For anyone who has been noticing it, the fact that ugly Christmas sweaters have become a trend is probably a cause for no small hilarity. These garments, for ages considered an eyesore, are now making an appearance in wardrobes as a fashion apparel. No longer can one associate them with one’s great aunt or their second grade teacher. With Christmas symbolisms depicted in a manner nothing less than cartoonish, the snowman, reindeer or elf Christmas sweater, with felt appliqus and pompoms for the added amusement of the observer, is taking the country by storm during the holiday season.

Though the ugly Christmas sweater has been in existence from way before the 20^th century, people sat up and took notice of its hideousness only in the last few decades. One of the first few people responsible for making it trendy is probably Bill Cosby. He is, in fact, looked up to as an ugly sweater icon. But in the beginning of the ’90s, these Christmas jumpers lost popularity.

However, in the last decade, these cheap Christmas sweaters is back again. There were books published on this even. The Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On, for one, thanks to which, around the year 2001, these sweaters came into the limelight in a huge way. Now the sweaters are bigger, louder and trendier than ever before with even high-end fashion shops like H&M showcasing them.

With people of all ages wanting to get in on the fashion train with the cheap ugly holiday sweaters, sweater themed parties have become the most popular during the Christmas season, with Christmas suits, and Christmas pajamas as viable alternatives for themed Christmas party wear. The sweaters are embellished with bows and frills and various form of decorations in an attempt to increases its tackiness. It has become so popular that the late night talk show host, Jimmy Fallon formed a segment around the theme called “The 12 Days of Christmas Sweaters.”

They are now trending in pop culture, fashion runways, and MTV documentaries. And this is not just limited to the United States alone. Thanks to Coin Firth and his cringe-worthy Christmas sweater from Bridget Jones’ Diary, the ugly holiday sweater has risen in popularity in the United Kingdom too.

Naturally, more than it looks, what the cheap ugly Christmas sweater has going for – is the warm, fuzzy feeling along with the fun memories of Christmas which makes it all worthy.

While for years, popular fashion looked down on Christmas jumpers and sweaters but in recent times, ugly holiday sweaters are gaining popularity in a big way. Online sellers of various Christmas apparel, including Christmas suits and Christmas pyjamas, will vouch for the fame these sweaters have surprisingly attained in the recent decades. While there’s nothing subtle about an ugly Christmas sweater, most are downright outrageous, and these sell like hot cakes.

Celebrities sporting these cheap Christmas sweaters, make them even trendier. There was this famous instance of Justin Bieber wearing a Christmas sweater worth $1,650 during a live performance.

Somewhere at the turn of this century, three Indiana State University graduates were sharp enough to observe the rise in popularity of these sweaters during Christmas parties. From elf Christmas sweaters to reindeer sweaters to hideous sweaters sporting huge Christmas trees with decorations made of pompoms and appliqu, these garments appeared to have taken the holidays by storm.

Adam Paulson, Kevin Wool and Brian Miller, these graduates, are the men behind UglyChristmasSweaterParty.com. In their opinion, people are quite conscious and, therefore, sick to death of paying attention to what they wear and how they appear through the year, that during the Christmas season, they cannot wait to let their hair down, wear a Christmas sweater, be trendy yet uninhibited. Towards the end of that decade, they observed that people were having a tough time finding ugly cheap Christmas sweaters and started an online business. They bought 50 sweaters from Goodwill for an approximate $75 and everything sold in a matter of hours.

Today, online selling of cheap Christmas sweaters is a successful business with many making a good living from it. UglyChristmasSweaterParty.com, for instance, in the beginning of this decade sold nearly 15,000 sweaters for about $24 a piece during the holiday season.

Ugly Christmas sweaters have their advantages. For one, they make for great conversation starters. Nothing beats a hideous reindeer on bulky sweater as an icebreaker. Two, they make the perfect business gift for someone who has everything, or for anyone who doesn’t mind laughing at themselves. These sweaters can totally help one get into the spirit of things. Three, they are the perfect party idea. Ugly Sweater themed Christmas parties have been all the rage for years now and they don’t appear to be diminishing in popularity any time soon. Nothing like an “ugly themed” Christmas party with tacky sweaters and with hideous looking food and drink to boot to ensure everyone from children to the aged have fun.

