Christmas Shop: Candle Clips, German Christmas Tree Candles and Clip-On Candle Holders On A Comeback

Christmas tree candles are on a comeback course. The classic candles and simple metal candle holders your great-grandparents used to adorn their tree every year slipped off the market about 90 years ago when electric lights swept the country. But if the initial buzz early this holiday season is any indication, the classic Christmas tree candle is on its way back.

Christmas Shop: Candle Clips, German Christmas Tree Candles and Clip-On Candle Holders On A Comeback

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Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

The more holiday cheer we can spread, the better, especially in our own neighborhoods.

Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

Here are some ideas for simple, sweet, inexpensive gifts that are just right.

Holiday Wreath

Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

1. Holiday Cookies. Carve out a day to spend with your favorite ladies, and bake away. Pool your recipes and divvy up the goodies into gift bags or decorative plastic gift trays at the end of the day.

Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

2. Have a stack of classic chocolates on hand. My kids' school has a fundraiser in September so we can buy just such incidental gifts, along with gift wrap. If you don't have such a fundraiser in your neighborhood, you might think about starting one. (Innisbrook.com handles ours.) If you are just looking for some yummy chocolates to stock up on, Ferrero Rocher is a big favorite, and these chocolates can be purchased inexpensively in beautiful holiday arrangements at most discount stores. It's nice to have a stack of extra gifts like these in the cabinet during the holidays, when you never know when you'll need an extra gift.

3. A bottle of your favorite (and relatively inexpensive) wine.

4. A journal and a nice pen. It's nice to have a special place to record their favorite personal thoughts of family memories.

5. Homemade crafts. If you're a scrapbooker, make a mini holiday album. If you love to sew, fashion some new placemats or potholders. And if you are not craft inclined, shop for neighborhood gifts at your local holiday craft fair. These are great for finding inexpensive holiday gifts that are often just sentimental enough.

6. Favorite fixin's. Combine the dry ingredients of your favorite sugar cookie recipe in a plastic bag and slide it into an inexpensive Christmas stocking. Print the baking ingredients on a festive tag, and use a pretty ribbon to tie it to the stocking, along with a holiday cookie cutter.

7. Fresh flowers. A simple bouquet of flowers, artfully arranged, is always welcome, especially when it arrives with a heartfelt note. Potted plants are wonderful, too.

8. Wreaths or poinsettias. There's always room for more holiday greenery.

9. Gift certificates for your local favorite coffee house, café, or soup restaurant.

10. Movie tickets (and if the family has young children, throw in an offer to babysit, too.)

11. An assortment of candles in festive shades and aromas, or an aromatherapy diffuser and essential oils. Scents of peppermint and cinnamon are especially lovely this time of year.

12. A personalized ornament for the neighbor's holiday tree.

13. Simple photo albums or photo frames that match your neighbor's décor.

14. An inspiring book of quotes or meditations.

15. A simple note telling each neighbor what they bring to your life and how much you value their friendship.

Happy holidays from our neighborhood to yours!

Christmas Gifts for Neighbors: 15 Ideas for Sweet and Simple Gifts

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Using real candles for holiday decorating has cross-cutting appeal. The Christmas tree candle, lowly and simple as it is, transcends aesthetic, political and historical fault lines.

Holiday Wreath

Christmas Shop: Candle Clips, German Christmas Tree Candles and Clip-On Candle Holders On A Comeback

Geeks and style scouts like Christmas candles and the metal candle holders that go with them for their gadget appeal and because at first glance they feel like something new and different. Homebodies and designers like them from a decorating point of view because they fit in with Victorian, Country, Lodge or any one of several other Christmas design themes. The historically-minded like the idea of reviving this traditional practice and keeping it alive. Families who want to shed some of the glitz and glam of the holidays like them because they're simple, low-tech and beautiful. And environmentally-conscious Christmas connoisseurs are drawn to Christmas tree candles because they're 100% green - even more earth friendly than LED Christmas lights.

Christmas Shop: Candle Clips, German Christmas Tree Candles and Clip-On Candle Holders On A Comeback

Regardless what may be drawing you to the idea of decorating your tree with candle clips and candles this year, if you've decided to do it, buy them early in the season.

Since these products are teetering on the verge of extinction, it comes as no surprise that they're difficult to find locally. You can make the rounds and ask, but they vanished from gift shops and hardware stores decades ago, though you could get lucky. You won't find them at your local mall. Even specialty shops that feature candles, Christmas decorations, wreaths, lights and other holiday items rarely, if ever, stock them.

