If you’re one of the many Americans who divides time between two or more different cultures, you may wish for some harmony and a combined environment for the upcoming holiday season. While you may not be able to enjoy all of the cross-cultural experience back home, you can reflect the theme of your most familiar culture through holiday decorations wherever you are in the world. And hopefully you’ll enjoy this guest post to bring some new ideas into Christmas plans this year.
The Chinese theme is currently trending among the 2013 Christmas cross-cultural décor ideas and this post is going to help you get inspired. From Geisha lady ornaments to Feng Shui wall art, several style philosophies have surfaced from the Chinese tradition.
For embracing the theme this year, there will be some decorations required on your part to reflect the Chinese culture. Here’s how you can go about it:
1. Go for rich colored tree ornaments
Traditional Chinese colors like red and gold would complement the Christmas tree. A red ribbon can be tied around the limbs of the tree, topped with a copper colored mesh. Make sure you select a ribbon that has rich texture for a bold statement.
Also, allow your family to add their own ornaments to the tree to make the holiday cordial. They can either make their own additions or contribute to the theme. Either way, sharing the tree decorations will be a good memory of the ritual.
Source: Pagoda Road
2. Add lightning outdoors
Don’t shy away from sharing the theme with the neighbors, visitors and passers. When you’re making an effort to reflect a different culture, it is important to share the international spirit with as many people as possible. For this purpose, extend Christmas lightning to outdoors rather than keeping it restricted to the inside of the house.
Chinese paper lantern lights will add a welcoming touch to the environment, while walkway lights placed at the ground level of the patio floor will help round out the scene. Garland string lights that come in a hanging display can also be used on the sideways. You also have the option to remain frugal with lightning by keeping them just to paper lanterns and paper strings.
Source: Pinterest
3. Don’t leave the front door empty
Unless you’re the only one living in your locality, there are likely to be several knocks on the front door. An empty front door can drain the holiday spirit of the visitor (even if there are a lot of decorations inside). You therefore need to hang some ornaments on the outside of the front door.
You can either use the same ornaments from the Christmas tree (buy more quantity if you’re going to), buy different designs or go DIY. For example, you can easily make laminated Chinese zodiac animals by printing them out, covering them with a laminated sheet and punching them. Hang your creation on the front doors outside.
4. Keep Hong bao on the table and the side desks
Hong bao are Chinese envelopes basked in red color, mostly used on the Chinese New Year event. Their traditional purpose is to hold money to give to family, children or someone in need. However, you can also place them on the table and the side desks to add to the theme. They match the red decorations on the Christmas tree–feel free to add some cash inside to make them memorable for the kids in the end.
You can find Chinese red envelopes online and at thrift stores.
All these tips will contribute to a merry Chinese Christmas.
Source: Echoes of Laughter
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