Christmas tree skirts are an integral part of Christmas trees. Without them, they look bare and somehow naked. The skirts also help catch any loose tree needles that may fall. It’s important to know how to choose the right size of Christmas tree skirt for the tree as well. Too large and you block the path and take up more space, too small, and you leave the stand bare. Here are the best ways to make sure you buy the right size skirt for your Christmas tree:

Choosing the right Christmas tree skirt size
There are many Christmas skirt sizes out there and not all of them are right for your particular tree. If you have a small tree which is indoors, you might want to opt for the 18 inch Christmas tree skirt, 24 inch Christmas tree skirt, 30 inch Christmas tree skirt, or the 36 inch Christmas tree skirt depending on the tree size.

Moreover, if you have a large outdoor Christmas tree, then you will have to opt for a larger skirt. Go for the 48 inch Christmas tree skirt, 56 inch Christmas tree skirt, 70 inch Christmas tree skirt, 72 inch Christmas tree skirt, or even the largest gigantic 84 inch Christmas tree skirt.

How to find out which size is ideal
First determine the diameter, by measuring the entire width of the circle formed by the stand and tips of the outer branches of the tree. Whatever the size, the skirt should definitely be hiding the unsightly stand from view.

Larger ornate skirt
If you don’t want to use the 18 inch Christmas tree skirt for your small tree and want something larger, then go for an ornate skirt. The skirt will then look extremely beautiful, and accentuate the entire Christmas tree. Only opt for sizes just one size larger, as a skirt which is too big will cause more problems.

Avoid tripping hazards
It can be difficult to know which size skirt to buy, but whatever you do, don’t buy one that is inordinately large. The last thing you need is a tripping hazard in your living room. The holiday season is better off without people falling all over the place.

So go ahead and make the purchase of the Christmas tree skirt that you had in mind. Without it your tree is incomplete, but make sure to buy the right one for your tree. Just like you buy the correct sized clothes for yourself, a good tree needs a correct sized skirt.

Setting up the nativity scene for Christmas is a tricky part of the decoration because it has a religious backstory and relates to the legend of the birth of Jesus Christ. So it needs to be very respectful and decent, but you also need to spark it up a little bit for the sake of vibrancy.

Here are some tips for choosing the right Christmas crib statues and scene to awestruck your guests with your creative skills.

Nativity scenes under the Christmas tree
Setting up the crib under the Christmas tree is a popular idea. It is usually done on the Christmas tree skirt, so choose a bright and colorful one to give a lovely base to your crib. The Christmas tree crib usually has smaller figurines of Mother Mary and baby Jesus, including Joseph, the angels, the magi and their sheep. But you can always throw in as many animal figures you want, given that it is a stable scene and dash it up with some more designs.

Crib scene on the table
Arranging for the nativity scene on a tabletop as a centerpiece gives you more space and liberty to experiment with the decorations. There are Christmas cribs for sale during the holiday season. You can add various other subjects like some sparkling Christmas trees or bushes here and there, more animals and beautiful candles, over and above the traditional scene with Jesus, his parents, and the angels. If you have kids around, it is safe to use LED candle lights, but nothing beats the appeal of real candles lighting along these significant Christmas crib statues.

Outdoor crib scene
Setting up your nativity scene outside is a big task to accomplish. You can either buy the nativity set on the whole or purchase the individual Christmas crib statues and bring them together. In case of outdoor nativity sets, you can have as big as 12-inch nativity figures which might look too big for an indoor set.

You can make a rustic nativity set or give it a polished and modern twist by adding revolving Christmas trees, shiny tinsels, LED desert backgrounds, antique lanterns, tea light holders and so on.

Since this is an essential part of the original reason why Christmas is celebrated, it must be done with patience and devotion. Spend some quality time deciding and choosing which one you want to do for your house and get on with it. The figurines and sets are available everywhere in the market as well as online get them home and create magic!

A Christmas crib statue is the recreated miniature version of the stable where Lord Jesus was born. It is of vital importance and is kept at almost every home during Christmas. These Christmas crib statues are also called nativity sets and are available in different varieties such as rustic nativity sets and others. From 10-inch nativity figures to 12-inch nativity figures, a wide range of nativity sets consisting of varied lengths of figures are available, and one can buy nativity sets according to their need and purpose. Polyresin is the most common type of material used to make a Christmas crib statue or a nativity set.

