Holiday mantle decorating

In many homes, the fireplace is the focal point of the main living or family room. Decorating a fireplace mantel for the holidays is a great opportunity to showcase some favorite holiday traditions and decorations. I hope I will provide some holiday mantle decorating ideas that will help you to take advantage of this wonderful decoration showcase.

Thanksgiving

The holiday season begins with Thanksgiving. This is the season to bring out the fall colors. Fireplace mantels are the perfect place to use candle sticks. These can be heirlooms or they can be ultra-modern. There are candle sticks for tapers but you can also use a pillar candle. Some candles are scented which adds an addition touch to the overall décor.

The candle can have a fall flower ring or one made from acorns or pine cones. These can be homemade with things that you find in your yard during the fall. The center of the mantel is the perfect place for a vignette featuring pilgrims, pumpkins,and gourds, a horn of plenty or any other seasonal grouping. A swag is also a nice decorating feature, you can have one that sits across the whole mantel or it can drape in arches from the mantle.

Christmas/Hanukkah

It is hard to think of a fireplace mantel decorated for Christmas and not picture stockings that have been hung with care. Fresh greens are wonderful on a mantel but keep in mind that they have a shelf life especially if it is warm in the room and they will fall apart quite easily and may even become a fire hazard. Using artificial greens allows you to place your decorations up early and keep them up longer.

A table runner is a great choice on a mantel for the holidays. It sets the stage for the rest of your décor. If you are cool and modern you may like a blue velvet runner topped with clear glass containers filled with blue and silver balls. The runners can be made easily with material from your local fabric store. If you have special silver Christmas stocking hangers these can be placed as needed for the correct number of stockings needed for your family.

Have two sets of stockings, the ones you actually fill with goodies and the ones that you use to decorate. This color scheme without the Christmas stockings and with a menorah in the center will work for a Hanukkah mantle décor as well.

If you don’t hang stockings on your fireplace mantel, for a more religious touch a crèche can be the center of attraction. If you are a collector, which many people are, you may want to showcase your Christmas collection of music boxes, Santas, snowmen, carolers or any other seasonal collection that you may have. You can choose a gold, red or green runner for this decorating. Placing small glass bowls of mini glass ornaments will add a nice touch amid the collection.

If you have a small Christmas tree, it makes a great center piece for your mantel. It should be no more than 12 inches or so and can be traditional green or a more unusual color. This can be flanked with candles, mistletoe or some pretty poinsettias. Just about anything that is appropriate to the season will work. The mantel is a great place to show off all the Christmas cards you have received. They can be on a card rack, attached to the mantel or hung from a string with little red close pins.

Have fun with your fireplace mantel. It can be as simple or as formal as your lifestyle dictates. Use things you have and add a few new touches each year to keep if fresh.