At the recent Manila F.A.M.E. International, CITEM’s flagship trade show held last Octobe 15-19, water lilies that clog the passageways of rivers and lakes have been fashioned into Christmas balls and dyed strips of recycled paper have been made into tree ornaments and wall decor. Eco-consiousness is very much alive during the holiday season probably more so now as people are most likely to find more productive use with all the debris and clutter Ondoy has left in its wake.

The leaves of the wreath are made of crushed capiz

And what of hues and colors? While green and red will always be the Christmas staple,new color combinations will emerge every now and then to add a little twist to the traditional. While it was pink, purple and gray last season, with the addition of hot pink this year, christmas decor makers are looking to lighter hues such as lime green or ice blue. More subdued yet elegant. If you’re looking for more mileage for your decor,this will probably your choice of color. Better yet, why not go for the antique or vintage look such as black and gold or even ivory white with splashes of gold.

As to materials, the use of metal, wire, wood and resin, was all the rage four years ago.It is still the same this year as these materials are durable and long-lasting; also, storage is not a problem. I got a 4 ft wrought iron tree a few years ago and up to now I still use it.It has become a mainstay in one corner of my living room, only the balls and decor change. I leave it bare much of the time but during the yuletide season, I deck it with any color of my choice.

The picture you see here of the lime green and ice blue combination was taken at a kiosk in Mall of Asia. The leaves are made of crushed capiz shells glued together to form the leaves of the wreath so the light bounces off the leaves and makes it three-dimensional.Nice, isn’t it? Though I would very much like to change the color combination of my decor this year, it is not the wisest thing to do. The saleslady said they ordered a few from their supplier to “test” the market.