First, choose appropriate colors. Since not every person celebrates Christmas, try choosing other colors besides red and green. Black and white always blend and so do purple and blue. For instance, hang a few blue and white snow flakes around the doorknobs and on the Christmas tree (we’ll get to that).

Second, be sure to hang ornaments from the ceiling in places where they will not accidentally bump into peoples’ heads. It’s best to put them on the ceilings of lounges or lobbies, since the traffic is usually slower and more relaxed in those locations. If you hang decorations from the ceiling of your office itself, people often overlook them and find them to be a nuisance.

Third, be sure to use ribbons and bows. Use ribbons to hang the ornaments and place bows around your desk. Let your imagination go and find some other original places to put them.

Also, you can place ornaments in wine glasses if you have a coffee table or something of the sort in your office. Ornaments don’t always have to be hanging.

Lastly, don’t forget to have a small tree. A large one is always noticed and quickly taken for granted, while a small one is cute and appreciated more, especially among females. Add a few ornaments and maybe even a Santa hat on the top.

Try out some of these things and mix it up with some of your own ideas! Let us know how your office decorations go as well.

Happy Holidays!

By following these tips, you’ll be able to get a few compliments on your decorations and also enjoy the holiday.

1. Bows!

• Tie bows wherever you can. Behind chairs, around the base of candles, the handles on your laundry baskets, and doorknobs.
• Make sure your themes and color schemes go together. Red and green are obviously the most festive. Silver and gold are nice add-ons.
• Also, with ribbons, buy ones that are easy to tie and un-tie. This will save you a lot of time as the years pass.
• Make sure that you keep everything loose; that is, make sure that your bows and ribbons are not tied incredibly tight. You want your home to feel welcoming and relaxing.
• This is an excellent article on how to make your own floral bows which should help you a lot.

2. Use holiday tableware throughout the month of December.

• Dishes and any festive silverware will always help the decor.
• Purchase a few place settings that are related to Christmas.

3. Keep the lights dim.

• Eat dinner by candlelight. Not only will this put you in the Christmas mood, but it will also save your electricity bill!
• Place candles in the bathrooms. This always adds a nice touch and guests always comment on them.

4. Wreaths!

• Place wreaths on your front door to welcome guests.
• Be sure to use real holly.
• Artificial wreaths can be bought in large quantities (cheaper) and last a lot longer.

So try out a few of these and let us know how they work out for you! Let us know if you have any suggestions as well.

Happy Holidays!

If you have a garage, you can try running an extension cord out from under the door to furl your season decorations. Thick, orange extension cords work the best because they are durable enough to withstand the winter weather. If you are using this method and don’t want to run an extension cord across your entire yard, then start your lights on the opposite end of the house. Once your last light is ready to be plugged in, you’ll have the extension cord already there.

If there is a window near the end of your lights, then run the cord out through there. This is a nice option as long as you don’t mind the occasional draft of cool air. We recommend using this method only if you’re lighting your lights for a short period of time. Basement windows also work well with this, since most basements are already cold. If you have living space in your basement, then you might want to go with option one. Also keep in mind that burglars could access your home if this basement window is left open or unsecure. Above all, if you want to use this method, then make sure you pull the extension cord out from the window at night and lock the window so to increase security and energy savings.

Other Tips:

By displaying your lights for shorter time periods, you’ll save more energy and money.
When you are sleeping or away from your home, make sure you unplug the lights so to avoid fire hazards.
Always use outdoor extension cords. Not all extension cords are the same.

To many Americans, Christmas is the favorite holiday. It puts everyone in a great mood, brings out the color in the dark, and gives the children something to behave for and look forward to. Follow the following simple rules in order to throw a traditional Christmas celebration.

You just can’t have a real Christmas without a Christmas tree. You can get these live, cut, or fake. If you are using a fake tree, clean up will be a lot easier. The live or cut trees tend to be a bit messier, but give a greater Christmas feel to the room it’s in. Put your tree up a week or two in advance (or the day after Thanksgiving for all you holiday-lovers). In the event that you use a real tree, it is highly recommended that you do not put it up more than one or two weeks in advance because there is a higher chance that it will dry out because of the indoor heat. Decorations obviously have to be included on the tree as well; ornament balls, ribbons, garlands, and lights are among the many traditional props. Also, don’t forget to add the angel or star to the top!

Indoor and outdoor wreaths also are a major symbol of Christmas. Hang them on your front door, your fences, and even inside on places that need a little TLC.

Stockings are also important. This goes right along with the Santa theory and will help the children anticipate the holiday more because they see that their parents have taken the time to add them to the house décor. Many choose to hang them on the mantle of a fireplace. It is said that Santa places gifts for everyone in their individual stocking.

