While looking through the examples below, let's focus on some of the decorating ideas shown. Since I don't have permission to use the photos themselves here, we will go to the links and see the homes online, and then I'll feature one or two ideas to discuss.
Christmas decorating very often takes on a Victorian flavor, no matter what style our homes really are. That's because the Victorians embraced the holiday season with gusto, and used the season to display the abundance of riches which was available to them in a new era of industrialization, and middle-class wealth. The example set by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert helped to fuel the fervor with which Americans transformed their homes at Christmas time.
Our first stop is in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Holiday Home Tour pictured here features a number of mansions open during the Christmas season. Photo #1 on the page shows a fireplace garlanded with greens and fruits in profusion. This style is often called "Della Robbia", after the Italian artist who used masses of fruits in his paintings and sculptures. The hearth of the fireplace is flanked by enormous potted poinsettias, adding to the brilliant reds in the room.
Duplicating this vision of richness on a budget isn't difficult. Craft stores and discount stores carry inexpensive artificial evergreen roping. You'll also find artificial fruit, on picks, with which to fill the roping. Add velveteen wired ribbon bows, and a fat candle or two. Poinsettias are selling everywhere from grocery stores to Wal-Mart, and are priced very reasonably. You might find buying several smaller plants and grouping them together is as effective as one big plant.
Our next stop is in North Opelika, Alabama. Their Victorian Christmas Front Porch Tour is delightful, and this page shows some examples from the tour. It certainly doesn't matter that there isn't any snow, to have a festive display! Photo#2 (on the right, with the red border) shows a small table-top tree set on a raised stand, flanked by a pair of jolly elves. Artificial trees of this size are not only reasonably priced, they are so versatile you'll find ways to use them year after year in many different ways. Decorate with colorful weather-proof ornaments and a big bow, and set on a low table or box covered with a festive cloth. (Best to place this in a sheltered spot that is still visible to passers-by.) You could use big teddy bears, or inflatables, or figures made from plastic bags stuffed with newspapers and dressed in child-size clothing.
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