Setting the scene for Santa to make his big debut is by far one of the most exciting things about Christmas. Decorating your Christmas tree with nostalgic ornaments, displaying colorful lights around your windows, and of course, hanging your stockings with care on your fireplace. All important ingredients for a perfect Christmas holiday recipe. We’ve put together a few ideas to help you navigate a beautiful and safe display for your fireplace – Yuletide logs and all!
Heat it up with Red and Green
Are you a traditionalist when it comes to your Christmas decorating? Stick to red and green color themes with festive stockings for each member of your family. A pre-lit wreath, some white lights, and a few evergreen tree branches help to create a beautiful holiday display. If you don’t want to hang your stockings up with nails or tacks, a great alternative is stocking hangers. These handy decorating accessories sit on top of your mantel with hooks that allow you to hang your stockings safely – without damaging your fireplace.
Roaring in a Winter Wonderland
The go-to colors for creating a winter wonderland tend to be blue and white. While there’s a reason for that – it looks stunning, you can also put together a beautiful winter-themed mantle with a twist. Try gold, or other earth tones, instead of the classic blue. Find little woodland animals, like deer at a hobby shop and paint them white, metallic gold, or whatever other colors you think looks best. A current trend this year for stockings is scripted name tags, instead of embroidery. Let the kids make homemade snowflakes out of construction paper and glitter to create a garland. Or, help them design a homemade wreath with cotton balls and white poms-poms for a finishing touch!
Glowing with Color
When traditional and sophisticated aren’t your style, it’s time to think outside the chimney! There are limitless color options when fun and festive are what your fireplace needs. Red and aqua create a unique, retro feel, while, silver, and soft purple are a bit more modern. If your children are about to explode with their own take on decorating the fireplace, allow them to help create a special mantel display. Have them pick out their stockings this year, even if they don’t match. Their excitement over the magic of Christmas is nothing short of awe-inspiring and contagious and your mantle will glow with their creative touches!
Hang Your Stockings with Care and Safety
Now that you have an idea of what you want your fireplace to look like this Christmas season, let’s talk about how to hang your stockings with care for a safe holiday:
- If your stockings (or any other decorations) hang down in front of the fireplace opening, you’ll need to move them before lighting a fire.
- Never light candles too close to the decorations on top of your fireplace.
- Keep your tree at least 3 feet away from your fireplace.
- If you use stocking hangers, be aware that they can fall if little hands pull down on the stocking, and they are usually heavy.
- You may need to add a fireplace screen if your children are small as an added safety measure. These screens are easily portable, and won’t damage your hearth but help to create a barrier between cozy fires and curious children.
- Command hooks make a great removable handle for stockings and can be easily covered with greenery.
Is a fireplace what your holiday decorations are missing? IHT Hot Tubs & Fireplaces has you covered! We carry a vast array of fireplaces to choose from, catering to every style and space. Give Santa an easy way inside this year, and every year after with a stunning fireplace addition to your home. Contact us today!