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We all know that getting ready for the holidays can be a very hectic time. There is so much to think about. Family is coming in from out of town, food has to be prepared, Christmas gifts need to be purchased and wrapped. Well here are a few last-minute ways to prepare your home for the holidays. These tips should help you to budget your time and get your last-minute decorating completed without hassle.

1. Set out your Christmas Stockings- Everyone in the family should have one. Great places to hang them include on a fireplace mantle, or if you don't have a fireplace, hang them on a stair railing, on the top of an entertainment center or China Cabinet, or you could even hang them on the wall in a diagonal pattern. Stockings can be fun to decorate as well. This is a great activity for kids and adults alike. What's even more fun is choosing what to fill them with on Christmas Eve. Candy, small toys, accessories like gloves, hair clips, small jewelry and fruit are a great, inexpensive way to create a gift that everyone loves to open.

2. Check you live wreaths and greenery- Be sure that the needles aren't turning brown or falling off. You may want to purchase new ones, or even add fresh greenery to your existing ones to keep them looking and smelling fresh.

3. Water your Christmas Tree- this is the best way to keep a live tree looking nice through the holiday season, and into the New Year. Be sure to check the water level every day, and keep it full! You will have a beautiful, full and green tree for days to come.

4. Fill your home with Christmas Scents- Candles are a wonderful way to create a festive atmosphere in your home. Look for peppermint, gingerbread, cookie, pine, pumpkin and cinnamon scents to add great holiday scents. Potpourri and Potpourri oil are also great ways to create scents in the home. Put out a fresh bowl of a holiday-themed potpourri, or set a light-bulb ring on a lamp in your entryway to create some great aromas. The ultimate way to make your home smell great is to bake! Fresh-baked cookies, pies, and cakes always fill the home with the scents of Christmas!

5. Light up you Home!- Don't forget to put a dusk-to-dawn timer on your outdoor Christmas lights so the neighbors and passers-by can enjoy your lights during the dark winter hours. You can also add festive lights to your interior for a fancy Christmas party. In fact, when hosting a party, try to keep the room lights low and illuminate the room with lots of white or colored Christmas Lights.

6. Don't forget about the reason for the season - A Nativity scene is a great way to remind guests why we celebrate this time of Christmas.

Getting ready for the holiday season can be a time of great fun and excitement. We hope these tips will help you get ready for those holiday parties and add great accents to your holiday decor.

About the Author:

Angela Sullivan is an Interior Designer, and creator of the E-Book, Designing on A Budget, at http://www.designingonabudget.com. Her website provides resources, design tips, budget decorating & more at http://www.sullivaninteriors.net This article may be reproduced as long as it is not changed, and all information and links remains intact, including this portion.

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