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Decorating on the Fly Quick Ways To Decorate Holiday Table

N E W Y O R K, Dec. 13 — Even if you are on a budget, it's easy to create a festive atmosphere, simply with items you already have around the house. Good Morning America's lifestyles editor Rebecca Kolls has some quick holiday decorating ideas.

Wrapping table: Instead of throwing out the small scraps of wrapping paper that you accumulate as you wrap gifts, why not use them to make your table more festive? Simply tape the wrapping paper to a table, and add ribbon.

You will need:

• Scotch tape

• Floral paddle wire

• Small wire cutters

• Variety of holiday paper

• Ribbon

Dressed chairs: Make each seat festive by tying some special decorations on the back of each one

You will need:

• Ribbons

• Ornaments

• Any other embellishments you would like, such as pine branches

Embellished Napkins: Try decorating the napkins by rolling them up with ribbons and attaching small ornaments.

• white/cream cloth napkins

• cranberry cloth napkins

• ribbons

• ornaments

Glasses: Spice up your glasses with some holiday cheer.

You will need:

• Glasses, either wine/ water goblets

• miniature ornaments

• ribbon

• trinkets

Velvet-wrapped Candles: Tuck your candles into velvet bags in jewel tones, then hook on some ornaments for some holiday cheer.

You Will Need:

• White/light cream pillar candles, all varied in height, 6, 8 and 10-inches tall.

• Velvet wine bags with tassels, preferrably cranberry,deep green or blue

Festive Candelabra: Make your candelabra fabulous by dangling various decorations from them.

You will need:

• Ornaments

• Garland

Candlesticks: Decorate your candlesticks with various sprigs, including sweet-smelling cedar.

You will need:

• Variety of different sized candlesticks

• Fresh center cedar

• Fresh sprigs pepperberry

• Fresh-seeded eucalyptus

• Embellishments

• Ribbons

Candied Candles Glue decorations onto your candles, for a kid-friendly look.

You will need:

• Chunky red candles in varied heights

• Small candy canes

• Variety of hard Christmas candy

• Glue Gun

• Gum Drops

• Ribbon

Hang ornaments from the ceiling with fish wire for a final touch, Kolls suggests.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

Answers

I'm jealous of anyone who has the time to do something like these projects. I'm usually hard-pressed to cook something and get the house cleaned up, let alone decorating the chairs. . . .

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

Funny, yesterday while looking for stories to post, I found out how to make real truffles. (I think it was on the WashingtonPost site.) I was thinking about trying to make some next week (say Wednesday) to have when company comes over and I'm down.

Somehow, the thought of having friends over for the holidays without me being a hostess is like having ice water in my veins. Then again, I can't believe that my friends want to come over and celebrate the holidays while I'll be down and out. Guess they can still enjoy themself.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

If they are true friends, they will do your laundry and cleaning for you.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

LOLOLOLOLOL!!! This woman does NOT have a cat! I can just see my cats with the festive chair-back decorations, woo-hoo! The big gray striped one would have those chairs dragged all over the house, LOL! And Rambo (although female, aptly named) would have those hanging balls down in a heartbeat--she's a leaper! Gawd, it would take me months to clean up the mess.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

hehehehe I HAVE cats...lots of cats!!! I have 7 assorted sized trees all decorated, and and each kittie has a special tree they like to "nap" under. but the only one they tend to mess with is the bird house tree, I find the little birdies all over the house. and ribbons...ribbons are not the best thing to have, and I had to pull some ribbon out of BB throat last year. just glad I didn't have to pull from the other end!!! and that I got it before it got into his digestive system. so for the holiday season, I thing like a kittie and then try to work accordingly. (doesn't always work...)

I use pretty wrapping paper as a table cloth and accent it for my holiday party. And there are times, I just gather them all up and put them in the garage!!! (I hate to have their "help" if I am going to bake!) they also get "put out if I am getting too much "help" wrapping presents!!!

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001