Small Trees And Festive Spirits
When the joyous holiday season finds you living in an apartment, a giant Christmas tree and huge decorations are out of place. Do not fear that the season will be less festive, though. Decorating an apartment brings out the most creative ideas for those who only dream of a much larger house. Whether your apartment holiday season is a country-style Christmas or if you are in the big city, decorations can make the time memorable. In smaller apartments, simple but elegant decorations keep the rooms bright and cheery without feeling cramped. Larger apartments have room for a bigger tree and adornments.
Step 1
Set the tone for the Christmas spirit with a front door of the apartment holiday wreath. A large circle of evergreen boughs, festooned with colorful baubles and bows, gives a greeting whenever you come home. Guests get a welcome filled with holiday cheer when they arrive at your apartment's front door for a visit or Christmas party. Wreaths may also be made of holly, grape vines or fabric-covered styrofoam rings. If you are adept at crafting, making your own wreath is a lovely way to build up Christmas spirit in the weeks before the holiday season. Hang the wreath by an over-the-door hanger to avoid making any holes in the door for a hook, a practice that landlords frown upon.
Step 2
No apartment holiday is complete without a tree. Survey your floor space to find enough room to place a full-size tree, even if you have to move the furniture around. Sometimes just removing an end table or putting a chair in a different place can give you sufficient space for a larger tree. If your apartment is tiny and seems cramped at the best of times, consider a small table-top tree. Just a couple feet high, the tree can sit on a side table, turn your tree-trimming activities into a special holiday event with Christmas carols, cookies and punch. Invite your closest neighbors in the apartment building to share the season's cheer.
Step 3
Sparkling, twinkling lights add a celebratory glow to your apartment holiday decorations. You will, of course, want a string or two or more on your tree, depending on its size. In addition, hang a string of lights across the top of the entry into your kitchen or bedroom if there is an electrical outlet close enough to plug them in. Use novelty lights made in the shape of hot chili peppers, snowflakes or other fun designs that bring a smile to anyone who sees them. Use the type of hooks that have easily removable adhesive to hang the lights so that you don't damage the ceiling or walls.
Step 4
Because there is little space for storage in most apartments, you may not save a lot of bulky Christmas ornaments for apartment holiday decorating from year to year. Get around this limitation with a collection of linens that you save only for use in the Christmas season. A tablecloth embroidered with poinsetias plus a few red and green doilies will add a jolly touch of holiday spirit to your space. A fleece, knit or crocheted throw in Christmas colors brightens up the back of your sofa or a chair, just for the few weeks surrounding the holiday. When the New Year rolls around, fold up all the linens and place them in a bag to store in a small corner of the closet or under your bed.
Step 5
Step 5
Bring a touch of nature into your apartment holiday decorations. In addition to the tree, make sure you hang a sprig of mistletoe, even if the only good doorway for it is the bathroom door. Fill a bright red, green, gold or silver bowl with oranges and insert sprigs of herbs in the arrangement. Buy a small poinsetta plant to use as a table centerpiece. Don't forget the bedrooms when you decorate. A poinsetta plant or arrangement of white and red roses will carry the holiday spirit through your entire apartment.
