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Christmas trees, wreaths and Santa Claus seem to have been part of the Christmas season for as long as any of us can remember. Most Christmas celebrants are celebrating the arrival of Jesus into the world. Others may be celebrating Christmas as a purely secular holiday where families exchange gifts and spend time together. It seems to most of us that this is how it has always been and we are merely repeating the same holiday traditions of the many generations that have gone before us. While many aspects of Christmas, and winter decor have been part of the holiday tradition for thousands of years, their heritage is not what most of us think. There has been a celebration for thousands of years during the winter season, but Christmas as we know it is a relatively modern invention.

The winter solstice has been a time for celebration and ceremonies long before Christianity made its' presence in the world. The Romans celebrated their God, Saturn, during the second half of December with street festivals and holiday decor. They decorated their homes with garlands of laurel and green trees lit with candles to celebrate their god. Festive meals with family and friends were common as was the exchange of good luck gifts called Strenae. Saturnalia, the celebrations honoring Saturn, was a festive time of parties and joy. Garlands of laurel and brightly lit trees seem to be part of today's celebration of Christmas. But our current Christmas traditions are not merely a Christian veneer to an ancient Roman holiday. Modern Christmas traditions have their past in more than just Roman behavior and many of the traditions we enjoy today had to fight long and hard to re emerge on the Christmas scene.

The Romans were not the first nor the only culture to celebrate during the winter solstice. The ancient Mesopotamians, Persians, and Babylonians all held celebrations during this time of year. In Europe and the British Isles, there is a long history of celebrations held during the winter solstice. The tradition of the Yule log most likely originated in the Scandinavian countries where the sun disappears altogether during the winter months. The Scandinavian tradition was to send scouts in search of the sun, and when they finally spied its' return, a great Yuletide festival would be held to celebrate the return of the sun. A feast would be held around the burning Yule log and apples would be hung from trees to remind the participants that spring would return again. The feast would last as long as the Yule log burned, sometimes as long as twelve days. In other places in Europe, late December was the time the cattle would be slaughtered since the cold would preserve the meat and the herd would not need to be fed during the winter months. Most of the wine and beer had fermented, so food and drink was plentiful as the early Europeans celebrated the approaching spring.

Mistletoe was popular in the colder regions of Europe where its' evergreen nature kept it attractive all year round. In fact the Christmas concept of " Peace and Joy" can trace its' roots to a pagan Norse concept that the mistletoe held magical powers and enemies meeting under the mistletoe had to call a truce until the following day. Ancient Druids also utilized Mistletoe during the winter solstice and distributed it as a talisman against evil. Mistletoe and Yule logs have long been part of winter solstice celebrations, as they are a part of our Christmas celebrations today. But just as Christmas is not merely a Roman holiday neither is it merely a renamed pagan holiday. It is a combination of all of these celebrations with new traditions added in.

The urge to feast had been a cultural part of the human existence long before the advent of Christianity. As occurs when a new religion captures the human soul, old customs are merely renamed. The early church did not celebrate Christ's birth. In the third century, the church decided to celebrate Jesus' birthday and December 25 was chosen. It is most likely that the Church could not stop the pagan celebrations that surrounded the winter solstice, and by celebrating Jesus' birth at this time the Church acknowledged the power of the human need to celebrate the winter solstice . The Church also realized the control they would gain by twining the winter solstice celebrations with those of Jesus' birth. Winter Solstice celebrations, especially Saturnalia, had been rather wild. This wildness continued up to the Middle Ages where most attended church but followed it with a raucous celebration that mimicked the traditions of Saturnalia and other solstice festivals before it.

In the sixteenth century, the Germans started the Christmas tree tradition that we know. Trees had always been part of the solstice tradition in Germany, but they became part of the Christian tradition in the 1500's. Martin Luther is credited with adding the first lighted candles to the tree. I wonder if he had read about the ancient Roman tradition of putting lighted candles in their trees?