These Christmas crib statues are of utmost importance, and one needs to make sure that the following things are present in the nativity set. Given below are a few pieces that are mandatory in a nativity set be it indoor or outdoor nativity sets.

• The statue of Joseph: From 9 to 16 to 24 inches, a wide range of the statues of Joseph are available and varies from set to set.
• The statue of Mary: Yes, the statue of Mary is mandatory in a nativity set, without which your set would indeed look incomplete.
• The statue of baby Jesus: Do make sure that the nativity set has a statue of Baby Jesus as without which the entire Christmas crib statue would look incomplete.
• Shepherd and Angel: Along with the statues of Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus, your nativity set also needs to consist of a standing shepherd and an Angel.
• Melchior, Balthazar, Caspar: A major part of Christian tradition, these three figures are significant and should indeed be a part of your nativity set.
• Statues of a camel, ox and a donkey: A stable is incomplete without these animals and so in a nativity set.
• Proper positioning of statues in a nativity set: Every piece in the nativity set needs to be arranged appropriately. Baby Jesus needs to be placed in the middle of the set in the arms of Mary or a crib. Joseph needs to be placed right next to Mary. The Angel, Shepherd, statues of Melchior, Balthazar and Caspar needs to be placed on either side of Joseph.
• Piece count: The piece count in a nativity set varies from ten to fourteen. If you find Christmas cribs for sale, then make sure that the set has the number of pieces as mentioned in it.

Planning a budget and sticking to it are indeed two different things, which is quite difficult but not impossible. Christmas, the most awaited season of the year is around the corner and so is Christmas shopping. From Christmas trees to decorative items to Christmas centerpieces, the shopping list just goes on and on. Any piece of furniture is almost incomplete without a beautiful centerpiece and here are a few ideas for pretty and cheap Christmas centerpiece.

• Fruit or flower bowls: Yes, you heard it right. Glass bowls with beautiful flowers and fruits are indeed alluring and will make the entire space look more festive and ethereal. Carefully select and place beautiful petals of rose and white lilies in a glass bowl to set the Christmas vibe right on. The classic combination of red and white will work wonders and ideally suits the Christmas season.
• For a natural vibe: A small plant of your choice can be kept as a centerpiece on a wooden base to give the vibe of a rustic Christmas centerpieces. It is attractive and ideal for a cheap Christmas centerpiece and what not.
• Miniatures of lampshades: Lampshades can instantly change any space from dull to bright in seconds. Miniature versions of these lampshades area available which can be purchased and kept as centerpieces to brighten the space instantly. Miniature lampshades can also be made using colored paper or charts, placed over wine glasses which is quick, do it yourself method.
• For the love of candles: Scented candles work wonders as centerpieces, which are both exquisite and light in one’s pockets. From small and pretty candles to stunning designs, a range of these alluring candles are available, which will draw everyone’s attention to it. And also, who isn’t a fan of candlelight dinners?
• Plate it up: Your dinner table is incomplete without a great platter and what if your platter is a centerpiece? Yes, plates make up for great centerpieces, which are both ravishing and economical in price. From an assortment of ornaments to decorative items for Christmas, you can place anything and everything on your plate.
• The beauty of a snow globe: A snow globe is the most adorable pieces of all times, which bring a lot of positivity and joy to space. It indeed makes one happy without hurting their budget.
• Back in memory lane: Christmas is all about family and having one’s pictures as a centerpiece is indeed beautiful and quite emotional. Select the best pictures of the lot and place it on a cake stand or a plate for a ravishing look.

Do try these Christmas centerpiece ideas and cherish those memories for a lifetime.

Christmas may be the celebration of joy which brings people together to share the joy and love, but it also comes with its share of tasks to be completed. There are many preparations to be made before Christmas arrives. Procuring the right kind of tree for the season, getting the decorations in line, picking out presents and other things take up most of our time. People almost tend to forget that a Christmas tree skirt is needed for the Christmas tree! The most popular of all sizes is an 18 inch Christmas tree skirt.

