with the foundation-the christmas tree. You can use synthetic and artificial trees if you have one of those stored in the attic. Personally, I just love the smell of a fresh pine in a crisp December morning. You can purchase one in any local christmas tree shop, taking care to choose the perfect fir. Car rides tend to flatten the needles so fluff it up when you unload it to its new home.

Have the tree pruned, washed and dried before you bring it inside your home. Set it up in a spot where it will be showcased best to your friends and guests like the living room or by the foyer. Make sure you place it near a wall socket but far enough that you can walk its circumference comfortably. If you want, you can move it farther against the wall when you're done decorating.

Create a color palette for your Christmas dcor in your home and tie it in to your tree's look this year. The first decorations you should hang are the lights. There are many kinds of lights available in the market today-steady, flashing, colorful and even musical. Choose which you prefer among all the others and hang them up the tree from the bottom tier upwards. Drape it equally across all sides, wrapping it around the trunk and the branches.

After the lights, the next thing you hang are the garlands. Sometimes people use edible ones like stringed popcorns and cranberries. As long as your home is rodent and bug free, this fun and homemade ornament will look great. Most use tinsel and shiny colored garlands and I tend to fall under this category. The reflected light on these garlands make any fir look twice as handsome as before.

We're almost done; we're now at the accessories. Depending on the theme you went for, load up on embellishments that complement it best. For example, trimmings of lace, velvet and pearls naturally lend a timeless and elegant holiday look. Go country by tying sprigs of colorful flowers and herbs in fabrics around the limbs of the tree. Go wild and channel the 80's with neon pink and neon green ornaments. Christmas tree decorating ideas work best when you take the lid off your imagination.

Finally, use christmas balls to fill in the left spaces in between the accessories and decorations. Mix and match different textures, sizes and styles to give depth to the tree. The more the merrier; only make sure these fillers are well spread out and your job is pretty much done.

Use these tips on decorating a christmas tree and expect a lot of compliments and delighted looks from your guests. More than anything, remember to be happy. It's Christmas-a season of hope and good cheer, enjoy! - 32397

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Important Tips For Putting Lights On A Christmas Tree

By Giselle Taylor

They say necessity is the mother of all invention. I propose so are holiday fires-at least in the case of Thomas Edison's assistant. Before electric lights, people used candles to decoratively illuminate their christmas trees and for sure, this might have been a cause of many fire hazards then .So on one cold day in December'82, Edward Johnson plugged in the very first strand of Christmas lights in New York City.

Speaking of which, how is your holiday decorating coming along lately? Have you had your houses all decked out in tinsel, plastic Santas and festive wreaths yet? Did you and your family take that traditional trip to the christmas tree shop to pick out that perfect fir? If not, what are you waiting for? Here are some tips for putting lights on a Christmas tree to meet you when you get back home.

Before we tackle anything else, I think we should begin on the motif you have this year. The lights will have to complement that look and you need to buy the right set. Small white lights are a classic that go well with most anything. Nowadays you have a choice on different kinds of color, sizes and shapes-choose one and plug it in the stores to test if all are in working condition.

The rule of thumb in christmas lights decorating is to use 100 bulbs for every foot of tree. It is a good tip however, especially in the larger trees, to purchase several smaller strands than one long one for convenience and safety. For example, for a 6 foot tree, get 3 strands of 200 bulbs to wind around the tree to make it easier for you.

Depending on where you prefer to begin, start to wrap your lights around the christmas tree. Many like going for the top first, snaking its way down. Personally, I start at the bottom tier and wrap it around the trunk and each limb as I work my way up. This way, there won't be any unsightly lights dangling from the bottom of the fir.

We're almost done; we're now at the accessories. Depending on the theme you went for, load up on embellishments that complement it best. For example, trimmings of lace, velvet and pearls naturally lend a timeless and elegant holiday look. Go country by tying sprigs of colorful flowers and herbs in fabrics around the limbs of the tree. Go wild and channel the 80's with neon pink and neon green ornaments. Christmas tree decorating ideas work best when you take the lid off your imagination.

When you are done and satisfied with the spacing and layering of the lights, check to see if the cords are all aligned behind the tree. Connect these cords and plug in the lights. You might get a better perspective when you dim the lights and take a few steps back. When all seems well, you can start loading on the other ornaments on the tree. Wrap first the tinsel garlands then the accessories like ribbons, bells and christmas balls.

Use these tips on decorating a christmas tree and expect a lot of compliments and delighted looks from your guests. More than anything, remember to be happy. It's Christmas-a season of hope and good cheer, enjoy! - 32397

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Create A Beautiful Thanksgiving Centerpiece

By Angela Tyler

Every Thanksgiving table should include a centerpiece to add to the festive feel of your dinner. It's quick and easy to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece from fall flowers, pumpkins, gourds, and greenery. You can create a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece in very little time and for very little money.