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birthday, so it’s obvious that one must attend Christmas Mass at their nearby church. If you are Christian and you do not attend Church often, make sure you get there to wish Jesus a happy birthday and let the religious side of you be free. This is often forgotten with all the rush about getting gifts for family members.

Ring ring! Dinner time! Christmas Day dinner is another one of those anticipated moments of the holiday. The primary meat that is served on Christmas Day is often a smoked ham, but prime rib or lamb will suffice. Festive beverages, such as eggnog, are also served with the appetizers.

Santa always brings the children presents while they’re asleep on Christmas Eve so it’s important that you fill their stockings in the middle of the night quietly and quickly. The look on your children’s faces will make all that effort worth it on Christmas Day. Make sure you sign some gifts with “Santa’s” signature so it gives more of an effect.

For any other ideas regarding how to throw a traditional Christmas, please register and ask on our forums located at http://publicdesigns.com/forums

No matter what gender you’re shopping for, you always need to keep their interests in mind. If you don’t know what to get them at all, don’t give up and buy them another cheesy sweatshirt. Think of his hobbies and his interests. If you still can’t think of anything, read on.

Gadget Fun

Lots of men love gadgets. Actually, just about every single one of them does!

Combine this with another hobby, such as movie-watching, and you’ve got a deal: a DVD player! They came out with a palm sized DVD player just recently, so search around for the one you think he’d like the most. Men always find ways to get bored, so this portable boredom-killer should make him smile.

Cordless chargers for cell phones and other electronic devices are also among the likes of men. Most of them are tiny enough to carry in your pocket and can be bought for quite cheaply.

If you’re man is a music-enthusiast, you should consider purchasing an iPod accessory, such as a video enlarger or even a new theme case. With the video enlarger, he can experience the fun of a downloaded movie in a whole new way. The case will always be there to remind him that his special woman cares for his interests as well.

Guys typically always like video recorders too. Most bring them to parties to capture that specific moment. Many of the new-age recorders are small enough to fit in a pocket, so it can be very handy for men.

If he is a businessman, or a fast paced type of person, consider buying him a Bluetooth headset for his phone. With this device, he’ll be able to talk for around eight hours before needing a charge.

Rock-and-Roll Time!

Men depend on music to help them distress and make life easier. If the quality of the music that they’re receiving isn’t good, then they won’t be in the best mood when they come home.

So get him a Bose headset. These earphones are they highest quality on the market, and can be purchased for only $50 a piece. For the quality he will enjoy, that price is a steal.

Guys like to transfer music with one another as well. The iPod transfer device should help them keep their music tastes up-to-date and will get them rockin’ in a group. The device alone can send a three minute song in five seconds and can transfer a thirty minute video in three minutes. Not bad for such a simple device.

iPod case manufacturers have also created a weather-proof shield that prevents anything from dust to rain to hail from damaging the device. These are very inexpensive as well, generally in the $40 area. The case is durable and will be able to be used for years without disappointment.

Sports Gifts

It’s a no-brainer that men love to watch and participate in sports. This offers a wide range of gifts to consider.

Golf

A GPS Golf Caddie can render information about a certain hole in high resolution and high speed. The description it provides is very to-the-point, something that men also love.

Golfers also lose many balls during a game because of the light glare. Consider purchasing him a pair of Ball Finder Glasses – they eliminate the glare of the sun, making it easier to see the balls on dark ground.

Fishing

Fishing is also another great mind-relaxer for men. A new invention on the market today is the Stand Up Fisherman’s Kayak. The name should explain itself. It works great and lots of men have found many different fishing uses for it.

Fishing is generally done outside on sunny, warm days. That being stated, a new UV protection sun hat should be of assistance. These hats are inexpensive and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Nothing is more depressing to a fisherman than coming home with no fish. If that’s a struggle for your man, think about buying him a fish finding watch. No, this is no joke. It’s a casual watch that displays date and time, while also holding a sensor that can detect fish anywhere under the surface for about 120 feet. The display will pinpoint the location of the fish, and will lead to a successful catch every time.

Hopefully some of these affordable ideas have inspired at least a few of you to go out and get your man something special this year. If it hasn’t, have fun looking for the right sweatshirt!

]]> http://www.publicdesigns.com/how-to-christmas/how-to-christmas-shop-for-guys/feed/ 0 http://www.publicdesigns.com/how-to-christmas/how-to-christmas-shop-for-woman/ http://www.publicdesigns.com/how-to-christmas/how-to-christmas-shop-for-woman/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:13:54 +0000 admin http://www.publicdesigns.com/?p=208

Generally, women prefer to purchase their clothing and accessories from designer stores such as Nordstrom and Armani Exchange. These places are like jungles to men, since they like to get shopping done fast and easy with a quick visit to Sears.

Clothing and accessories are no doubt, the best places to go for gifts. However, most men don’t know their lady’s clothing sizes off the top of their heads, so accessories should always work.

