by Noella Noelophile®
(Royalty-free image by Leonhard Niederwimmer from Pixabay.)
This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one, I may receive a small commission.
July 4th has come and gone. Out in my area, the county fair’s in full swing.
According to my grandfather, that means summer is almost over.
Now, just a minute. Technically, summer is just over four weeks old! And as a kid, I never understood why Grandpa would say that.
But I completely get it now. And this week, I’m beginning to craft for Christmas.
What’s great about that, is that there’s time to think about what kind of magic I want to create. How about you? When you think ahead to Christmas, what kinds of things do you envision?
Along with my regular posts, I’ll be publishing several posts, this summer, about some ways to create the magic. (And yes, these do contain affiliate links!)
Lighting
(Royalty-free image by Pexels from Pixabay.)
Nothing changes a mood like lighting.
As a teenager, I participated in a church Christmas pageant. And when the show was over, the sidewalk to the church steps was illuminated–with luminarias.
Have you made those? They’re very easy: the 1960s versions involved brown paper bags, each with a candle embedded in sand at the bottom. You opened the bag, poured in enough clean sand to cover the bottom and come up about two inches in the bag, then set the candle in the center. Then, setting the bag up wherever it would be, the candle would be lit–beauty in an instant.
With California’s drought and fire risk, should you want to create luminarias, may I suggest battery-powered LED tea lights, as opposed to lighted candles. Setting them in clean sand is still a good precaution. And while the fire hazard is minimal with low-powered LED lights, how about having a carton of baking soda nearby–just in case.
OK, this is the link…
(Royalty-free image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.)
Meanwhile, if you’re thinking of lighting your home and need exterior Christmas lights, here is a link to one of my affiliates: LEDMall.com.
Their laser lighting technology involves an outdoor optical system which you plug into the ground on a stake. It then projects up to seven different colors of lights on your home.
Their sparkly white lights are my favorite, but they do have up to seven colors which their device can project, as well as motion patterns and special Christmas themes.
And, one additional idea
(Royalty-free image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay.)
Here’s one more light-related idea for you. For Christmas, or any other time.
Every Christmas, my favorite uncle made a special centerpiece on his living room coffee table. He’d take a tall glass bowl and put red glass Christmas ornaments in it. He’d use two sizes, large and small, and they’d look like fruit from an enchanted tree.
But he didn’t stop there.
Around that glass bowl, equidistant from one another, he’d set a dozen votive candles.
(Royalty-free image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay.)
Walking into his living room felt like looking at Christmas, in the very heart of his home.
My uncle said he’d seen the idea in a magazine. Wish I knew which one, I’d certainly give credit where credit is due!
Imagine the different variations possible on this idea. And it doesn’t have to be just for Christmas.
What if that dish were filled with silk flowers for summer? White and gold birds and trim for a wedding or shower? Glittery pumpkins for autumn? Red Valentine hearts? Or even some special symbol that’s important to someone you love, for that person’s birthday or your anniversary?
Something else you can do: use LED candles in votive glasses–and set them atop an inexpensive circular mirror from a local discount store or craft store. Now you have “twice” as many lighted candles, lighting up Christmas–or any other special occasion.