MIXED ELEMENTS PLATTER CENTERPIECE

A simple centerpiece can be arranged in minutes with just a few basic elements. Choose a small green or flowering plant such as a miniature mum, a couple miniature pumpkins and gourdes, some apples and oranges, and some sort of greenery, even herbs. Choose a special platter or tray, or be sure to have enough material to cover a less attractive platter.

Now group your living plants on one side, surrounding them with your smaller elements, such as the fruit and miniature pumpkins. Develop a couple different levels of height to provide visual interest. Be sure to set a dish under your potted plants to catch the drips as you water them. You'll probably step back and reassess the arrangement several times before you're satisfied with the results.

PUMPKIN FLOWER CENTERPIECE

To make a Thanksgiving centerpiece that includes all the symbols of fall, you will need a small glass tumbler, one very small pumpkin that has had the top cut off and the insides scooped out, six or more small gourds, a few dried leaves in various colors, a dozen or more fall flowers such as mums, a cup of fresh cranberries, and a shallow glass bowl that the pumpkin will sit in, and a round plate to put the bowl on.

Put the tumbler inside the opening you cut in the pumpkin and fill the tumbler with water, about half way. Arrange your fall flowers in the tumbler in the pumpkin and place the pumpkin in the shallow glass bowl.

Place the bowl containing the pumpkin and the flowers on a glass plate on the table. Arrange the leaves, gourds, and cranberries in a random fashion around the pumpkin on the plate. Add a few small candles if you wish. You will have a beautiful centerpiece in just a few minutes of your time.

CRANBERRY AND FLOWERS CENTERPIECE

Create another easy centerpiece with only a clear glass vase (any size you desire), two pounds of fresh cranberries, and a large bunch of pink or white carnations. Cut the carnation stems so that the flowers will be just above the top of the vase and remove any leaves. Place the carnations inside the vase and pull the flowers away from the edge. Drop the cranberries into the vase and then fill with water. This is a very easy and inexpensive centerpiece that will look beautiful on your table.

Centerpieces that are imaginative, fresh, and creative are not difficult to make if you use these simple principles. Use lots of natural materials in warm, rich colors, and don't be afraid to experiment with textures. Your Thanksgiving table will welcome your guests in grand style! - 32397

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Thanksgiving Decorations - 5 Easy Ideas For Table Top Accessories

By Angela Tyler

We think of Thanksgiving as a special holiday in which to give thanks for the people who fill our lives with joy. Make this year even more special by honoring your guests around the dinner table with very special decorations.

Here are 5 simple ideas for decorating your table and dining area this Thanksgiving that will be remembered for many years to come.

1) Linens: Make your Thanksgiving table a thing of beauty with a table runner or table cloth of brilliant gold, warm browns, or burnt orange colors. Emboss with stamps in fruit and nut shapes or use iron-on decals to decorate your table runner. Use table clothes, runners, and placemats in layers of different sizes, colors, and fall patterns to create depth and interest.

2) Candles: Group pillar candles together using similar fall colors. Place the candles on top of silk fall leaves and surround them with nuts, small gourds, and pine cones. This is an inexpensive but very effective way to create a fall centerpiece.

3) Fruits & Vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetables placed in groups in decorative bowls is always a nice look on a side board or buffet. Choose colorful fruits and vegetables that will last for a few days, like apples and artichokes. If you'd like your display to last a few weeks or months, you may want to invest in artificial food items.

4) Place Cards: Each guest will know they were chosen specially to share a meal with you when they see their name on a place card. Put some thought into a sentiment you would like to share with each person. Write that sentiment on a card, seal it in an envelope, and use that for the place cards. Your guests will appreciate the time you took to express your feelings and they won't forget this special occasion.

5) Garlands & Swags: Make garlands or swags of leaves, fruits, pine cones, berries, and fall colored ribbons to hang from your dining area doorways. You can also purchase bundles of wheat and tie wide, wire-edged ribbon around the center to decorate your dining room. Don't forget your lighting over your dining room table. A few bundles of fall colored leaves will give a soft light and homey feeling to the atmosphere.

Think of all the places you decorate at Christmas and create the same festive feeling for Thanksgiving with fall decorations you can purchase in your local discount or hobby store. These simple ideas will transform your home and make your guests feel welcome... and honored! - 32397

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Make the Christmas ornaments from your backyard!

By Willett Crofford

Talking about homemade Christmas ornaments will naturally be very exciting for a lot of people. However, some people do think that designing Christmas tree ornaments at home is somewhat unprofessional.

The fact remains that it is this unprofessional tag associated with homemade ornaments that actually make them totally personalized and unique in their own way. In this write up, we would be putting some more light on the concept of homemade ornaments and what they mean to the people who have been choosing these over off-the-shelf products for decades.

