It's Christmastime in the city!

It's almost Christmas and New York is lit up and ready for it! Here are a few of my favorite shots that I took around town to share with all of you so you can feel the excitement in the air! If you live in Manhattan and haven't quite gotten the Christmas bug yet, go see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.  Ho ho ho!

Ribbons, Ribbons, Ribbons...

Do you find yourself surrounded by ribbons every Christmas?  I have so many beautiful ribbons that I save that were wrapped around packages or I just bought because I thought they were so pretty.  Don't throw out your ribbons.  There are so many ways to recycle those pretty ribbons!

I saw these pretty velvet ribbons at M&J Trims in the garment district and knew right away that I could use these for gift wrapping or table decorations.  M & J Trims has some really fun ribbons with candy

canes and polka dots and snowmen! Go there to get trims to decorate your children's packages.  When the wrapping is fun the gift always seems so much better!

Tie a few ribbons around a colored candle and give one as a hostess gift or use them at a place setting for your Christmas dinner.

Another example of what to do with all that red ribbon!

Turn some into little hairbows for all your nieces and friends with children.

Other ideas include cutting some ribbon and adding a charm or small jingle bell to give to someone as a bookmark in a great book.

Use some ribbon on a bulletin board in a cross hatch pattern to create interest or hang a mirror or painting on the wall with a really wide ribbon.

Sew or hot glue a leftover long ribbon around the edge of your Christmas tree skirt! 

Use your leftover ribbons in all colors as napkin rings and tie a charm to each so that everyone has their own charm.  Then, after dinner each person has to makeup a story about their charm!

Lastly, the famous recycled ribbon garland chain for your tree! So much fun for the children to make!

Happy Holidays!