The symbolism of pleasant surprises and everlasting youth. Even now when I see the stockings, my mind travels back to the times of my childhood when I used to wait in anticipation for the varied gifts enclosed in the multicolored stockings.

All of us siblings used to eagerly run to the tree as soon as Christmas morning would dawn and check as to what presents were contained therein. Such occurrences used to really give Christmas another meaning all together.

Today, there are a number of stocking fillers available to load the stockings with exciting goodies. What better way to make a child’s day. The smile that lights up a child’s face says it all and gives you all the satisfaction you need. Just choose the stocking filler that most appeals to you.

After all as we saw earlier, Christmas is a season of giving.

May the spirit of Christmas pervade us all and give to us a deeper meaning of what the festival is all about.

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As far as the table goes, there is no limit to the number of decorations that can be incorporated. Of course the most common of table decorations is the crib. But the crib, it its strictest sense is not exactly a table decoration. Table decorations would include scented and carved candles, ornate candle holders, porcelain curios, antique clocks, and just about anything else that would hold your fancy.

Christians usually do not consider the crib as a decoration as it is a depiction of the Holy Birth and therefore goes beyond being a mere decoration. The crib is mandatory in almost all Christian households. The crib could well be considered the most important of all the Christmas-related items in your house.

Making the crib takes me back to the days when I was a kid. The crib depicts the actual scene in the manger when the new-born Jesus and his parents were huddled against the elements.

You can fill up an entire table with statues of the shepherds and the Three Magi who came to visit and create a really elaborate Christmas scene.

Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth!! May the peace and joy of the season brighten our lives in more ways than one.

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Originally a pine tree or a coniferous tree, the Christmas tree has its origins in ancient traditions. While the exact origins are unknown, some historical data puts the Christmas tree?s origins in Germany. A deep sense of symbolism epitomizes the Christmas tree. This tree is seen in drawings going back centuries.

In our family, we have never missed erecting the Christmas tree. I remember when I was a child, I used to help my father to set up the tree in our living room. There were times when we had more than one Christmas tree. One in the living room and one big one in the backyard. We used to have barbeques parties during the Christmas week.

This time is truly a time to relax, unwind, and enjoy. And decorating the Christmas tree is a great stress buster.

Talking about tree decorations, there is this nice video I came across on Youtube. You can view that video on this link - http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=jp8jIPaX9BM. What I like about this video is the idea of creating a really appealing Christmas tree with just about any materials that happen to be available. The way you can make and decorate the tree is just restricted to your imagination.

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Truly, Christmas is a season that encourages compassion, friendship, and genuine camaraderie.

What better way to live the season than to exchange gifts with your family members, relatives, and friends. As far as a Christmas gift goes, there are so many options to choose from. You could go in for clothing items, curios, books, and even Christmas decorations.

I guess that people have kind of lost out on interpersonal relations in today’s fast paced world. Therefore, it is so important that Christmas is celebrated in a proper manner. And what better way to rekindle the flames of affection than by sending gifts to all your loved ones. After all Christmas is all about sharing and what better way to imbibe the spirit of the season than by distributing gifts.

Even better than distributing gifts to your friends is the idea of distributing gifts to old age homes, homes for the destitute, and homes for juvenile delinquents. May the spirit of giving enkindle us all.

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Christmas is here. The season for love, cheer, and just being ‘jolly’. A fireplace with the logs blazing away, me and my family ensconced in a warm living room, buntings and other Christmas decorations livening up the room… Oomph I am getting carried away. It is just that I like the season a little too much.

In the weeks before Christmas Day, there should be nothing spared in making this event memorable. After all it is the birth date of Jesus, the Son of God, who was sent into this world to save all of us from our sins. It is to be appreciated, the Supreme Sacrifice of this great soul. For this reason, Christmas is a festival of celebration. And what better way to celebrate than by living a good Christian life that implies doing good to others and helping those in need.