The best place to buy Christmas tree candle holders, pendulum holders and candles is from a reputable, experienced shop on the internet. Make sure the products you are looking at are imported from Germany. Germans have been making decorations like these for years and theirs are the best. Why go with a cheaper import when you can get the real thing? You will want to consider what kind of holders you like best. Here are some of the basic choices:

Clip-On Christmas Tree Candle Holder or Candle Clip This holder has a spring clamp that grips the tree limb and steadies the holder. It includes a wax catcher and adjustable base. Clip on holders are usually available in a pine cone or scallop design. You can usually find them in a silver or gold finish. Pendulum Christmas Tree Candle Holder with Pine Cone Weight This traditional hanging candle holder was used before the candle clips. It has a stem that loops over the limb and a pine cone counterweight to keep the candle vertical. Pendulum Christmas Tree Candle Holder with Kugel This is a hanging holder with a stem and counterweight shaped as a "Kugel" or ball. Pendulum Christmas Tree Candle Holder with Star A hanging candle holder with a stem and dangling counterweight in the shape of a star. Christmas Tree Candles These are specialty candles from Germany made expressly to fit candle holders. They are usually available in red and white. Make sure to purchase the correct candles. Don't cut corners or try to substitute another size. The candle must fit firmly and snugly in the base. Birthday and party candles are too small. Dining candles are too long and fat. Votives and religious candles are also too big. If you're sure to buy original German-made Christmas tree candles, you can't go wrong.

Go ahead -- channel your great-grandparents this year, and experience Christmas the way they did. Regardless whether you choose clip-on Christmas candles or one of the pendulum candle holders, your Christmas tree will never look better and you will remember it all year long.. -

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Christmas Shop: Candle Clips, German Christmas Tree Candles and Clip-On Candle Holders On A Comeback

Family Connections - Adopt

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How to Make Christmas Decorations From Nature

Making Christmas decorations from nature is a very old tradition. The very first holiday decorations were garlands made from tree branches, live Christmas trees, and evergreen wreaths. Natural materials have always been and will always be part of decorating for the holidays. You can decorate your home with items gotten from nature and not only be both modern and traditional, but save a lot of money at the same time. Here are some ideas to get you started:

How to Make Christmas Decorations From Nature

1. Natural Wreaths

Holiday Wreath

How to Make Christmas Decorations From Nature

Natural wreaths are available at almost every store, but you can make your own and save money.

How to Make Christmas Decorations From Nature

You can make a small or large wreath from English Ivy. English Ivy is easy to grow and it does grow pretty quickly. Once your plant has some length to it, wrap the ivy around a frame that you have inserted into your pot. You can add lights or just about any kind of decorations you like such as berries or other natural decorations. Another great way to make a wreath is to make one from cut greens. Use a round wire frame that you can make from a coat hanger or you can purchase one at any craft store. Take some of your evergreen bunches and tie them together at the base with wire. Then, wind the evergreen branches around the wire frame or take a coat hanger apart and weaver the coat hanger wire around the branches from beginning to end and then form it into a circle.  You can decorate the evergreen bunches with natural fruits and berries and put a bow at the top. For Christmas tree wreaths, take some small twigs and make them into wreaths to hang them on your Christmas tree. You can use a craft Styrofoam circle and add leaf bunches, berries and pine cones with some fresh bay leaves stuck in for scent.  You can also use a glue gun to glue everything to the craft circle instead.

2. Natural Garland

Instead of buying garland at the store for your stairwells or for on your mantle, make them out of cut evergreen branches. Wire the evergreen branches and wind them around your handrails or place them on your mantle. They also look nice over a doorway in a swag design.

When you make your garland, add some bay leaves for a wonderful scent. If you have a bay laurel shrub, the leaves cut from the shrub would be perfect. If you don't have a bay laurel shrub, you can also purchase bay leaves in bulk in some markets. Secure the bay leaves with twine until you have the length that you need and then inter-mingle them with the evergreen branches. Then, add dried fruit, pine cones and berries.

3. Clove-Studded Oranges or Apples

Clove-studded oranges or apples are a wonderful traditional decoration and many years ago, they were given as gifts. They were called pomanders and some of these still exist in museums. Oranges, apples and lemons are typically used to make pomanders. They are very easy to make and they smell wonderful! Here are easy instructions for you to make your own pomanders.

First, with a small knitting needed, skewer or fork, pierce the fruit all over, making each hole about ½" apart. Then, put dried cloves into all of the wholes. In a small paper bag, mix 2 teaspoons each of ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add ½ teaspoon of ground orris root if you can find it. The orris root helps to dry and preserve the fruit. Put the clove-studded fruit in the paper bag and shake to completely coat the fruit. Then, place the fruit in a cool, dry place for two weeks. Shake the pomander once a day. Pomanders also look good in a bowl or displayed on a mantle.

These are just a few ideas for decorating your home this holiday season with nature. Have fun!

How to Make Christmas Decorations From Nature