Think about what most ladies enjoy to purchase…

Perfume is a big one nowadays and always has been a favorite custom for women. This is one of the harder things to buy for a woman, because most have their own likes and dislikes when it comes to the scent. Ask the woman cashiers and customer service representatives which sell the best and are a favorite among woman. Do some online research yourself as well. Google has many pages indexed about research studies conducted by famous facilities across the nation.

Jewelry is always loved by women because it shows off their wealth and makes them look pretty. Because not all woman like the same style of stone cut, gold, and other features of jewelry, it’s best to look through her collection (if she allows you to do so of course) and note the specific stones that are most abundant and the type of gold she likes to wear. If you already know this, then you’re one step ahead of the game.

Private jewelry businesses always give nice discounts and are diligent about keeping you as a returning customer, so they always strive to do their best with your needs. Check these places out before you go to larger jewelry carriers, such as Glenn Peter or Kay Jewelers. They can get customers whenever they lose one, so sometimes they try to beat around the bush when it comes to their return policy.

But, there are a lot more things that women like; the above are just two examples. Pay attention to what your lady likes, not what other woman like. She is one-of-a-kind, and should be treated as special as that.

Christmas will always warm your heart, while loosening up your wallet as well! Sometimes we don’t realize just how much we really spend on decorations, gifts, and other “necessities.”

The first piece of advice that may help you is to start saving early. If you can save just $10/week for Christmas expenditures, then that should help eliminate the stress that may come if you tend to max out your credit cards during the holiday.

Next, many banks include a Christmas Fund wired to your account. This system takes a portion of your paycheck (however much you want) and places it into this fund. The account also is locked until a certain date (we recommend setting it to November 25). Not only will this help you save money during Christmas, but it will also help you remember to pinch pennies during the year.

Another thing that may help you is to look for bargains. Often, stores have sales racks. These racks are almost always positioned near the back of the store, making it farther from customers. However, these clearance racks usually contain perfectly brand new clothing at cheaper prices. Some items are marked down 50%-70% as well.

Shopping at second hand stores can also save you up to a third of the price tag. These stores have almost everything from clothes to toys to books. Dig through the racks and you can find sometimes brand new gifts. It won’t matter that the clothes and other gifts are second hand if they’re young enough. Keep in mind that children typically don’t want toys for Christmas though.

Using your imagination to create hand-made gifts can also save you a fortune. Search your local library for ideas and also this site. There are plenty of things that you can make by yourself in order to save money and fuel.

]]> http://www.publicdesigns.com/how-to-christmas/how-to-save-money-during-the-christmas-season/feed/ 1 http://www.publicdesigns.com/parties-and-entertaining/how-to-make-christmas-napkin-rings/ http://www.publicdesigns.com/parties-and-entertaining/how-to-make-christmas-napkin-rings/#comments Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:48:40 +0000 admin http://www.publicdesigns.com/?p=67 The main eye catcher of the night was my napkin rings which I specifically made for the event. Specifically at a formal Christmas dinner party, the individuality, class and style of the table setting and food preparation leaves an impression on your guests, so a nice representation of table setting is a great way to leave a positive impression on guests. A colour scheme, table cloth, card placements, table mats, napkins, plates and cutlery are the main characteristics of any table dinner. An expense that can seem high for this time of year due to the need to buy gifts and other necessities on the run up to Christmas. They took me no longer than three quarters of an hour to make 14 of them. However, on some occasions it’s all about appearance, appearance, appearance! I recently hosted a dinner party for a group of friends and I stunned my guests with the things that I had made personally and things that were so easy to make. As with many things, you can reduce this cost by creating minor things at home that can help towards the needs of the event. Nevertheless, these things come at an expense. At Christmas we get a chance to shine and explore with the colours and the presentation of a cooked meal.

Christmas dinner is all about the taste and range of food on offer.
Tools

• Glue gun (recommended) or PVA glue
• Scissors Shower curtain rings, the colour of your choice – I recommend them to be the same colour as your chosen colour scheme (as many as necessary for the number of guests) Satin ribbon, the colour of your choice
• Green artificial leaves

• Artificial leaves, the colour of your choice

Preparation

1. Step 1: Take a shower curtain ring and place on your work surface.
2. Step 2: Arrange the leaves and ribbon onto the curtain ring until you are satisfied with the arrangement.
3. Step 3: When you are completely satisfied, take your glue and glue each piece into place ensuring to hold the pieces in place until they are secure.
4. Step 4: Leave to dry.
5. Step 5: Repeat the steps for each napkin ring you desire.
6. And there you have it. As simple as one, two, three, four, five. A perfect and simple way to make your Christmas dinner look stylish and leave a positive impact on your guests. This process can be re-enacted to make napkin rings for any occasion simply by changing the decorative tools used for the design.