How To Decorate Your Mantel for Christmas

The fireplace is part of the Christmas holiday scene.Santa's appearance after his journey down the chimney could be seen from the mantel of your fireplace.It's appropriate that you decorate it for the holiday.It is possible to create a simple and refined look in your mantel without a lot of work.

Step 1: You need to gather your supplies.

Most of these supplies can be found at craft stores or general retailers.The hurricane lamps are intended to hold your garland in place, but can be replaced with a heavy and themed decorative mantle piece.You'll need: Christmas stockings, long enough to drape across your mantel, Hurricane lamps, paperweights, and safety pins.

Step 2: You can put your lamps on either side of the mantel.

Adding a pop of color to the lamps is something you can do if you don't intend to light the candles.By bending and coiling evergreens around the bottom of the lamp, you can do this.To add a soft vibe to your mantel decorations, you might want to put some light up candles in your lamps.Large Christmas figurines, trains, nutcrackers, and snow globes can be used in place of hurricane lamps.

Step 3: You should drape the garlands over the mantel.

It's a good idea to drape the garland across the mantel.The garland should hang on both sides of the mantle.The garland has been strung behind the lamps.The lamps could be knocked on the floor.Some garlands are decorated with red berries and leaves.If yours did not, you can add plastic berries and leaves with small safety pins.To give it a more natural look, glue pinecones onto the garland.Make it more festive by spraying fake snow or glitter on it.

Step 4: Enjoy your mantel and hang your stockings.

The paperweights should be distributed evenly across the space between the two lamps.The paperweights should be hidden behind the garland.Take your Christmas stockings and loop them around the paperweights to hang them.Don't add too much weight to these stockings.Since they are held in place by paperweights, they could fall and cause other decorations to fall as well.If you want to hold your stockings in place more firmly, you can use a hidden hook.If you want your mantel to be simple and cohesive, use stockings that are the same size and color.Attach a safety pin to the back of your stockings if they don't have a string to hang from or if the string is not long enough.

Step 5: You should assemble your decorations.

Most of the things you'll need for this project can be found at a craft store.A wide assortment of jars can add a unique flair to your mantel display.There are three things you'll need: small Christmas tree hooks, assorted jars, and knickknacks.There is a string of ornamental cranberries.

Step 6: If necessary, clean your jars.

All glue, label paper, and fingerprints should be cleaned from the jar because it will be featured prominently in the mantel display.It is possible to leave your jars soaking in hot, soapy water overnight before the glue comes free.The jars should be wiped dry with a clean dishcloth or paper towel.If your jars are streaky or cloudy, you may need to use an ammonia-based glass cleaner to make them look better.If you can, wash the jars in the dishwasher.

Step 7: There are jars on the mantel.

You can put the jars on the mantel after they are dry.You could start with large jars on the outside, with smaller jars in the middle of the mantel.The arrangement of the jars is up to you.

Step 8: You can add decorations to your jars.

Place thin, light evergreen trimmings in jars.You can choose between evergreens, pine cones, and Christmas figurines in your jars.Adding some tinsel to jars would add some sparkle to the scene.If you put anything too heavy into your jars, it could cause the jar to be unbalanced and fall from the mantel.If you want to add a pop of color to your decoration, put small bulbs or fake berries in the jars.

Step 9: You should put up Christmas lights.

Attach the hooks to the mantel.The jars are behind the hooks at the end of the mantel.Take your lights and cranberries behind the jars and drape them in front of the mantel after the hook is attached.Use the hooks to hold the cranberries in place.

Step 10: If you want, hang a wreath over the mantel.

The cranberries and evergreens add a pop of color to your mantel, but you may want to hang a Christmas wreath to tie the picture together.Attach a hook to the center of your mantel and hang a wreath on it.Adding some red to a plain wreath is a way to continue with the red and green Christmas themed colors.Red tinsel, red Christmas lights, and so on can be used to do this.The wreath should be hung with a red ribbon on top.

Step 11: You should collect your materials.

Most of these materials can be found at a craft store or general retailer.If you don't have a spare picture frame, you can usually find one at thrift and secondhand stores.You'll need a picture frame, fishing line, and tape.

Step 12: The frame should be wrapped in Christmas lights.

Wrap the picture frame with your Christmas lights, but leave enough string on either side of the frame to allow the lights to extend to the mantel.The mantel sides can be draped with excess length.You should leave enough length to connect your lights to the power outlet.You might have to use an extension cord.The lights may stay in place if they are tightly wrapped.To make sure your lights remain in place, you may want to attach them with a few pieces of clear tape.

Step 13: You can decorate your frame.

Attach the hook to the top of the frame.Attach your ornament to the fishing wire and hang it in the center of the frame.To hide the hook from view, add a small wreath to the same hook.You can hang ornaments from the center of the frame.Wrap paper, Christmas cards, and winter calendar photos can be put inside the frame.

Step 14: The picture frame should be on the mantel.

You should be able to lean the picture frame against the wall.In some cases, you may want to place a heavy object, like a snow globe, nutcracker, or similar item in front of the frame to keep it in place.Don't move the frame suddenly.The hanging decoration could be damaged by this.

Step 15: Hang your stockings from the fireplace.

You might be able to hang your stockings from the decorations holding your frame in place, but you have to use hooks.Hang the stockings from the hooks if you want to hide the decorations behind them.