Why are Christmas tree skirts used?
The use of Christmas tree skirts is simple. These skirts are used to hide the unsightly sights of stands, roots, and the watering area for the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree skirt also adds some beauty to the Christmas tree altogether. These skirts can be used for massive trees as well as the smaller tree. The various sizes for Christmas tree skirts are 24 inch Christmas tree skirt, 30 inch Christmas tree skirt, 36 inch Christmas tree skirt, 48 inch Christmas tree skirt, 56 inch Christmas tree skirt, 70 inch Christmas tree skirt, 72 inch Christmas tree skirt, 84 inch Christmas tree skirt, along with the 18 inch Christmas tree skirt.

How to choose the right sized Christmas tree skirt
Choosing a design for your Christmas tree skirt is far easier than choosing and understanding the size of the Christmas tree skirt. Here is how you know what size to choose for your Christmas tree:

• Get your hands on a measuring tape and measure the widest part of the tree. The widest part of your tree is the bottom part of the tree, right above the tree trunk begins to show.
• Next, consider the size of the Christmas skirt you need. If you need only for concealing purposes choose a skirt accordingly.
• However, if you need a skirt which also serves as part of Christmas decoration underneath your tree, then choose a Christmas skirt which is a little wider than your tree’s actual diameter.
• Remember that if you need a simple tree skirt which does not serve as a decoration, always go for smaller tree skirts.
• The bigger trees use about a 30 inch Christmas tree skirt.
• The main purpose of a Christmas tree skirt is to hide the area under the tree’s base. This base gives a weird feel to the entire decorated Christmas tree.

You can use a skirt of any size for your tree. There is no absolute right or absolute wrong size for these skirts. However, remember to choose the ones which do not cause any hazards. Most of the Christmas trees work fine an 18 inch Christmas tree skirt, but you can choose a bigger one if you like.

Centerpieces are important for any Christmas decoration. They are the centers of attraction on the dining table of the center table in the hall, and they need to be given some thought. The Christmas centerpieces can be traditional and rustic or modern and elegant, depending on the mood of the celebrations. Nevertheless, you want to do it right and also keep it within the budget.

Here are some tips for buying cheap Christmas centerpieces.

• Keep it simple yet charming
  Less is more, they always say. Use the mantra here and put up a simple yet attractive centerpiece using stuff like scented candles, sparkling balls, and bells. Tuck in some mistletoe, pine twigs or other small plants to give it a shade of green. To glam it up a little bit, use different designer candles like jar candles, candles inside lanterns or old traditional ones in antique holders.
• Elaborate but pocket-friendly
  If you want an elaborate and detailed centerpiece but want to keep it within your budget, opt for a woodland centerpiece. You can get the moss and twigs needed for greenery at the local florist. Add some animal and tree figurines, tiny yew trees and a small wooden log or heap of stones to act as a central spot. Use your imagination to make it look aesthetics, and your rustic Christmas centerpiece is ready for the show.
• Santa Claus centerpiece
  A fun and quirky idea go brilliantly with the whole theme. It will not cost you much to buy some cotton to make it look like snow and some Santa Clause, reindeer and sled figurines. Set them up and scatter some gift boxes overflowing from the old man’s red sack. If you want to enhance the appeal, fill the gift boxes with actual toffees or candies for your guests to pick up at will.
• Elegance is the word
  If elegance is all that you understand, stick with the traditional flowers like Carnations, Amaryllis or Chrysanthemums in stylish vases. You can add some fun by adding candy canes, dry twigs or pine cones to make it more beautiful. These centerpieces are foolproof and time-tested, but you can keep adding your touch to them to make them unique and unorthodox.
• Personalized but interesting
  Make it completely your own by making a personalized centerpiece with zero cost. Use a long vase or jar to make a twig plant and then throw in some string lights and hang photographs and Christmas cards you received to it to bring the certain warmth of personal touch to the table.

When looking for cheap Christmas centerpieces, choose your centerpiece wisely as it can change the look of your entire decoration for the best. Even if you choose from cheap Christmas centerpieces, keep it minimal, inexpensive but creative, and the game is won!

