Handcrafted holiday décor

For this Christmas season, funds may not be as forthcoming as you had anticipated. You may not be able to brighten your home with the usual Christmas decorated elements sold in stores. Yes, you want your family to be a part of and enjoy this Yuletide season as much as possible, but alas, that wish and hope may be difficult to achieve. If that’s so, I say reject that idea.

May I suggest, there is another way to bring in the festive cheer and joy and not spend a fortune on high-priced decorations. Let us make our own Christmas ornaments with our own hands and God-given talent, however little or gifted that may be. We can own it, personalise it and have fun making it amidst merriment and family bonding. That’s the keyword: bonding!

Your young children more than likely would have done colourful craft projects in school, and so they would have the knowledge, capacity and expertise in producing the same for the home – with a Xmas twist.

The artwork you employ can be of any and everything you can find, whether on walls, ceilings, indoors or outdoors. The key thing is to get your family’s creative juices flowing. Pool your ideas together.

Use cartridge paper (many colours to choose from); get pieces of colourful fabric; buy that amateur paint set if you don’t already have one. What about potted plants to be dressed up? Empty bottles adorned beautifully hanging from wherever you choose.

Pick up stones in the yard in different sizes and shapes, colour them brightly for the desired effect and conform to your envisaged Christmas theme.

So many ideas are waiting for you around the house to utilise, or in the stores, at a minimal cost. Imagination will have you coming up with ideas you never thought possible.

If you must have the usual Christmas tree, I know the cost may be prohibitive to you. Fret not thyself. Build a pyramid shape with wires, cords, etc. And then adorn with all your fancy accessories. Put one solid or blinking light at the bottom shining up for a powerful and effective night glow. Need to save more money? Buy battery-operated Christmas lights only.

When you design and execute a project on your own, the benefits to you are uncountable. This Christmas project, when embarked on, may well have you and your family having the most-talked-about (maybe even envied) house in the entire neighbourhood. Why? It will have innovative design characteristics, possibly never seen before. Plus, it’s mostly handcrafted with team effort. It’s this and more that would leave people talking positively — long after Christmas.

Good luck if you decide to go this inexpensive, but richly rewarding route.

Barry Rattray is a dream house designer and builder. Email feedback to barry-rattray@hotmail.com and lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.