It’s that time of year again when you start scheming of how you’ll add a touch of Christmas magic to your home. You can start with the obligatories—Christmas tree, Christmas lights (don’t let the neighbors outdo you), and stockings.
But what are your plans for the kitchen? Though it’s not traditionally the epicenter of the decorating bonanza, it still deserves some love. After all, the kitchen is the hub of the home, especially during the holidays when it is humming with Christmas baking and preparations for holiday meals.
So as you bling out your home for the holidays, here are a few tips for making sure the kitchen is a festive place where people will want to gather.
1. Hang some wreaths
There’s probably nothing more synonymous with Christmas than wreaths. You can use red, white, or gold ribbons to hang Christmas wreaths from your kitchen cupboard doors. You can also hang them from window frames to bring some holiday cheer into the kitchen in a simple yet elegant way.
2. Light those candles
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Create a Christmas feel by placing clusters of candles of different heights on your granite countertops. You can make it more eye-catching by placing pinecones, Christmas ornaments, or bells inside some wine glasses. Turn the glasses upside down, place the candles on top, and—voilà—a beautiful decoration that doesn’t break the bank. Lighting the candles will emphasize the festive atmosphere and make slaving away in the kitchen more pleasurable.
3. Use Christmas picks
For low cost accents, try buying some Christmas picks from the local craft store. (They’re usually on sale this time of year.) Invest in a roll of nice holiday ribbon and tie a fancy bow around their stems. (Don’t know how to tie a nice bow? YouTube has your back.) You can lay your creations on bookshelves, tie them around the necks of your cookie jars, or set them atop framed wall art. This is a cheap way to add color and pizzazz to different parts of your kitchen.
4. Decorate that chandelier
If there’s a chandelier hanging from your ceiling, you have a great opportunity to bring some Christmas decorations into your kitchen! Use holiday ribbon to hang a sprig of mistletoe or some shimmery ornaments. You can even add a few fairy lights just to give it some extra sparkle.
5. Create your own white Christmas
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If you’re living in Colorado, you have a higher chance than most of getting a white Christmas, but Mother Nature doesn’t always come through right on cue. Luckily, you can create your own “snow-covered” decorations. Simply grab a few small branches, glue them upright to a small piece of wood, and paint them white (with a brush or a toothbrush). You can add some texture by mixing sand or sugar into the paint.
Another way to bring a snowy Christmas into your kitchen is by displaying a few small Christmas trees that have been laced with icing sugar. Just make sure no-one tries to eat them. (It’s tempting—especially for little ones.).
6. Use traditional Christmas colors
Add red, green and white to your kitchen to conjure up Christmas. Get those green dish cloths you hardly use out of the cupboard and hang them from the handle on your oven. You can also tie large ribbons to the backs of the chairs at your breakfast station or replace the curtains with those red plaid ones that have been gathering dust in the attic. A little color goes a long way.
7. Use the space above those high cabinets
You can fill the space between your wall-mounted cabinets and the ceiling by adding natural greenery combined with string lights. This is an excellent way to bring some holiday cheer into kitchen spaces that can’t be used for much else.
8. Showcase some centerpieces
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Create stunning centerpieces that don’t take much effort by using glass jars. Fill various-sized jars with candy canes, white marshmallows, or Christmas ornaments, and place them on a wooden tray at the center of your kitchen island. You can also add some greenery and pinecones to pull the entire piece together.
Another option is to cut large circles out of Christmas fabric, gather them up around the jars, and cinch them at the neck of the jar with the help of a red or green ribbon or cord. Fill the jars with poinsettias.
9. Holiday potpourri
Not only can you make your kitchen look like Christmas, you can also use your kitchen to infuse your entire home with the smells of the season. Simply throw some citrus peels and cinnamon sticks into a pot of water. Add some ginger, cloves and vanilla, and let it simmer on low, adding water as necessary. Breathe in and feel the warmth and excitement of the holidays.
If you’re willing to invest a little elbow grease and creativity, you don’t have to spend much money to turn your kitchen into a place your family and friends will enjoy congregating during the holidays.