10 Simple Ideas for Infusing Some Holiday Spirit into Your Home

With so much going on towards the end of the year it’s easy to lose that happy holiday spirit. Why not take a few moments this month to create an authentic festive atmosphere within your home? We’ve identified 10 simple ways to do so, each of which are guaranteed to make the holidays more ‘merry and bright’!

1. Seasonal Aromas

Create a wonderful holiday scent for your home by simmering water and aromatics in a stovetop pot or slow cooker. Fresh citrus, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves work well together, but you can also play around with combinations to create your own signature blend for the season.

2. Candy Jars

The holidays are as good a time as any to snack on something sweet. This idea is as easy as filling glass candy jars with seasonal favourites such as candy canes, Quality Street chocolates and Bakers Biscuits. Place the jars around your living room or kitchen and allow everyone to help themselves whenever the craving strikes.

3. Festive Treats

Whip up some delicious, Christmas-themed treats like these cute Santa pancakes which the kids are bound to love for breakfast. Delight your loved ones even further by baking and decorating cupcakes, cookies and gingerbread men or, if you’re feeling really adventurous, try your hand at making a whole gingerbread house.

4. Ribbon Bows

Beautiful ribbon bows will add a touch of festivity to any room. To achieve the look, buy a bunch of ribbons in colours that complement your existing décor and tie them in a bow around candles, chair backs or staircase balusters. You could even tie them around scatter cushions so they look like wrapped presents on the couch.

5. Decor Essentials

The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without all those lights, baubles and tinsel! In addition to decorating your tree with these essential pieces, you can also use them elsewhere. For example, baubles look stunning when they’re hung at different heights from a curtain rail; while a wooden bowl with ornaments, pinecones and greenery makes for a simple yet effective table centrepiece.

6. Holiday Projects

Get into the holiday spirit by trying your hand at some holiday projects, like these popsicle ornaments, mini pinecone trees, fingerprint lights or ornament garlands. Some crafts can be done just for fun with the kids, but others can be used as décor around your home and garden or even as homemade gifts for family and friends.

7. Festive Drinkware

This holiday why not swop your usual drinkware for something more fun and festive? After all, it’s almost impossible to drink from a mug filled with happy Christmas characters or sayings without feeling a tinge of Christmas cheer, too! As with the drinkware, you may also consider using a range of Christmas-themed tableware.

8. Peppermint Powder

Blend a bunch of candy canes until they become a fine peppermint powder, which you can then store and add to hot beverages, cookie batter, vanilla icing or ice cream throughout the season as needed. We just love this idea from mamalovesfood.com. One ingredient, one step, yet so many different ways to use it.

9. Christmas Countdown

Countdowns are the perfect way to build up excitement for Christmas Day - everyone will check in to see how many days are left to go. If you don’t already have a set of blocks, they are super easy to make. All you need to do is paint three wooden blocks and stack them from biggest to smallest, with the top block covered with chalkboard paint so you can change the numbers easily with chalk.

10. Holiday Playlist

Put a holiday spring in your step by playing some Christmas music whenever you’re at home. We also came across this fantastic idea from thespruce.com: tie ‘sleigh bells’ onto your front door and they’ll let off a cheery sound each time the door opens.

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How will you infuse some holiday spirit into your home this month? We’d love to hear all your ideas! Share them with us via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.