One way to add a welcoming glow and warmth to your home is with a variety of lighting. This is especially true at Christmas time when creative lighting can create instant holiday cheer indoors and out.

Begin by hanging strands of Christmas lights outside. Welcome guests with lights wrapped around fence gates, porch columns and entryways. Drape them around your outdoor bushes and trees. Carry the mood indoors by hanging lights not only on your Christmas tree, but on indoor plants as well. Accent your Christmas wreaths, garlands and other greenery with more sparkling lights. Continue throughout your home by running lights along your fireplace mantel, around stair railings and to create a romantic atmosphere in the master bedroom.

Once you’ve hung your Christmas lighting, introduce candlelight throughout your home. Candles are the perfect accent for adding beauty to your decor. Happily they come in a variety of colors, sizes and a scents, making it easy to find just what you need to enhance your Christmas decorating. Keep in mind, that while scented candles can add to the holiday feeling, limit them to one scent or two complementary scents so that their aroma doesn’t distract from your room decor.

To accent with candles, line your walkway and front entrances with luminary bags and then illuminate your interiors with more candles. For interesting displays, use candles in differing heights and set them out on silver platters and pedestal plates or inside glass jars or china teacups. If you like, enhance your displays with flowers and greenery. Whether you create simple tabletop centerpieces or elaborate floor displays, candlelight provides an inviting glow to your holiday decor.

Another way to add ambiance to your holiday is by using lights with dimmer switches. This allows you to change the atmosphere at the turn of a dial. If your rooms aren’t already wired for dimmer switches, they are very easy to install with inexpensive kits from a local home improvement store. Otherwise, choose lamps with built-in dimmer switches. Last but not least, use light bulbs of varying watts throughout your home, changing them to meet your mood and lighting requirements as desired.

Basically, having a variety of lighting in your home during the Christmas season is an easy way to create a festive tone without spending a lot of money. Stock up each year during the sales and you’ll have plenty of Christmas lights and candles to spread holiday cheer year after year.