I find that there is a fine line between festive and gaudy. I do not want to cross that line so I try to keep my Christmas decorating ideas centered on natural items and lights. I love candle light and wanted to find a way to use this outdoors. My older sister told me that in the 1970's, during the energy crisis, many people used ice globes in their yards. To make the globes you fill balloons with water and place them in your freezer. The balloons freeze from the outside in. You need to keep checking the balloons to insure that they do not freeze all the way through. Once the ice has built up around the inside of the balloon you pop the balloon and drain the water out of the cavity that is formed in the middle. Sometimes this includes chopping a hole in the top. This process produces ice globes. By using different sizes of balloons you can create several sizes of globes. I found that using rings from canning jars make a great base to stand the globes on. A candle is then placed in each globe. We live in a cold climate so I place several of the globes on our steps and line our driveway. The votive lights are easy to light and the globe protects them from going out. I have also arranged several sizes of globes to create ice sculptures in the front yard. These Christmas decorating ideas require no storage because the candles burn away and the globes melt.

In the house I use evergreens and ribbons along with traditional glass ornaments to decorate the mantel as well as the table tops. The evergreens stay fresh for several weeks and can be burned in the fireplace after the season is over. The bulbs and ribbons store very easily in flat boxes. The best Christmas decorating ideas do not involve a great deal of money or storage of items. By using the natural evergreens and ice there are no storage issues and the costs are minimal. Also you do not feel that you are limited to the same Christmas decorating ideas each year because you can change the shapes and sizes of your ice globes and new ribbons and different colored bulbs are inexpensive to buy. Last year I used popcorn and cranberry strands in place of the ribbons. After the holidays I placed the strand in the trees outside for the birds to enjoy. Christmas decorating ideas do not have to be expensive to be tasteful and pretty.