In the mid 17th century Christmas was canceled. At least in England. The Puritan forces took over England and in an attempt to purge the country of decadence, Christmas was canceled. In England this was reversed when Charles II was returned to the throne, but our forbearers were even more conservative than Cromwell. Christmas was illegal in Boston, but celebrated in Jamestown. Christmas as we know it today really came about during the Victorian era in the 1860's. It was declared a national holiday in the United States in 1870.

So how did Christmas go from being illegal to being one of the most celebrated holidays on earth? And why am I not arrested for having mistletoe and Christmas trees and festivities? Well we have Queen Victoria and her German husband to thank for all the Christmas festivities and lights we enjoy today. Queen Victoria was shown with a Christmas Tree, compliments of her German husband. What was previously seen as pagan, now became fashionable. The Christmas floodgates opened, once again apples and ornaments and lights could be found decorating homes during December. Gifts are given and feasts are had. It is almost like some fundamental need of human kind to celebrate during the winter months has been let free.

The Church also finally gained control over the nature of the winter celebration. Most families engage in some religious activity during the Christmas season and the truly wild nature of winter festivals has been tamed. Nevertheless, lighted trees, Yule logs, Mistletoe, feasting, laurels, wreaths and apple ornaments are all part of our holiday decor. As they have been, for over 4000 years. Many of our Christmas decorations are truly pagan in their history. But merely because they had decorative value for our pagan ancestors, does not mean they cannot decorate our homes in celebration of Jesus' birth. These decorative items were used by our ancestors to celebrate important times in their lives. It is fitting, we use the same items to celebrate important times in our lives.

Having lovely framed pictures on your walls doesn't take thousands of dollars and professional art. It's relatively easy to get your hands on reasonably priced frames, and pretty, stylish, even fashionable things to put in the frames are to be found all around you. Other things can spice up your walls, too. Rugs, dishes, and even musical instruments can be hung to make a lovely statement. Plus, using your own pictures to decorate is always a simple solutions - and it doesn't have to be pictures of your family, either.

First, let's talk about finding frames. There are lots of places to buy picture frames, from department stores to arts and crafts stores to specialty shops to - that's right - yard sales and garage sales. Take your time, don't rush, and pick up your decorations piece by piece over a couple of months, and you'll have lots of things to hang in no time. Spreading out your project not only puts a bit of ease on your pocketbook at any one time, but also lets you mull over different things you can do and find lots of different things in the stores as the seasons change. If you take your time looking around, you'll find that often enough, you find nice picture frames on sale in those fancy department stores, on clearance in those specialty shops, and in low-priced sets of frames at stores like Walmart or Target. In addition, keep an eye out for bargain stores like Big Lots or Ollie's and yes, flea markets and garage sales to look for decorations or frames at reasonable prices. Also don't forget that the internet is always a good source of merchandise at low and clearance prices. Quality does vary, so select carefully, but it's not that hard to find a frame that looks good even if it's not made of specialty hardwoods or something like that. And the fact is, when you hang something on the wall, it's going to sit there and look pretty, not serve some purpose where it's going to get worn out - what I'm trying to say here is that if it looks good, it serves your purpose. You don't need to worry that the teflon is going to chip or the motor won't last or that your dog is going to destroy it (this depends, of course, on the size and destructive nature of your dog) like you do everything else in the house. Just that it looks good on the wall. Ideally once you put it up there you hardly have to touch it again. The only thing you need to worry about is whether wiping the dust off every now and then is going to damage it. It is true that there is nothing a custom frames picture on the wall, adn if you've got something special like a family heirloom of portrait, you should go that (expensive!) route - it's probably well worth it. However, if you're just looking for a little color (or black and white) on your walls, don't bother. A little bit of advice, though: even if you're going cheap, buy frames with glass. No matter what (except with poster frames! ...and I'll get to that in a minute), don't buy a frame with a plastic front. As long as you've got glass and the frame style is to your liking, you've got a winner, no matter how low the price or how simple the material.

