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Let’s toast to the holidays! Easily one of the season’s favorite flowers, poinsettia plants in full bloom are inexpensive and easy to source around the holidays. Head to the grocery store to source the deliciously scented elements for this beautiful tree. But don’t rush down to your local zoo to donate your old tree. Our tutorial, below, shows you how to upcycle assorted old sweaters into cute mini mittens and toboggans you can then fill with small trinkets and treats for a fun take on a traditional advent calendar. Give an old coatrack a glossy coat of red paint to turn it into a cheery and space-saving spot to hang your stockings. Mashed sweet potatoes will give you fewer calories and more nutrients than white potatoes. All other violations will be enforced. While the mantel typically gets more attention, adding a few festive touches to your fireplace’s hearth will pull the look together.

Get more tips for making your mantel merry, below. Take a cue from this woodsy scene and just drape the mantel with a faux or fresh evergreen garland (learn how to make your own!), add a few mercury glass trees and hang the stockings with care. For any workweek in which the employee worked overtime, you would then need to make catchup payments for the difference between what you paid the employee in overtime at the time and what the employee is entitled to now that the bonus is known. Faux and preserved flowers are seasonal, and you can find bargains if you shop far enough ahead and store your purchases carefully until you need them. Going online will give you more opportunities to shop around for better deals. Give your tree a woodsy twist by subbing gathered pinecones for a few of the ornaments. Easy-to-make mini vases and and budget-friendly yarn-wrapped topiaries give this Christmas table its crafty cred. While we’re still big fans of DIY Christmas wreaths, try a different look this year with a flat-backed basket filled with foraged backyard finds. While the Big Man himself (AKA Santa) won’t see your front door, your family, friends and neighbors will so start your merry makeover on the front porch before moving indoors.

Hang your completed swag indoors for a farmhouse-chic touch or on the front door in place of a standard wreath. Our how-to, below, explains how to create these illuminated grapevine sphere topiaries for your front porch. And, bonus, we’ll show you how to securely attach the ornaments, below, so you can display this gorgeous garland year after year. Even mornings are affected by the heat and, what makes things more difficult for visitors, there is no air-conditioning in some areas. Nothing says classic Christmas decor like a fresh evergreen garland – and, surprise – they’re actually really easy to make. Dried orange slices, bundles of cinnamon sticks and strands of cranberries and caramel corn make this tree the best dressed (and tastiest looking!) around. A foam cone, wired floral picks and gathered pinecones are all you (or your kiddos need) to create this mini tabletop tree that adds a big dose of woodsy charm. Need a festive fireplace in a flash? From making your fireplace more festive to crafting one-of-a-kind ornaments and trimming your Christmas tree like a pro, our holiday craft projects will help you creatively take your home from ho-hum to ho-ho-ho! Allow the pinecones to cool, then work a bit of wire through the bottom layer of scales and hang on your tree.

Here, the hooks designed for jackets and bags in the mudroom make for the perfect spot to hang gift-filled stockings for Christmas morning. Get the kiddos’ help when decorating or make it for them as a fun surprise. They’re a fun craft to do as a family and let you express your inner designer. Follow our tips to craft this colorful garland that’s sure to boost your staircase’s cheer factor – without damaging the banister or spindles. Get our 12 tips for setting a one-of-a-kind holiday table, below. Display it to add a little extra holiday cheer to your bar cart or gift it to your favorite holiday host or hostess. Put flag on house your favorite holiday movie, download a free printable snowflake template or follow this tutorial, then get crafting to turn plain white printer paper into magical snowflakes you can string together for a snow day, any day. Just remove the ornaments to turn this Christmas wreath into a farmhouse wreath you can keep out long after the holiday has passed.