Christmas decorations are not only one of the most fun parts of the festive season but also one of the most hectic and taxing tasks. To put up a great show all over the house from the front lawns to the backyard is a very difficult thing to accomplish. But with the Christmas inflatables, your job gets a tiny bit easier. So this Christmas, give your snowman a more permanent and convenient structure by using an inflatable one. They come in all sizes, from 4 ft inflatable snowman or 12 foot inflatable snowman for inside up to a 20 ft inflatable snowman for outdoor decorations. Here are some of the obvious advantages of using an inflatable snowman.

Easy to use
Needless to say, it is easy to put up an inflatable snowman than a real one. Now with all the Global Warming, the snowfall is all erratic, and even if you make one, it might just melt even before the night rolls in. There is no such fear in case of an inflatable snowman. You plug it in, inflate it, and make it stand and not worry about it for the rest of the evening. It is also super-light to carry from one place to another and set it up in the right place.

Economic
You can use a snowman, be it an 8 ft inflatable snowman or a 12 foot inflatable snowman as long as it does not tear or looks old and grubby. No need to buy one every year and thus one less thing on your Christmas must-have list to worry about.

Convenient to store
With easy deflation, your snowman can be folded and stashed away inside a cupboard or in the attic, and it will wait quietly for the next Christmas to come when again it will be called upon for duty. Until then, no worries!

Different sizes available
With an inflatable snowman, you can easily choose between different sizes which are not possible with the real ones for obvious reasons. You can buy as big as a 20 ft inflatable snowman to keep it looming over your lawn. For the interiors, a 6 ft inflatable snowman or 8 foot inflatable snowman sounds perfect. For the terrace or backyard, you can go for a 12 foot inflatable snowman.

More varieties
While buying an inflatable snowman, you have many varieties and options to choose from, so that on the eve of Christmas, you don’t have to bother with what to use for the eyes or nose or arms or what else to decorate it with. The inflatable snowman comes ready with every body part it will need and saves you a whole lot of time and trouble.

With all the other things you have to keep in mind during ChristmasChristmas tree and its decoration, dinner menu, gifting ideaskeep one off the list by buying an inflatable snowman and just inflate it up before the party begins.

This time of the year between late fall and early winter calls for many occasions and festivals to celebrate and throw parties at your home Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year the list doesn’t seem to end. And house parties inevitably mean lots of decorations and arrangements.

Among the huge collection of Christmas decorations for sale every year, it is tough to choose the right ones for your home. To help you out, here are five affordable Christmas decorations that should be on your Christmas shopping list.

• Christmas lightings
  The oldest and most traditional of them all, Christmas lightings have evolved from decorative candles to very affordable Christmas decorations a variety of twinkling lights for your Christmas tree, your windows, and lawns as well as your walls. Apart from the usual mini string and bulb lights, there are net lights, icicle and candy cane lights, animated and color changing lights in the shape of Santa Claus, reindeer, Frosty the snowman and so on. They are the most discounted Christmas decorations during the festive season. Moreover, you may opt for teal Xmas decorations.
• Designer candles
  Candles have not entirely gone out of style, but they have surely evolved. Instead of the simple ones, you can opt for different stylised varieties. They are available in different shapes, sizes, and scents as centerpieces, jar candles, small cup candles or artistic candles the choice is yours. They make the most affordable Christmas decorations, yet most effective.
• Inflatable decorations
  A rage among the new age Christmas party decorations, these are the best options for your holiday yard Christmas decorations. They come in a deflated state for better storage, but once you plug it in, your air-blown snowman or Santa Claus will smile at your guests throughout the evening. Also, these inflatable Christmas decorations will last for years if stored with care, so it is wise to keep it on your shopping list.
• Christmas wreaths and garlands
  Another traditional decoration inseparable from the festival, wreaths and garlands make the best indoor Christmas decoration. For the wreath you can go for the usual holly or Ivy branches and the garland over the mantelpiece and staircase banister, you can go fancy with handmade papers and quirky homemade trinkets.
• Reindeer decorations
  There is no end to how many different types of holiday reindeer decorations you will find for Christmas. They come in smallest sizes for your Christmas tree, in medium sizes for your tables and cabinets, and in big sizes for Christmas lawn decorations. Throw in some of those lovely horned creatures here and there don’t forget to keep one in the red nose for our dear Rudolph.

Make use of the season sales and your imaginative mind to create the best Christmas decorations for your home. You may also look for Christmas tree decoration items online.