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Whether arriving to spend a few minutes or few days for the holidays, you want your guests to feel welcome and wanted. The place to start that feeling is right at your front door; the all-important first impression begins before your guests get out of the car.

A front porch or stoop is like having another room. Decorate this room as you would any other room. A door wreath is a simple thing to add, but there is so much more you can do. Use a holly or bough garland along a railing and add small white lights. Put out a holiday welcome mat. Small, crafty welcome signs help make your guests feel at ease.

Wreaths and garlands don't have to be fancy. Many organizations sell them near the holidays beginning in October and November. Purchase inexpensive door hangers for wreaths just about anywhere they sell decorations. A piece of duct tape on the top part over the door will help keep it in place.

If you can't find a garland you like, you can easily make one out of boughs. Use wire twist ties to fasten them together and keep them all going in the same direction, overlapping about half the bough. Good places for garlands are around the door, along a railing or on a porch column. Adding ribbons and bows, pine cones, small clusters of berries and even a small bird or two make for a beautiful decoration. Use a string of small white lights to accent the garland and arrange the lights loosely in the boughs. Small plastic wire ties are perfect for holding the light string in place.

Get the kids involved with little craft projects if they are old enough. Small signs made from wood scraps and mounted on stakes can be painted and lettered. Paint the signs white and add lettering in red and green. Place the staked signs just off the front steps and push or pound into the ground. They don't have to be perfect, slight imperfections give your crafts character. A small bird or animal sitting on them adds a touch of welcome. After all, if the animals feel welcome, won't people?

If your front door has windows on the sides, a glowing plug-in candle there is a great addition. Now you've left the light on for your guests. Add a touch frost from one of those spray cans in the corners and you're all set.

All year long, the welcome mat sits on the porch and gathers dirt. Take that old mat off the porch and replace it with one for the holidays. There are a number of styles with various phrases you can put down to welcome your guests. Pick one that fits with your personal style and decor.

Adding just a few decorations to your front door and entranceway welcomes guests into your home and makes them feel more comfortable. How will you decorate your front door this holiday season?

Learn more about this author, MJ Logan.
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