19 Creative Christmas Decoration Ideas to Try this Season

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1. Green Christmas Decorating – Can you Reuse from Previous Years?

Take a look at the decorations you already have. Do you really need to shop for anything new? Maybe those stockings still look beautiful and those Christmas tree décor will do its job fine. And if at all you really need to buy some décor pieces, check out secondhand shops like Goodwill where you will find lots of vintage and gently used holiday décor. Also, don’t forget to donate items that you have become tired of someone will treasure them!

2. If you don’t want to shop how about natural Christmas ornaments? 

Want a creative Christmas decoration? Take a look at this DIY to make dried fruit ornaments.

3. Christmas Decoration Ideas: Use LED Candles

When it comes to warm winter ambiance, there is nothing like a flickering candle. But, for those who are eco-conscious, there is an alternative that is eco-friendly, safer, and looks similar-LED candles. They are lightweight, reusable, and made from real wax. In fact, they flicker in the same way like real candles-only without smoke, flame, and messy wax. The best thing about LED candles is that they are sustainable as they last much longer, unlike regular candles, which quickly burn down to an end.

4. Visit your Favorite Online Christmas Decoration Ideas Shops:

Check out local craft shops, holiday bazaars or online stores like Etsy and eBay to find something handmade that fits your purpose. We love these Etsy ideas for your Christmas party or just to give to guests.

15 Christmas Tree Decorations Ideas from our Favorite Blogger Friends

1. A Colorful Christmas Tree
2. No Sew Christmas Tree Skirt
3. Star Wars Droid Christmas Tree
4. Designer Dollar Store Christmas Tree
5. Book Page & Bakers Twine Garland
6. Migonis Christmas Home Tour
7. Christmas Tree Memories
8. Michaels Dream Tree Challenge
9. Scrap Ribbon Ornaments
10. Pinecone Owl Ornaments
11. Coastal Inspired Christmas Tree
12. How to Dry Orange Slices
13. DIY Ruffle Tree Skirt
14. Gone Camping Ornaments
15. Wine Cork Christmas Tree Ornaments

To go green this Christmas, you don’t have to compromise your Christmas décor, just be a little more careful about the items that you use to make your home sparkle.

For more Christmas decoration ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

How do you have your kids help out with holiday decorations? I love to use my daughter’s crafts and let them double as Christmas decor. Christmas kids crafts are perfect for winter break too! Help them not get bored even after Christmas is over, these kids crafts are great ideas. Take a look at these kids crafts and our blogger friends who have a good selection of crafts that you will enjoy giving to your kids, and will enjoy bringing them out for years to come… even more!

18 Easy Christmas Kids Crafts to Keep Them Busy

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1. Candy Cane Mice

It’s the kids who will be doing the nibbling when these sweet mice are around. A combination of two Christmas icons — mice and candy canes — these tiny fabric creatures, with their red-and-white-striped tails, make fitting favors at a holiday dinner or delightful gifts for children to give to friends and relatives. How to make craft.

2. Pipe-cleaner Snowflake Ornament

Need a fun, easy-to-make project that will keep the kids busy? All you need to create these ornaments are wire cutters, needle-nose pliers (both for adults’ use only), and pipe cleaners. They make great gifts for teachers, to adorn presents, or to hang from your tree. How to make craft.

3. Old Toy Christmas Tree Ornaments

Christmas Dessert: Classic Christmas Pudding Recipe

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Christmas Pudding Recipe Ingredients:

For The Pudding

2 large apples (cooking apples)

3 eggs

1 kg raisins

50 g almonds (blanched)

150 g wheat flour

3 tbsp brandy

250 g butter

100 g sugar (crumbled muscovado, if possible)

200 g candid peel, large pieces

100 g white breadcrumbs (soft)