Things to frame

So you've spent a couple of weeks digging up lots of lovely frames - now what? Now you've got to find something to put in them. You don't need "art" - at least, "official" art that other people might sell to put on your walls. Don't exclude that, of course - art prints, for example, can be a fantastic source of lovely things to look at in your home. It is sometimes possible in street markets or even in department stores, to find reasonably priced, *very* nice looking prints that you can frame yourself. I would advise against pre-framed prints, because they are usually pricey (and often gawdy) and avoiding pricey decoration is the purpose of this article anyway. Look for unframed prints and stick them in the frame yourself. Some of them even come with mats, but even if not, that can be taken care of as I'll discuss later. Now, let's look beyond "art" that you buy in a store or market. A great place to find nice, and sometime extremely cute or funny photos or drawings can be found on greeting cards. This is an excellent source of wall decor, and paying full price even for a slightly expensive card beats buying a print by a long shot. And imagine all the variety of cards that are out there. Especially if you like photos of animals or landscapes (desert scenes, beaches, forests), this is the first place you should look for pictures to frame. It's professional photography in a very inexpensive package. Next place I advise you to look? If you want something original, try looking in some children's story books - especially at a bargain bookstore or thrift store, since if you find something you like you're just going to cut it out and ruin the book anyway (this step can be extremely difficult for booklovers, but it can be worth it!). Children's books may seem an unlikely source for decoration, but if you spend some time, you will find there are many profound ideas and illustrations, or even photos, in these kinds of books. It is also possible that you don't find anything in your style here, but I suggest you give it a try, if you want something a bit different to decorate with. Of course, coffee table books (for adults!) also have tons of beautiful pictures of all kinds of topics. If you're going to tear apart one of these beautiful books, I hope you find it in a yard sale for relatively cheap, but it's your call. This is an excellent source, and if you want to decorate with a theme (for example, underwater scenes or crop circles) this is an excellent way to go, because you can get a lot of pictures in one shot. Even magazines can be a source of very nice photos, but to look very good the magazine should usually be pretty pristine. Next source? Your own photos! Maybe you want to put some pictures of your family and friends, but if you're like me you also want something "artistic". Think "artistic" photos are hard to do? Start thinking a little more abstractly - take a picture of a tree instead of a person, and don't worry about finding dramatic scenery, for example. Close-up photos are an excellent way of finding interesting decorative pictures. Take a close-up of the frost on your window, a pretty coffee mug on a colored tablecloth, Or the yellow line in the road. The key is learning to look around you carefully for things that are not necessarily dramatic, but interesting, and this is the fun part. On vacation, take a picture of the footsteps in the sand on the beach, instead of the waves and the horizon. This is especially easy if you have a digital camera, since you can take take lots of pictures and develop only the ones you like. Unless you have a very fancy printer, don't print them yourself - it costs little to print (even a large) photo of your choice and will be a thousand times brighter and clearer than if you print on your own printer. Last, if you have kids, or if you draw sometimes yourself, even a silly drawing put carefully in a frame is never boring, can be a source of pride, and is especially inexpensive. Give it a try, and don't forget to sign your work!

Mats schmats

Think you need a mat to make your picture look professional? Think again! First of all, you may not want your pictures to look perfectly professional - I kind of have this approach, but even if you don't feel this way you can make pictures look great without mats. If you want a mat, you can buy them separately at craft stores and maybe even in the craft section at Walmart or Target, for example, and even though they are kind of expensive for pieces of cardboard, the look is nice and can be reasonable for the price. Also, if you look at yard sales or thrift stores for frames, you may be lucky enough to pick up some with frames already. In these cases you can sometimes even find a cheap framed picture that you don't like, and then use it just for the frame and/or mat. Otherwise, frame pictures in frames that are exactly the size you need, or, if the frame you want to use is too big, just get some nice quality pieces of colored paper (or white, but make sure white is thick enough not to show through, or use two pieces) to put behind the piece you are framing. Sometimes it helps to affix the picture (for example, a 4x6 greeting card attached to an 8x10 piece of good quality paper with tape on the back), if the picture isn't too precious to tape. Otherwise, making the "stuffing" behind the photo in the frame tight enough usually keeps the picture in place, if you don't handle it too roughly. You will probably have to cut the paper backing and of course, center the picture on the backing. Do this carefully (it's really not that hard), and remember that once you've taken the time to do it just once, it is going to be on the wall looking nice for a long time to come. A similar effect to using mats can be obtained using heavy cardstock and cutting out a hole for the picture to show through, but this is hardly necessary in most cases. Experiment with different styles for the different kinds of pictures you will be displaying.