People of all religions should be celebrating this feast. After all, the teachings of Jesus are similar to those of most religions. So, go out there and live the experience guys

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There have been intricately carved vases excavated from ruins of the Mesopotamian era and other Greek and Babylonian sites. Vases have been used as decorative accessories for centuries. Vases are seen as meeting both productive and aesthetic requirements. Also, there is a very thin line divining functionality from looks as far as the vase is concerned. It makes sense to get a new vase for your living room every few years.

While looking good in the room, the vase could also be seen as an accessory that is an excellent conversational piece.

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Let us go in for some discussion on vanity. There is a thin line dividing vanity from actual appreciation for beauty. Whatever be the case, a mirror is an absolute necessity in any house.

That is my thinking, guys…While mirrors are mandatory in the bathroom or attached to the dressing table, there is no harm in having mirrors in almost every room of the house. I have two small mirrors in the kitchen, with a full length mirror in the bedroom. I have not tried it, but I have heard that mirrors are also placed in the house as a means of channelling energy in the house for positive vibrations.

This is a Feng Shui concept. Don’t know much about that.

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What can I say about rugs and carpets, these are accessories that add to the looks of the house and also provide a cushioning effect when walking on the floor.

Rugs can either be small rectangular or round accessories placed in the centre of the room. Alternatively, the rug could be a wall to wall carpet that spans the entire room.

Also, there is historical significance in rugs. Rugs have been in use for centuries. Some rugs are thin and superficial floor mats, while others are plush and deep carpets that could almost be 4 inches thick. It is nowadays seen that rugs are used to add to the sophisticated appeal of the home.

While rugs are seen in the living room, carpets are these days used in almost all rooms of the house and even in the porch. However, a word of caution. Rugs could harbour insects and other contaminants that could adversely affect the health of the residents.

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I feel that the sofa is one piece of furniture that adds a touch of class to any room. I have experimented with a number of ideas to enhance the appeal of a sofa. The most common way would be cushions. To use a common phrase, cushions come in varied shapes, sizes, and colours.

I often use a cushion as a support for the back on sofas or chairs. Sometimes I even double up the cushion as a pillow on the bed. While cushions are made with various fillings, I always prefer the filling being cotton.

I use my cushions just about anywhere…sometimes when lounging on the floor of my home or sometimes when relaxing on the porch.

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But that is just restricted to the bedroom. I feel lighting is what adds extravagance to your home. Lighting can make your home look more spacious and also ensure that any flaws are hidden. So, I go with the fact that dim lighting would hide any flaking paint or dampness on the walls. While the main lighting in a room could be rendered by a large light source such as a chandelier, the secondary lighting source could be a table lamp or a wall mounted lamp.
The overall lighting effect should not be too bright, nor should it be too dim. There should be a kind of a subtle appeal to the lighting in your house that is both inviting and soothing. My house has that.

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Here comes the radiator used in the home heating system. This system allows you to set the temperature of the home irrespective of the temperature prevalent in the outdoors. Nowadays, I have heard of radiators being used in central heating systems and many other temperature control devices.
Depending on your budgetary constraints and the size of your home, I would suggest that you choose the radiator-controlled central heating system that is most applicable for you.

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While the living room could be a ‘showpiece’ room, it is the bedroom where you spend actual quality time. I feel that the bedroom should exude comfort and cosiness. What better way to get my bedroom to look inviting than to have some dim lighting and tastefully decorated furniture. But during the day, bright sunlight just shoots across the room.

There goes my dream of ‘dim splendour’. So, I went ahead and put some cool blinds across the windows. You may have the best lighting in your bedroom and the most enticing shadows; but all that will go to waste if the harsh outside light comes into the bedroom. Blinds are made of either aluminium or plastic and are fitted over window. They can be stretched across the entire window.
Blinds can be either vertical or horizontal (I have the horizontal ones). With just a flick of the wrist, I can rotate the blinds to either allow the entry of sun or block it. With these blinds, I feel like I am in my own private cocoon.

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