1 nutmeg

For Brandy Butter

175 g softened unsalted butter

zest of half an orange

5 tbsp icing sugar

4 tbsp brandy

2 pieces of ginger, finely chopped

Christmas Pudding Directions

For The Pudding

1. Peel the apples, deseed them and cut them into bite-sized chunks.
2. Chop the blanched almonds into large irregular chunks.
3. Cut the candied peel into bite sized pieces.
4. Grate three-quarters of the nutmeg and keep aside.
5. For the pudding-now mix apples, eggs, raisins, almonds, flour, brandy, sugar, candied peel, white breadcrumbs and nutmeg powder in a large bowl. Grate the butter stick and mix little by little into the above-prepared mix. Stir well so that the butter folds in properly with the rest of the mixture.
6. Now grease 2, 1,2 ptr bowls generously with butter and add a sheet of bowl-shaped butter paper at the bottom of each. Put the pudding mix in both these bowls and cover with a double layer of butter paper. Tie a string to secure the butter paper and trim off the extra edges.
7. Now spread aluminum foil on a flat surface, keep each bowl on the foil and wrap the foil all the way up. Spread another aluminum on the top of each bowl and wrap it all the way down to form a double wrap. The idea is to make it water tight. Tie another string to bind the foils to the bowl.
8. Now oven-steam the pudding for eight hours, adding water in the base bowl as and when required. Remove from the steam and let the pudding cool over night.
9. Once the pudding is all cold and settled, carefully take it out of it’s wrapping and wrap it in fresh greaseproof paper, foil, and string. This needs to be stored in a cool dry place up until Christmas.

For The Brandy Butter

1. Cream the butter with sugar and orange zest.
2. Add brandy little by little along with chopped ginger. Mix well.
3. Put it in a small container and put aside in a fridge to set. This mixture will stay in the fridge for about a week and in the freezer for about six weeks.

Christmas Pudding Recipe: Putting It All Together

1. On Christmas, oven-steam the pudding again for about one hour. Take it out of the foil and wrapping.
2. To flame the pudding, heat 3 to 4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour over the pudding and set to light.
3. Serve along with brandy butter.

Phew! that was some real hard work… stretching over days, but one thing is certain, this Christmas Dessert is all set to amaze everyone. While preparing this dessert I would suggest adding a few chopped walnuts as well or if you want replacing the almonds with walnuts! But that’s up to you. This pudding is enough for about 12 to 16 people but there is no guarantee It might well be over before you know! Do share your thoughts on this Christmas Dessert.

Try Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Pudding from his Nan!

Looking for more Christmas dessert recipes?

Take a look at our:

19 Christmas Cake Recipes to serve after your delicious holiday meal.

20 of Our Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

What yummy desserts will you make this holiday? Still need inspiration? Take a look at our dessert recipes archives.

Gingerbread Waffles with Chocolate Syrup Recipe

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Gingerbread Waffles Ingredients:

1 cup light molasses
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter

Gingerbread Waffles Ingredients:

1.    In a small saucepan, heat molasses and 1/2 cup butter until almost boiling. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in baking soda, milk and egg.
2.    In a large bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the molasses mixture. Mix until smooth.
3.    Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot with chocolate sauce.
4.    To make chocolate sauce: In a saucepan, combine water, 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter; stir until smooth.

Looking for more holiday recipes? Try our holiday cakes recipes!

For more holiday recipe ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Holiday Bedroom:  Christmas Guest Room Ideas

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Pick a Color Scheme

One great way to invite the holidays into your home and make your guests feel the holiday cheer is with the color palette. Just as if one was decorating for the Easter season in which pastels would be idea, for Christmas you would choose different reds, greens, and white. Or, you could switch it up with a non-traditional approach by adding in royal blues, silver, violet, gold, even hot pink was used for the younger crowd some have even gone as far as neutrals or whites for the decor which adds a refreshing, open and organic appeal to the space. The choice is yours, use ribbons, bells, mini-Christmas trees, cozy blankets, pillows, curtains, knickknacks etc. that carry the color scheme that you and your guests may find comforting for the season.

Decorating Tips for the Holidays

Words have always been a great way to inspire, encourage, and uplift which are all of the things that are amazing to hear during the Christmas season. So capitalize on that idea, place design elements that spell words that depict the season. Choose words like; JOY, HOPE, MERRY, NOEL etc. You could place these on the mantle if it is in the room or even on the window sills, perhaps there is a fireplace that is no longer in place the words could sit there. You can visit any craft, hobby or home store for the letters and possible more ideas on how to create and display the words.

Create Interiors that Mimic the Outdoors

Something that was always fascinating about the holiday season is that when one decorates their home it’s both interior and exterior. Typically, for other holidays it’s usually one or the other not so much all at once. So with that being said, take inspiration from the exteriors for your holiday bedroom. Hang up some simple wreaths or garland on the beds, book shelves/ cases, mirrors or on the windows, again if there is a fireplace then on the mantle would be ideal. Again, take little shrubbery and tie colorful ribbons some of the branches or mini-Christmas trees and place them in the corners of the room.