It is the fact that we have unrestricted options which make homemade ornaments my personal favorite. That is the first and the foremost thing. The only things that limit you will be your imagination, creativity and sense of design.

Homemade Christmas ornaments give you a lot of scope to experiment with different stuff. It will be glass and plastic which is conventional, or wood and wrought iron which is rustic and bucolic. Believe me, sky is the limit when you let loose your imagination.

Here is a fact. If you begin to design your Christmas ornaments yourself, you never find something like it on other Christmas trees which have definite advantage making you give up the ready-made products. That is another reason why most of people choose homemade ornament.

Uniqueness and a different sense of design actually lend homemade ornaments an exclusive feel. If you give up purchasing manufactured ornaments, you may hardly seek out this feeling.

Lastly, homemade articles bring along with them the sense of involvement which is really attractive. Think about crafting an ornament for your child. Think about giving shape to a glass bead or a wooden casing for your parents and friends. How significant it is when you add all these things to your Christmas tree decorations. What's more, you may have a lot of novel options with technological advancement in almost every field.

Using laser beams, a message can be engraved on a glass ball or a wooden plate. We can form patterns over traditional Christmas ornaments by using laser which makes the ornament look exclusive. Therefore, you can encase the perfect photo within the perfect photo frame, or just put a laser engraved message on a simple glass bead. With homemade ornaments, you can do lots of things. - 32397

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Make Your Front Yard Visible From Outer Space With These Amazing Christmas Yard Decorations.

By Jay Boyer

Are you ready for Christmas this year? I know I am...And after a year like 2009, I'm looking forward to this Christmas even more. And my favorite part of the holiday season is seeing the colorful Christmas yard decorations set up in front of every house in the neighborhood.

My wife tells me that every year I am unpacking our boxes of outdoor decorations earlier than the year before. When I was a kid, my father used to set them up like clockwork the first Saturday after Thanksgiving...rain or shine. But today, you can see stores like Home Depot setting up their Christmas displays even before Halloween.

If you are in the market for some new Holiday decorations this year, get ready to be surprised! You will have many new choices this year-- From solar powered outdoor lighting, to LED animal displays with thousands of lights...and from 3-D holographic holiday images, to an amazing selection of inflatable Christmas displays, you will find plenty of new Christmas yard decorations to fit every style, theme, and budget.

Before you begin, please take a moment to carefully plan your new Holiday yard display. With the right planning, your new and improved Christmas yard decorations will be a hit with both your wife and the guy next door. Here's a few tips to get you going this year.

Here is a the first question that you need to answer: do you have access to electricity in your front yard? If yes, terrific! You're in business! But if you don't, you actually have a few options available to you:

1. There are actually many kinds of Chistmas yard decorations that do not require any electricity at all, like a nativity scene, outdoor tree ornaments, garlands and bows. Setting these up under a streetlight will illuminate them at night without any lighting of your own.

2. This year you will find many new solar-powered lights and decorations, including string lights, net lights, and path lights.

3. My dad was famous for stretching out three hundred feet of extension cord to light a tiny tree in our back yard...I don't recommend this, but if this is your only option please use a heavy-duty cord!

If you prefer a conservative Christmas display, start with something like a traditional wreath and bow on the front door. Net lighting will make the bushes and small trees in front of your house really "pop". You can't go wrong with icicle lights either, but take care if you must use a ladder to install these.

Are you ready to do something completely different this year? Don't know where to start? It's always easiest to begin by picking a theme and working around that...Here are some ideas for you to get you started: Santa's village, reindeer, snowmen, toy soldiers, Peanuts characters, candy canes, gingerbread cookies, etc...You can even brainstorm with your kids and have some fun with it!

Are you going with colored lights, or will you keep it traditional with only white string lighting? Traditional or contemporary? By the way, it's a good idea at this point (ahem) to consult your spouse before making any big decisions about what the front of the house will look like for three months out of the year.

And here's the last word on buying your new Christmas yard decorations...You get what you pay for. Today you can find decorations manufacted in dozens of countries to various -- and often poor -- quality standards. Often these products do not even come with a UL electrical rating. Therefore, if you find an mechanical Santa being sold at an amazing price from an unknown vendor online, you may have good reason to be suspicious about the quality and safety of this product.

And here's the most important ingredients to a successful holiday display: have lots of fun with it! And with that let me wish you and your family a very merry Christmas season, and a joyful and prosperous New Year. - 32397

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Create Your Own Halloween Window Silhouettes This Year

By Marlene Zubber

Sometimes we try to cut corners anywhere we can, and this is especially important over the holidays like Halloween. Instead of spending tons of money, we want to save you some by helping you create Halloween window silhouettes for your Halloween decorations.

