42 Christmas Decorations and Holiday Items for Your Home

 

It’s amazing what you can collect, over time, to decorate your home and yard for the holidays!  I’ve only been collecting (or is it, technically, re-collecting) holiday decorations for 5 years now and I’m astounded by what we have amassed!  The stores and on-line retailers overload our senses with such wonderful treasures that it’s hard to resist!  And, now that Christmas is over, it’s time to start thinking about taking down your holiday decorations and putting them away until next year!

This list of 42 Christmas Decorations and Holiday Items for Your Home is meant to help the reader remember what decorations and holiday items they had in their home should the need arise.  You see, we lost our home in a wildfire in October 2007 and all of our holiday items were damaged or destroyed beyond salvaging.  And, we had to create a household inventory list for our insurance carrier in order to collect under that portion of our policy.

We’ve lived in our new house for 5 years now.  We moved home on December 12, 2008.  And, since that time, we have somehow managed to fill up our home again with new treasures, including holiday decorations!

Over the last several days, the winds have been gusting through our valley.  Even though its late December, the weather here in Southern California has bounced around a bit this month from clear and cold (at least cold for us) to windy and balmy.  Just two days ago, on Christmas Day, it was 82 degrees in our valley, with Santa Ana winds blowing day and night AND we had an earthquake at 4:11 p.m.

When it’s windy, my senses go into high alert and I’m as jittery as a cat.  But, add an earthquake and I’m ready to take cover!  You would think after 6 years, I’d be over it.  But, I’m not.

Recently, I decided that I would be “pro-active” rather that “re-active” in creating a new household inventory for us.  I’m not anticipating that we will lose our home again (what are the chances of that?  One in a million?), but I’m more attune to emergency planning and preparedness than I was in the past.  So, since I’m creating lists for me, I thought I would share them on our blog just in case other readers have a need to create their own household inventory lists.

These lists aren’t really meant to be a complete household inventory, but rather a tool to help jog your memory should the need arise.  It’s amazing what you can’t remember, after a loss, and what will jog your memory (lists, photos, colors, patterns, etc.).  Also, I provide a FREE printable list at the end of the post so that readers can add the lists to their own household inventory binder or save them in an on-line storage place.

Here’s my list of 42 Christmas Decorations and Holiday Items for Your Home:

1. Extra tables and chairs
2. Tableclothes, runners, placemats
3. Napkins, napkin rings
4. Place cards, place card holders
5. Candles, candle holders, lanterns
6. Vases, centerpieces, decorative containers
7. Wreaths, swags, door hangers
8. Artificial trees, tree skirts
9. Mantle displays, garland, streamers
10. Sprays, floral stems, bunches, picks
11. Crafts and craft supplies
12. Banners, posters, signs
13. Flags, windsocks
14. Scatter, confetti
15. Party crackers/poppers
16. Baskets, trays, boxes
17. Invitations, note cards
18. Gift/treat boxes, favor bags
19. Wall and window decorations
20. Paper lanterns and fans
21. Potpourri, bowl fillers, sprays, diffusers
22. Holiday lights (indoor & outdoor)
23. Ornaments and other decorations
24. Holiday village displays, trains
25. Decorative pillows
26. Doormat, outdoor décor
27. Ribbons, bows, wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, gift tags
28. Chargers and dinner plates
29. Dessert and salad plates
30. Flatware and serving utensils
31. Drinkware and coasters
32. Serveware
33. Kitchen linens and aprons
34. Bedroom and bathroom linens
35. Stockings, stocking holders
36. Specialty cookware and bakeware
37. Specialty cooking accessories
38. Specialty food products and candy
39. Books, journals, cookbooks
40. Costumes, toys, CDs, DVDs
41. Specialty storage containers, tubs
42. Gifts for others

Why did I include “gifts for others”?  Well, when we lost our home in October 2007, I’d already started buying gifts for the holidays.  I’d been to Ireland with a friend plus Charlie and I went to Hawaii with family just before we lost our home.  I’d bought gifts on both trips that were left behind in the chaos of evacuation.

What do I mean by “specialty cookware, bakeware, cooking accessories, food products and candy?”  Well, what do you use at holiday time that you don’t use any other time of the year?  Do you have a special roaster for a large turkey or roast that you only use during the holidays?  Do you have a cake pan shaped like a Christmas tree?  Do you have cookie cutters shaped like Santa, reindeers, snowmen or gingerbread men?  How about candy?  Do you buy specialty candy like candy canes?

Do you have a collection of Christmas books, holiday CDs, holiday DVDs?  Do you have special storage tubs and boxes where you store your holiday items 11 months out of the year?  It’s easy to forget these details.

Here’s your FREE printable checklist:  TS4T Checklist – 42 Christmas Decorations and Holiday Items for Your Home.

Hope your holiday was a special one this year!

Tootles,

 

Related Posts:

(other lists of 42)

1. 42 Kitchen Basics for Your New Home
2. 42 Grilling Accessories and Supplies for Outdoor Cooking
3. 42 Cooking Essentials for a Well-stocked Kitchen
4. 42 Must Have Kitchen Utensils
5. 42 Baking Essentials
6. 42 Nice-to-Have Kitchen Supplies and Equipment
7. 42 Spices to Have on Hand
8. 42 Panty Essentials
9. 42 Refrigerator Essentials
10. 42 Freezer Essentials
11. 42 Nice-to-Have Kitchen Gadgets
12. 42 More Nice-to-Have Kitchen Gadgets
13. 42 Even More Kitchen Gadgets
14. 42 Still Even More Kitchen Gadgets
15. 42 Furniture and Fixtures in Your Kitchen
16. 42 Thanksgiving Items for Your Home

(other posts about Emergency Planning and Preparedness)

• 14 Human Needs
• Aftermath
• Any Way the Wind Blows
• Counting Our Blessings
• Emergency Planning Checklist
• Home Safety Quiz {Sponsored Post}
• Hurricane Sandy
• In the Midnight Hours
• Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
• Replacing Important Papers After a Disaster
• The Backup Plan
• The Fire Drill
• Tornado Alley
• What’s in Your First Aid Kit?
• Wildfire Season:  Are You Ready?