Guests are great to have around for the holidays.  They bring the fun, life and character to the home, at least hopefully they bring all of these things.  So have their space to imitate the best of the season.  Just a few little tips and tricks can make an entire difference from the ordinary guest room to an extraordinary holiday bedroom.  Take a look above and see how the tips work for you.  Or perhaps fellow Stagetecture readers, you have some suggestions on how you like to create your guest rooms for the holidays?

For more bedroom ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Idea: Roasted Turkey Cobb Sandwich Recipe

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Thanksgiving Leftovers Ingredients:

1/2 ounce(s) (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter,  softened, plus more for roll or bun
1 teaspoon(s) crumbled blue cheese, such as Roquefort
3 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 brioche roll or hamburger bun, split
1/4 ripe avocado
2 thin slices tomato
1 medium egg
4 thin slices cooked turkey

Turkey Sandwich Directions:

1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and wipe skillet clean.
2. Butter cut sides of roll or bun. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Place roll or bun, buttered sides down, in skillet, and cook until golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
3. Mash avocado and blue cheese in a small bowl. Spread mixture on bottom half of roll or bun. Top with tomato and bacon.
4. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add egg, and cook until white is set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Gently flip the egg, and cook until yolk is runny in the center but slightly set around edge, about 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Add turkey to pan, and heat through.
5. Place turkey and egg on top of the tomato. Top with remaining half of roll or bun, and serve immediately.

Need more Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe Ideas?

Our 34 Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas here will inspire to enjoy leftovers again.

For more recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

15 Thanksgiving Hostess Gifts to Show your Gratitude

There’s nothing better than being with friends and family at the holidays. This holiday show your host how much you appreciate them by choosing a gift such as a breakfast basket, fresh herbs, kitchen items, or festive dinnerware.

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The best thing about going to another person’s home for Thanksgiving dinner is that you don’t have to cook, you simply rest and let another person do the work. Show your host how much you appreciate them by choosing a gift from this post: Thanksgiving Entertaining: Thoughtful Gifts for the Host. You can give them a breakfast basket, fresh herbs, kitchen items, or festive dinnerware.

Hostess Gifts Ideas: Bring gifts that help with the cooking

Finding the perfect Thanksgiving hostess gift for your host is no easy task. While you want to express your gratitude for being invited, you want to do it without interrupting the host’s tablescape or menu. Some of the gifts every host will appreciate include holiday aromas, specialty ingredients, and pastries.

We love these hostess gifts candles from Etsy shop: Dragonfly Candles Company

Pampering gifts are always loved as Hostess Gifts Ideas:

When people think of Thanksgiving gifts for the host, they think of wine bottles, flowers, or pastries. Chances are the other guests will bring one of these presents, and there’s nothing as boring as getting similar presents. Instead of buying what everyone else is buying, why not get a unique present like homemade soap, reusable bags, or eco toys for kids? Your host will know you had them in mind when choosing the gift.

15 Hostess Gifts Ideas from Blogger Friends

1. Chalkboard Beer Caddy
2. White Rose and Grapefruit Bath Soak
3. Stacked Snowman Hot Cocoa Mason Jar Gifts
4. Printable Wine Gift Tags
5. The Giving Plate
6. DIY Gold Wine Glasses
7. Stenciled Dish Towel
8. Mason Jar Peppermint Cocoa Gift
9. Cranberry Honey Butter Recipe
10. Wine Cork Napkin Rings
11. Mason Jar Luminarias
12. Homemade Apple Pie Year Round & Great Hostess Gifts
13. Mason Jar Gift Card
14. Kate Spade Inspired Coasters
15. Hostess Gift Chalkboard Paint Dipped Cutting Board and Spoons

Need More Thanksgiving Hostess Gifts? Our Burlap and Succulents Shop is perfect!

Looking for the perfect wine bottle carrier or what about an apron or set of beautiful autumn dinnerware? Burlap and Succulents has a wide array of holiday decor and gifts any holiday host or hostess will love!

Hosting a Thanksgiving dinner is not easy. One has to take into account what to prepare, set aside time to make meals, and also spend money. As a way of showing your gratitude, carry a gift for your host. It can be something that helps them with the dinner or something special for them. While wine and flowers are good options, you can also make something more creative.