We understand that many of you get into it, which is why it can become extremely costly. The smoke machines, light up decorations, and inflatable objects out in the yard aren't cheap at all. This can take a heavy toll on your financial budget.

Even though these bring about a whole new level of decorating, simple can still be spectacular. Making your own Halloween decorations can save you tons of cash, and bring about a scene that is unique compared to your neighbors. The best place to start is with Halloween window silhouettes.

The first step to creating your very own Halloween window decorations is to go on the internet and look up Halloween designs. You will need a design that you can use as a base template. The following outlines some of the creative designs that you may choose from when creating your own decorations:

Black Cats

Broomsticks

Candy

Ghosts

Haunted Houses

Monsters

Zombies

Scarecrows

Skeletons

Spiders

Tombstones

Witches

Zombies

When you pick your favorite one, save it to your computer. You will want to find the ones that are black and white, but if you REALLY like one that is in color, you can simply use a black crayon or market to color it. So either way it doesn't matter.

Then, you can scan the image and print the saved scan out. If you do this, you will need to cut out the designs and then place them with tape or another type of adhesive.

However, if you're worried about the work afterwards we recommend taking a different route. Using transparent film paper will alleviate the hassle of spending hours cleaning your windows in the beginning of November.

Once the image is produced on the transparent film, rub it across your arm or rub your hand across it. This will help create an adhesive base. From there, all that you have to do is to take the entire piece of film and place it on the window that you want to decorate.

The end result is you will have great looking Halloween window silhouettes, and without the aftermath. It only takes a few minutes to do, and you will have some great looking customized Halloween decorations. - 32397

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Ideas for Fall Decorating - 5 Terrific Things To Do to Get Ready for Halloween & Thanksgiving

By Amy Aimsly

Here are the perfect ways to make your home the neighborhood centerpiece for the fall season. There is nothing like dressing up the yard and house for the harvest season to keep your family's heart warm while the temperature gets colder outside.

#1 - Cornstalks and pumpkins. What could be more fall-like than a pillar of cornstalks surrounded by multicolored gourds, squash and pumpkins. It makes you feel like your down on the farm and ready to huddle around the fire for a warm Thanksgiving meal. Of course the pumpkins will be most festive for Halloween if their faces are carved or painted. But be sure to leave some gourds and pumpkins un-carved because they will last longer and take you all the way through Thanksgiving and beyond.

#2 - Construction paper cut-outs. Don't overlook your windows when it is time to dress up the house for fall. Some simple decorative cut outs taped in the windows is a festive site for anyone inside or out of the house. Grab some construction paper in fall colors (orange, black brown, yellow, gold & green). Now draw or trace some simple fall outlines on them like leaves, pumpkins, tractors, bats, cats, witches (and other Halloween shapes). Cut out the shapes and tape them in your front windows to show off your seasonal spirit.

#3 - Table centerpiece. Let's not forget your fall table, the place where you celebrate so many good times with the family around a table of delicious food. All it takes to get into that fall feeling is a little straw and some colorful small gourds and squash. These items are plentiful this time of year at your local supermarket or farmers market. With the straw as a base just stack a few multi-colored and different shaped gourds in your table's center and the fall spirit has come home.

#4 - Ghosts and goblins. To add that extra touch of spookiness for Halloween why not get a white sheet and some old clothes to create your very own ghosts and goblins to thrill the kids that visit your house on Halloween. Ghosts can be any size from 6" to six feet. Just cut out an appropriate size square of your white sheet, stuff the center (head) with newspaper, tie a piece of twine to make the neck and hang your ghost(s) from a tree branch or pole in your front yard.

Goblins can be made from any old clothes and shoes stuffed with newspapers. Use a couple of broom stick handles to hold him up or sit him in an old chair. A basketball with an old hat for a head and a pair of gloves, and you are in business. Make a scary face out of cut out cardboard if you feel inspired or simply put him in a dimly lit corner and the kids are sure to jump when they notice him.

#5 - Double bubble toil & trouble - Next in line is that mean old witch that ads the finishing touch to your Halloween fun. Visit the local costume shop or salvation army to find an inexpensive black dress and pointy hat that any self respecting witch would wear. Some newspaper to fill her out and a couple of crossed broom sticks to give her some backbone is all you need. Draw a wicked face on a cardboard cut out and put her hat on and the wicked witch of the North is ready for action.

A tub or plastic cauldron with a piece of dry ice at her feet and you have the perfect place for your witch to stir up her brew. Put her on your front porch with some dim & shadowy lighting and who could tell the difference form the real thing? Certainly not those unsuspecting trick or treaters.

So there are the five classic and best decorating tips for your fall fun. Try one or all of them and make your home the neighborhood centerpiece for Halloween, Thanksgiving and all fall long. - 32397

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