(ARA) – The holly boughs on the front porch railing and the evergreen wreath on the door may be visible signs of the holidays, but to really savor the spirit of the season, you need to engage all your senses.

Just like a romantic dinner where all your senses are involved – soft music, gentle candlelight, enticing aromas, mouth-watering flavors and the soft touch of holding your sweetheart’s hand – celebrating the holidays also can be a feast for the senses … all season long.

Each sense you engage adds a layer of appeal to your home environment, creating a complete and satisfying holiday ambiance. Follow these helpful hints to enhance the holiday season in your home in a special way this year:

Sight
You might think creating the look of the holidays is easy. After all, you probably bring out the same boxes of holiday decorations each year. While beloved ornaments, photos and decorations always will have a place in your holiday decor, spice things up every year by adding a new item or trying a new effect.

For example, if your family loves decorating outdoors with twinkling lights, this year consider upgrading to eco-friendly LED lights. These energy-efficient alternatives may cost a little more up front, but will last longer and use less energy than traditional incandescent lights. In fact, decorating a 6-foot tree with LED lights and keeping the lights on for 12 hours per day for 40 days can save 90 percent or more energy compared with traditional incandescent lights, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Sound
Definitely bring out those holiday CDs – music is an integral element of holiday ambiance. Traditional carols, Elvis and even “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” are sure cues the holidays have arrived. But don’t stop there.

Mix up your holiday audible decor with recordings of your children’s recent holiday pageant, or record the whole family singing holiday favorites and play that in the background when guests visit. Your kids don’t have to be the Jonas Brothers, just sincere, enthusiastic and relatively in tune.

Scent
What aroma evokes the holidays for you? Does vanilla bring back memories of Sunday afternoons baking with Grandma? Does mistletoe make you think of your first kiss? Or perhaps the scent of evergreen reminds you of bringing home that special Christmas tree.

“Although we tend to associate sights with the essence of the holidays, scent is actually the sense most powerfully associated with memory,” says fragrance expert Rick Ruffolo of Yankee Candle. “It may not be practical to bake a batch of holiday cookies every time you want that wonderful aroma, but you can recreate that effect with a scented candle.”

In addition to being a simple, cost-effective option, candlelight coupled with your favorite scents is a great way to create a warm, inviting and memorable atmosphere. Yankee Candle offers a range of seasonally appropriate scents, such as Balsam & Cedar, Mistletoe, Christmas Cookie and Sparkling Cinnamon. In addition to traditional scents, try innovative approaches to traditional holiday scents and flavors like Christmas at the Beach (a tropical themed scent with a bright, festive blend of pineapple, coconut and cilantro), North Pole (a blend of icy cool mint and sugary rich vanilla cream), Sparkling Snow (the crisp, naturally fresh scent of gleaming snow-covered pines), or Christmas Cupcake (an irresistible treat of rich, moist vanilla cupcake covered with sweet buttery holiday icing).

“Having great-smelling scented candles in your home will put the finishing touches on your holiday celebrations,” Ruffolo notes. “Your guests and your family members will appreciate how these scents will bring back endearing memories of your experiences together for many years to come.” Visit www.YankeeCandle.com to learn more.

Touch
Anyone who’s ever tried to keep a toddler away from the tree knows there’s a very powerful tactile element to the holiday. Instead of discouraging touching – not just by toddlers but guests as well – give visitors to your home an appropriate opportunity to touch the holiday.

Children will love being able to touch holiday-themed stuffed animals. And tinsel is wonderfully appealing to all age groups – and easy to put back on the tree if it gets pulled off. Decorate banisters with crisp garlands that encourage a brush of the fingertip as guests climb the stairs.

Finally, keep your home cozy for the holidays – for nothing is more associated with the season than warmth and happiness. If you have a fireplace, light it when guests arrive. Be sure there are no drafts and seal any doors or windows with weather stripping. And be sure to offer guests the opportunity to curl up next to the fire in a cozy holiday-themed throw.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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“The holiday season is a special time for families,” says Ashleigh Sala, Dremel associate product manager. “Whether baking cookies, wrapping gifts or decorating our homes, the holidays seem to bring out the creative spirit in all of us.”

If you have a busy schedule or a small budget, you can still find inspiration to decorate for the holidays. By following a few simple instructions, these inexpensive, decorative projects can add a special touch to your home:

Wreath
Decorating a wreath is an easy at-home project that will highlight your front door for the holidays. To create a unique wreath, you will need to gather your materials, including a fresh pine bough wreath, garland, ribbon, pinecones and berries. The first step is to wrap ribbon around the wreath gluing every four inches to secure. Try the Dremel Glue Gun to prevent drips and to keep your work area clean. Next, wrap garland around the wreath gluing every four inches to secure. Then, glue a variety of pinecones and berries in place around the frame to give it a festive look. The final step is to attach a wire loop on the back of the wreath using picture wire. Once this is done, adorn your front door with your new masterpiece.

Mantle
During the holidays, your fireplace mantle is the perfect place to add festive decorations. It is the one area in your home that will get a lot of attention. Most people decorate their mantle with garland, but consider adding lights and bows to brighten it up. In addition to decorative garland, include eye catching ornaments or even candles. Remember, your mantle is the centerpiece of your room, so choose colors that complement your decor for a fresh look.

Centerpiece
Making a holiday centerpiece is a fun activity that can help spruce up your table with little effort. Start with a wicker basket and glue pine branches or garland in the bottom of the basket, lining the basket. Then, arrange an assortment of artificial fruit or holiday ornaments over the pine branches or garland. Once you have the look that you want, lift each piece of fruit or holiday ball carefully and glue back in to position. After the fruit or ornaments are in place, add accents such as candy canes, berries or even small pinecones to liven it up. Finish the centerpiece by tying a ribbon into a bow and gluing it to the front of the basket. Your table will be ready for a joyful holiday meal.

Coffee Table
To highlight your coffee table, gather a decorative tray, tiny holiday ornaments, holiday ribbon and various sized pillar candles. Arrange the candles on the tray in an asymmetrical pattern. Fill the spaces with the ornaments, weave the ribbon among the tray and light the candles for a soft and portable ambiance.

Candy Dish
Candy plays a central role in most holiday celebrations, so embrace it by making a large, decorative, candy dish to put on display in your home. First, glue candy canes, side-by-side to the outside of a terra cotta pot. For extra sparkle, add other decorations such as beads or ornaments. Then, wrap a ribbon around the pot and tie in a bow. After the candy canes are in position and the ribbon is secure, fill the pot with an assortment of wrapped candy for guests to enjoy. Remember, you may have to refill the dish on several occasions.

For more creative at-home projects, visit www.dremel.com or call the Dremel Experts at (800) 437-3635.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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