Will you think of these Thanksgiving host gifts when picking a present?

Thanksgiving Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle Recipe

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Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle Ingredients:

12 gingerbread cookies, crushed into crumbs (about 2 cups) plus a few for decoration

1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup cranberry puree (optional)

1-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar

12 oz whipped topping thawed and divided

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert Directions:

1. Combine the cookie crumbs and the melted butter in a medium sized bowl. Place a layer of this mixture at the bottom of your serving bowl or glasses and press them to form a firm layer.
2. Take a large bowl and beat the cream cheese until its smooth, using a mixer for ease.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, the vanilla extract and the spice to the cream cheese and combine well.
4. If using cranberry puree hold to the side until ready to layer.
5. With a spatula, gently fold in the whipped topping.
6. Now it’s time to assemble the trifle. Spoon a layer of your pumpkin cream on top of the cookie crumb layer. Next, add a layer of whipped topping and repeat with a layer of cookie-butter crumble mixture, pumpkin cream and whipped topping until your serving bowl or glass reaches the top.
7. Refrigerate the trifle until you are ready to serve them. Decorate with some whole cookies or cookie crumbles, or cinnamon powder. Optional: garnish with whole cranberries as pictured above.

This straight-forward pumpkin cheesecake Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe will be closing the special menu in a wonderful way. The colors of the trifle are stunning fall colors and the taste of the pumpkin and spicy cookies are the best flavors to have at a Thanksgiving table. You can choose whether to serve the Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle in a large clear glass bowl and then serve everyone with their portion onto a dessert plate or serve it right away in wonderful individual, clear dessert glasses, but either way, it will be a delicious finale for your Thanksgiving Dinner.

Need more Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes?

Look to our 35 Favorite Thanksgiving Desserts for the yummiest and dreamiest of Thanksgiving desserts!

For more Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Vegan Fresh Peach Cobbler Recipe

 

Fresh Peach Cobbler Ingredients:

½ cup of Raw Sugar or Other Sweetener
2 tablespoons of Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
4 cups of Fresh Peaches, sliced
1 cup of Water
Ground Cinnamon
1 cup of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 tablespoons of Sugar
1 ½ teaspoons of Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon of Salt
3 tablespoons of Margarine
½ cup Soymilk or Water

Optional Ingredient: Vanilla Soy Ice Cream

Peach Cobbler Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan, then stir in the peaches and water.  Bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute, watching and stirring it constantly.
3. When the boiling is done then pour the mixture into a 9” square baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles cornmeal.  Then stir in the soymilk until mixed with the previous mixture, then drop by spoonfuls onto the hot fruit.
5. Then put the pan into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the dessert is golden brown.  Then take out of the oven and let it cool and enjoy!

Note: Add a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream to the top of the pastry for extra sweetness!

For more dessert recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Who doesn’t love a classic Christmas cookie recipe? Having holiday cookies for your Christmas holiday is essential! It’s something that everyone loves to take a bite.  If you’re planning to serve a delicious cookie for your guests, try this Snowflakes Christmas Cookie recipe. This is so quick to prepare and easy to bake.

 Snowflake Christmas Cookie Recipe

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Christmas Cookie Ingredients:

    2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    2 cups sugar
    2 large eggs
    2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
    2 teaspoons salt
    5 cups all-purpose flour sanding sugar or colored sprinkles, for decorating

Christmas Cookie Directions:

1. Divide dough in half. Roll out each half between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer each half to a baking sheet; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks on upper and lower thirds. Remove one sheet of dough from refrigerator, and let stand 1 minute. Using a 3-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Place shapes 2 inches apart on parchment- lined baking sheets. Gather together scraps, and re-roll as above; chill until firm, 10 to 15 minutes, then cut out more shapes. Repeat process with second sheet of dough.
3. Decorate cookies with sanding sugar or sprinkles, as desired.
4. Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching positions of sheets halfway through, until golden around the edges and slightly firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 1 minute; transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers at room temperature, up to 5 days.

Take the first bite and you will definitely love its sumptuous taste. Make sure that you set the right oven temperature and follow the procedure as stated. Feel free to be creative with its shapes to blend with the holiday season.

Need more Christmas Cookies recipes?

We think you’ll love our 20 Christmas Cookies Recipes from our favorite Foodie Friends!

For more holiday Christmas cookie recipes on Stagetecture, click here.