Christmas–if you celebrate it–is right around the corner, and decorating for the most wonderful time of year can feel intimidating even if you started hanging your stockings early in October, let alone waiting last minute and not knowing where to start. Thankfully, Toscano has a wide assortment of jolly indoor statues to represent what you like most about the holiday. Whether it’s modeling a snowy palace indoors or recreating Santa’s workshop, there are plenty of ways to bring the North Pole a little south to your home this year and delight your family and friends.
Everybody knows that the North Pole is populated by helpful, cheery snowmen to guide you through the snow and teach your kids valuable lessons about making the most of the season. If you don’t get a winter wonderland outside every year, you can create one inside with some fake snow. You can go the sparkling frost route or fluffy stuffing route, both you can find easily online and in craft stores this time of year. Tuck that fake snow around the base of your snowman statue, and you’ve suddenly got a picturesque winter scene without worries that any of it will melt away.
You can get creative with ambient lighting around this time of year as well. I personally love Christmas trees that also double as light sources. String lights aren’t only meant for outside use or for decorating your tree; they can be a handy way to make your staircase railing sparkle and outline your fireplace. For porch lights, instead of changing out your standard white light bulbs for red and green tinted ones, get a warmer, more subtle effect through stained glass.
The North Pole just isn’t complete without the jolly bearded man himself. Images of Santa are plentiful this time of year and are a great addition to your home. He’s been stylized in all kinds of different ways, shapes, and palettes over the years, so you can find a Santa that matches your decor without much trouble. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a good traditional Santa because it’s okay if he stands out; it’s his day, after all.
If you’re going to have Santa, you can’t forget his trusty reindeer to pull his sleigh. While you may have seen plenty of the string light outdoor versions that decorate lawns, you can also bring friendly statues of reindeer inside as well and place them in sleigh positions or scattered throughout the house. A fun activity if you’re entertaining children this holiday season is to have them help name the reindeer around the house. You can sing the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer song together and have them practice memory exercises and spelling through how many of the deer they can name.
Does fake snow indoors sound like a lot of hassle? Consider making your home resemble Santa’s workshop instead, and make it a veritable toy heaven. You can do this with lovingly-crafted recreations of decorative toys, candy canes, and presents (which can be a fun craft project with some empty boxes and extra wrapping paper!) Don’t forget to include some elves to be on the job and working hard to make their December 24th deadline if you’re really feeling in the spirit.
For a more toned down look, you can be extremely elegant yet festive with just a few, well-placed statues around the house. My favorite of these are nutcrackers, those little men in uniforms that stand guard and help roast chestnuts over that seasonal fire. Nutcrackers come in all shapes and sizes, and you may be able to find one that is functional as well as decorative, if you desire authenticity. Culturally, you can also use them as a conversation starter and see if any of your guests have seen festive plays, movies or ballets based on E. T. A. Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.”
While Christmas is only a short while in what can be a very long and cold winter, garnishing your home with holiday cheer can uplift your spirits and really warm the home.
