happy holiday

1. Thematic Christmas trees are becoming more popular. People use a single color to decorate. Others use a period of time in their lives. They then find or make ornaments to reflect the time period you have chosen.

2. Even if you decide not to use a theme for decorating your tree, remember to add some unique personal ornaments. When you add personal ornaments you claim a tree as your very own. No one else even if they have the same theme will have the same ornaments as you.

3. Ornaments need to be packaged carefully to avoid damage from breakage and the sun. Save hassles by keeping the original packing boxes. If those boxes have been thrown away. Check with a moving and storage company for glass packing crates. Make sure you pad each ornament carefully to protect the ornament from breaking during storage.

4. Tree lights are a great addition to any tree. Be careful that the bulb does not rest against a branch or leaves. Fires are a concern especially during the holidays.

5. Test your lights before you place them on the tree. Be sure the wires are in good shape and no bare wire is exposed. Start from the top of the tree and work your way down and around. Remember where the plug is, so you end up near enough to plug in the lights.

6. Proper Christmas light storage can save hours of frustration. Just wind the lights around a piece of cardboard or an empty can. This way the lights won't become a tangled mess. The cardboard also keeps the wires straight which decreases breakage.

7. When starting to hang ornaments work from the bottom up. Place larger ornaments near the bottom and then the smaller ones up top. Have pets? You may want to place ornaments a little higher on the tree to minimize damage to the ornaments.

8. Unsure how to hang tinsel? Take a lesson from Mother Nature. After a snow or ice storm you see most of the snow on the ends of the branches. Do the same when you hang the tinsel.

9. Hang your ornaments so each one is showcased with its special spot on the Christmas tree. Sometimes you may have more ornaments than tree. Step back and look at your handiwork. Seeing bits of green among the decorations highlights the tree and the ornaments.