A Few Suggestions on how to invite the holiday spirit into your home this year

DECORATE
Decorate your house with the love of your family!
We try to do ours the day after Thanksgving as a family tradition.
Do not be afraid to go over board with decorations!
Our home is takes on a whole new look and feel when decorated for Christmas! Plus it's a good time to to do royal cleaning and dusting for those little spots you've been neglecting all year long. Nothing too big or expensive but have at least one Christmas item in each room.  Simply add a christmas bow, an ornament,  candle, greenery with poinsetta flowers, or a wreath even on each bedroom/bathroom door. 

 Let the children create a construction paper chain for a "Countdown To Christmas" so each night before they go to bed they can dream of christmas day getting closer one chain link at a time. Also hang a string of lights on their bedroom windows [ doubles as a night light ] for the season. It brings the
Spirit Of Christmas to every child.

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
You can never have enough candles for the holidays. Now-a-days you can find candles that smell like a sugar cookies, a pine tree or even a pumpkin pie baking. Arrange lots of candles on the dining table and dine by candlelight, even if you're just having leftovers. Every meal will feel special.
Tip: Candles also tend to have a calming effect as a bonus for the hussle and bussle of the season.
If your lucky enough to have a fireplace... Burn it each evening and encourage family members to gather around and read, play cards or a board game, do homework, write Christmas cards, or watch a holiday special or movie together.

ADD SHINE AND SPARKLE TO EVERYTHING!
Sprinkle artificial snow across your tabletop, buffet or even on house plants. Place shiny ornaments in a clear glass bowl or vase, scatter shimmering tinsel thru-out. Embellish indoor plants or trees with shiny ornaments and a small string of lights.

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

• Whenever you're home, turn on a CD or the radio and listen to Christmas music. Back in 1989 I made a cassette of my favorite Christmas songs and gave one to each of my brothers and sisters as a gift that year. we all still listen to it during the holiday season. My children are teenagers now but still remeber being rocked in the rocking chair with all the lights off except the christmas tree lights while listening to these songs. I hope they will always think of "home" when they hear them played on the radio etc... thru-out the upcoming years.
• Check the schedules ahead of time so you don't miss the Christmas specials on TV.  "Nestor" and "Noel" are some of our family favorites that usually can be seen on the Family Channel's 25 Days Before Christmas showing. I did daycare for a few years and set my VCR to record these for those late night viewing when no other christmas cartoons were on etc... and to also share with other neices and nephews who did not have cable yet .. nor the time to watch these. *wink 
• Collect some of the classic movies with Christmas themes, such as "Miracle on 34th Street", "A Christmas Story", "It's a Wonderful Life", "Scrooge", or even "The Santa Clause". Each year their tends to also be a video you can rent with the season in mind.