Collage Frames

If you are ambitious, a nice project can be putting together a collage frame. I think the easiest route in this department is to find a nice pre-made collage frame in a store like Target (try to find one on sale) and fill it up with your photos. This is more a personal photos project than an art-preparing project, although you could get creative with it if you wanted. Collage frames are generally large frames with a mat cut with several to many holes for putting different pictures together in one frame. You can have anywhere from 3 to 40 or more picture spaces in one of these frames. Often, the photo spaces are different shapes and sizes. When finished, this can be a really nice addition to your wall, but it is an ambitious project because you have to find photos to fit the different sizes and shapes of the frame, and sometimes cut photos and getting them all centered correctly can be a chore. I recommend this, however, if you are creative and want to display some personal photos of friends and family, or a vacation, for example.

Framing Posters

If you have posters, you will be amazed at how professional they look when placed in a poster frame. If you don't have posters, this is another source of "art". There are thousands of posters available in stores everywhere, from movies and bands to scenery to copies of famous artwork. You can often buy posters in "plastic frame", shrink wrapped, claiming that you don't need to frame them because the plastic gives them a glassy sheen. This is fairly true, but if you really want something to look nice, I recommend a poster frame. They are not very cheap, but you will definitely notice their effect. At the same time, even the cheapest poster frame makes a difference. The lowest priced ones are generally a cardboard backing with a (heavy) plastic film cover, and the "frame" clips onto the edges, holding the pieces together with the poster in between. This sounds cheap but it works very well, and even if your poster is a bit smaller than the frame, static cling from the front plastic sheet holds it in place and the paper that comes in the frame can usually be flipped and used as a backing. More expensive versions may have glass or a better "framing" mechanism, but because they are so large the cost increases pretty exponentially.

Hanging other items

If you want to start spicing up your surroundings at home, this is my advice...just keep your eye out, at all times, for cute things that you just *like*, that can be put on a wall. And don't confine your mind to pictures, decorative items (like wreaths or flower sprays), flags, and other traditional items, although every one of these is also a good candidate. It's going to be more interesting for you and for any guest to see what things you choose to display, even if they aren't considered "usual". For example, I have on my walls decorative placemats that I bought in South America, simple musical instruments (e.g., a pan flute), and old metal advertising signs. You can also hang shadow box with figurines, especially if you have a favorite character or band and have some of their memorabilia. There is really no limit to the kind of things you can put on your walls - seashells, coffee mugs (hanging from hooks, for example), baseball bats, and decorative gift boxes are all just a few ideas to get you started.

Making a project out of decorating your walls can really be fun, it lasts a while and takes plenty of creativity, but still isn't really that difficult. In the end, it is extremely rewarding because you have constructed an environment that makes you feel good and that says something about you to the people who visit you. And, it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

You can create a wide range of effects by using paints and glazes. Use paint for designing patterns and deceiving the eye with colour and perspective. Use glazes for their semi-transparent quality to produce depth and translucence.

Considering Options
- Simple paint effects can have just as much impact as those involving more complex techniques. If you are a beginner, choose a simple effect that uses coloured emulsions. You can mix coloured glazes, and attempt more extravagant finishes, as you gain experience.

