Four Festive Decorative Ideas, Straight from Your Printer

Christmas is a time when tradition comes to the fore. We all have our own way of doing things, and many of the festive rituals are things that we have carried over from our own childhood, whether it is the way we roast the turkey, the placement of the gifts around the tree or the date at which the decorations go up.
But the decorations themselves are one area in which we tend to move with the times. Modern LED lamps have replaced the ratty old string of fairy lights that Dad used to wrestle with every year. And to be honest, trying each bulb in turn to work out which one was faulty, then hoping the whole thing wouldn’t trip the household electrics is a tradition we can all do without.
But what of the other decorations? Remember the paperchains you used to spend hours making? They might not have looked terribly sophisticated, but it was a part of the Christmas magic that seems to have disappeared over the past decade or so.
Here, we take a look at a modern twist on this nigh-on forgotten Christmas institution, with some decorative ideas that you can create using nothing but your computer, a printer and some imagination. Just make sure you are stocked up on coloured paper and your printer is fueled up – you can currently get 10% off printerinks.com ink cartridges, so these ideas will definitely not break the bank!

1) Paper lanterns

It couldn’t be easier to give your home a festive glow by creating a beautiful lantern to go over an LED light. Simply print off your favorite photos, or even some home made artwork and fold the paper into the right shape or size. This online tutorial will show you exactly how the origami side of it comes together.

2) A photo banner

Your family probably has Facebook, Instagram and Google+ accounts that are jam packed with fantastic family snaps, so why not share these in a more traditional way as part of the Yuletide décor? Create banners by printing your favourites on heavy grade photo paper, punching holes in the top corners, then stringing them all together on a length of string or ribbon.

3) Candle wraps

It’s the small details that make all the difference. Nothing beats the ambience of a real candle, and a printed wrap adds the finishing touch. You can use the photos, designs or even messages of your choice. Once printed, they are easy to cut to the right size, and best of all, they can be used again and again.

4) A Christmas mobile

Got a large expanse of bare wall that is looking less than festive? No problem. Some stiff coloured paper and a selection of festive images are all you need to make an amazing wall mobile. Print your images out on coloured paper using black ink, then cut them into the geometric shapes of your choice, such as hearts or circles. Then, just sew or glue strips of string to the tops, tie them onto a wooden dowel at different lengths, and your mobile is ready to hang. Keep it interesting by alternating the colours of the paper and the shapes.
K Elizabeth xoxox
*Collaborative Post