Ah! Tis the season for out of control inflatable lawn decorating. What is too much? What is not enough? What is just right?

Here’s what some folks have done to decorate their front yards with those zany inflatable lawn ornaments. What do you think of them?

Xmas Yard from Christmas Hell

Christmas Out of Control

Inflatable Louisiana Christmas

Have you noticed? Halloween hadn’t even arrived yet and the Christmas decorations were already starting to take up shelf space in the stores.

One of my favorite holiday pastimes — in fact it is really one of the only times I enjoy window shopping — is shopping for Christmas decorations, especially for the Christmas tree.

Each year, I usually have to retire some of my ornaments. After a few years of hanging on the tree and then being stored in a box, they give out. So I need to replace them.

One of the easiest ways to purchase decorations for your Christmas tree is to visit one of your local department stores. Department stores are nice because they sometimes double as discount stores; meaning you should be able to purchase your Christmas tree decorations, whether they be lights or ornaments, for a relatively affordable price. Also, depending on the size of your local department store, you should be able to find a fairly large selection of Christmas tree decorations.

Stores where I’ve noticed a decent selection include Target, WalMart and Big Lots. Dollar stores sometimes have a nice selection, as well, and are good for stocking up on basics like tinsel, garlands and the like.

Then, of course, there are the specialty Christmas shops. Depending on where you live, you should have at least one specialty Christmas shop in or around your home. What is nice about specialty Christmas shops is that they specifically focus on Christmas. Essentially, that means that if you are looking for the largest selection of Christmas tree decorations, you may want to do your shopping at a specialty Christmas shop. The only problem is that their items tend to be higher priced; however, the quality is often better than what you would find in most department stores.

If you’re looking for keepsake ornaments … Hallmark is the most obvious choice. And you can usually find a Hallmark store in your local mall. Chain drug stores also often carry a line of Hallmark ornaments.

If you are looking for high quality, elegant Christmas tree decorations or ornaments, but don’t have access to a local specialty Christmas store, you can do your shopping online. Online, there are a number of retailers who specialize in selling Christmas tree decorations.

In addition to the Christmas tree decorations that you may find in your local department store, you may also be able to find individuals or companies who specialize in creating unique, handcrafted Christmas ornaments. As you might expect, handcrafted Christmas ornaments, especially those that are customized, cost a pretty penny, but it could be worth the extra cost to get exactly what you want.

While it is fun to shop for Christmas tree decorations, the fun part starts when the tree decorating process actually begins. For the best memories, decorate your Christmas tree with someone that you know and love.

Christmas Ornament Resources Online

• OrnamentShop.com
• Russell Rhodes
• Christmas Ornaments World

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a Christmas stocking that was made just for me. It has my initials and the year I was born on it. I’ve been told my aunt knitted it for me. Although it’s seen better days, I still have ii.

Making a personalized Christmas stocking for the children is a terrific tradition that brings a special joy to each member of the family.

I’ve had mine since I was a baby … but if someone you love doesn’t have one, it is never too late to remedy that situation. In fact, when I got married, I made one for my husband.

Let’s look at each element of design in turn to get your creative juices flowing. At the end, you’ll have a design and pattern for your personalized Christmas stocking.

Themes
Christmas has many “faces” to display on a stocking. The one I grew up with had a Santa theme, but there are others you can choose:

• angels,
• the Nativity,
• snowmen,
• Christmas trees,
• gingerbread men,
• a partridge in a pear tree,
• ornaments,
• wreaths,
• dogs, cats or other beloved pets, or
• something from your heritage

The list goes on.

Color Schemes
The obvious choice is the traditional red and green, but other combinations also go well with Christmas:

• white, silver and gold
• white and two shades of blue
• red, gold and purple

Generally, three-color schemes work very well. However, you can create a stunning stained-glass effect with a range of jewel-like colors.

Fabrics
My stocking was knitted from yarn. My husband’s is sewn from a simple cotton weave. Christmas stocking can be made from any fabric under the sun. It is really the color scheme and theme that help you pick the right one.

And you don’t need to stick to one type of fabric. You can add satin ribbon, golden trim, felt appliques … even plastic decorations can be added to the mix. Heck! You could even use suede!

Visit your local craft and fabric stores … places like JoAnn’s Fabrics and Michael’s can offer you a wide array of trims and fabrics, including laces, ribbons, woven, ethnic, glittery, sequined, beaded and tasseled.

The Pattern
Use a paper grocery bag to draw your stocking shape. Using a pencil, refine the shape until it is just the way you want it. Then trace a half-inch allowance on all sides. Then cut it out.

This is your pattern. Use it to cut out two mirror images of the shape from your main fabric. Sew them together (right sides facing each other) … remembering to create a hem at the opening.

Reverse the stocking and decorate. Now you have a personalized Christmas stocking!