CHOOSING EFFECTS
Selecting methods
- There are two main methods of creating paint effects. Either a tool is dipped into paint or glaze and then applied to a wall, or a glaze is applied to a wall with a brush and a tool is pressed into the glaze. The former is an "on" technique; the latter is "off". Even if you use the same glaze and the same tool, a different finish will be achieved depending on which method you employ.

Applying a base coat
- Always apply a base coat. Light shades are best, since you can then build up colour; eggshell or emulsion are ideal.

PREPARING TO PAINT
Roughing it
- Examine all walls carefully. Rough, textured walls are ideal for sponging, which disguises defects, while smooth, dead flat walls will show stippling off to its best.
Assessing suitability
- Choose ragging or bagging rather than rag rolling on a wall that has pipe-work or switches. Rag rolling needs a constant motion, not frequent interruptions. Joins are difficult to disguise.
Getting ready
- Make sure that all materials and tools are ready for use, since once you start a wall you should finish it without interruption. If you do not, some areas will dry before others and the joins will show.

Types of Paint Effect
- Whichever paint effect you choose, make sure that you have all tools and materials to hand. Try to maintain consistent hand movements from one wall to another for an even overall finish.

Sponging on
- It is probably the easiest paint effect to create. Emulsions or glazes can be used. Natural sea sponges are the ideal tools to work with, although synthetic sponges can be substituted.
Sponging off
- A mixed glaze should be used for this effect. A sea sponge must be used since substitutes tend to smudge the finish. This is a natural progression from sponging on in terms of difficulty.
Ragging
- It involves a similar technique to that of sponging, except a crumpled, lint-free cloth is used instead of a sponge. A mixed glaze should be used for the best results.
Bagging
- It involves the same technique as ragging, except a plastic bag is used instead of a rag. This creates a more sharply defined texture compared to the fabric alternatives used in ragging.
Rag rolling
- With rag rolling, a rag is rolled down the wall to create the effect of tumbling material. It is best to rag roll off, since uniformity and consistency are difficult to achieve when applying on.
Stippling
- A stippled effect is created by pressing the bristle tips of a stippling brush into a wet glaze. The technique is only suitable for glazes, and continuity is important to prevent joins or overlaps.

Colour-washing

Colour-washing is probably the oldest paint technique. Use a large paint brush to apply a highly diluted glaze to wall surfaces. This will produce a translucent finish through which the base coat shows, creating depth and texture.

Stabilizing a wash
- A wash should have the consistency of highly diluted paint. To prevent it from running off the walls, add a small amount of PVA to the mix to help it adhere to the wall surface.
Adding depth
- Apply several coats and vary colour slightly to create a wonderful feeling of depth. Warm colours will give a glow to any room.
Choosing walls
- Apply a wash to a rough surface to create texture. The colour will clear from the peaks but build up in the troughs, creating a great textured finish.

MAKING GLAZES

A glaze is the medium for creating paint effects. It is distinguished by its ability to hold patterned impressions and long drying time that allows you to create an effect. Glazes have traditionally been oil based, but modern acrylics are popular and are often supplied ready mixed.

Colouring Glazes
- Mix colours before adding to glaze.
Mixing acrylic colours
- Use an artist's brush to mix acrylic colours. Mix the colour first on a surface such as a paint-tin lid, and make sure it is the right shade. Decant the basic glaze into an old jam jar, and add the acrylic colour to it.

Calculating Quantities

Diluting colour
- For a good acrylic-based glaze, five to ten per cent of the mixture should be colour and the rest glaze. Add the colour to the glaze and mix thoroughly. A clean jam jar is ideal for mixing small quantities of colour in this way, since you can screw the lid on tightly before shaking the colours to mix them well.
Estimating amounts
- Glazes go much further than standard paints. Dilute acrylic glazes with a small amount of water to increase the coverage of the glaze. Estimate how much you will need by halving the amount of standard paint you would require to cover the same sized area of wall.

Traditional Tip:
- Mixing a traditional glaze
For 1 litre add 600 ml white spirit to 300 ml boiled linseed oil and 120 ml white, oil-based undercoat or eggshell. Tint using artist's oil paints.

Sponging
- Whether sponging whole walls or selected areas, such as beneath a dado rail, this effect transforms the look of a flat wall surface. A single layer of sponging produces a subtle, airy pattern, while multiple layers produce a busier, bolder effect that has greater depth.

Sponging Successfully
Removing excess
- When sponging on, decant the glaze on to an old plate or rimmed paint-tub lid. Dip the face of a damp sponge into the glaze, and remove excess by drawing the sponge across the rim; otherwise the first impression will be thick and blotchy. If you do apply too much, reapply some base colour.
Rotating the hand
- Rotate the hand into a slightly different position after each impression to keep the pattern random.
Sponging corners
- Tape a small piece of sponge on to the end of a pencil to enable you to reach right into corners.

Using colour effectively
Sponging dark on to light
- Use a light base coat and gradually apply darker shades on top to produce a highly distinctive pattern. The colour of the final coat applied will always be the most dominant.
Sponging light on to dark
- use a dark base coat and apply progressively lighter shades on top for a translucent effect. You will see a larger colour range since the light colours will not obliterate preceding coats.

Stippling
Stippling is a subtle paint effect, using a brush to create the impression of a textured surface that may range from a light, velvety appearance to a coarser finish, depending on the size and compactness of the bristles. This is a time-consuming technique, but very satisfying.

Choosing Brushes
Using specialist brushes
- If you can afford one, buy a stippling brush, which is ideal for stippling since it consists of a thick wad of bristles.

Finding an alternative
- For a less costly alternative to a stippling brush, trim the bristles of a wallpaper-hanging brush with sharp scissors. Make a dead flat pad of bristles so that all the ends will be in contact with the wall.

Stippling Effectively
Working in sections
- Apply glaze in areas of about 1 m2, using a large paint brush. Cover as evenly as you can, then dab the stippling brush lightly on the wet glaze.
Creating uniformity
- Work from left to right and top to bottom. Do not overlap stipples because they will appear as more heavily shaded areas.
Preventing clogging
- After each area has been stippled, wipe the head of the brush with a lint-free cloth to remove excess glaze. A build-up of glaze will create a patchy effect over the wall.
Adding depth
- Use a slightly darker glaze in the corners of a wall than towards the centre to create a feeling of depth.

Time-Saving Tip: Glazing with a roller
- Use a fine mohair roller to apply glaze to a wall. This is much quicker than using a brush and therefore allows more time for creating an effect. Do not overload the roller, or the glaze might run.

Ragging
- Ragging is similar to sponging, except that a crumpled lint-free cloth is used rather than a sponge. Ragging "off" is easier and more effective than ragging "on". With the latter, cloths become clogged up with glaze, producing a rather gummy, patchy finish.

Creating the Effect

Building up pattern
- Using a damp, scrunched-up rag, apply light pressure on the glaze. Change your grip frequently to produce a random pattern. Return to missed areas before the glaze dries. Rinse the cloth regularly.

Shielding Surfaces

Avoiding smudges
- Hold a strip of card against the adjacent wall to prevent the edge of the rag from smudging colour on to it. Move the card down as you paint. Wipe the card regularly to avoid a glaze build-up.

Bagging
- Use the same technique as for ragging, but substitute a plastic bag for the lint-free cloth.

Choosing bags
- You will need a ready supply of bags to hand so that you can throw one away and pick up a new one as you need to.
Experimenting
- Different types of plastic create different effects: do not be afraid to experiment.
Softening edges
- Bagging creates an angular effect. For a more understated look, gently brush the bagged surface. Use a softening or wallpaper-hanging brush.

Rag Rolling
- Rag rolling requires a more ordered technique than simple ragging, because the effect created is one-directional: it mimics falling material. It is ideal for areas such as those beneath dados and in wall panels, since it is difficult to execute uniformly over large areas.

The above techniques are easy to use. Take your time and enjoy!