Making the Season Bright

Edible decor: Turn to nature to dress your dining table, says Lynn Chichi, a home-entertainment speaker who lives in San Juan Capistrano. Piles of red and green apples can serve as the centerpiece. For candlesticks, cut the bottoms of large apples, core them and fill with sphagnum moss and tall dinner tapers. Apple wedges can hold place cards or identify buffet food. And, “when the holidays are over, you can make applesauce,” Chichi says.

Get crackin’: World traveler Michael Steinfeld has been collecting nutcrackers for years. The 22-year-old now has 80, which he pulls out of storage during the holidays to decorate his Costa Mesa bedroom. It takes him a few days. Sharing shelf space are 65 nativity scenes, backed by greenery and interwoven with 400 mini-lights. “I turn off the overhead light and let the entire room be illuminated by the mini-lights,” he says.

Tying it together: Do your gift bows look like two limp bunny ears? The Container Store in Costa Mesa has free workshops on creating pompom, poinsettia and aster bows. If you can’t attend today at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. or Wednesday at 7 p.m., call (800) 786-7315 to receive a free “Guide to Beautiful Bows.”

From rags to riches: Raggedy Ann made her debut in 1915. Since then, the rag doll with the triangle nose has been made--by hand and mass produced--with red, black or brown yarn “hair” and various shades of fabric “skin.” Ann fans will see many versions at Concordia University’s boutique on campus today from 2-10 p.m. Homemade teddy bears, blankets, picture frames and chocolates will also be sold at the student scholarship fund-raiser. (949) 854-8002, Ext. 1121.

Bragging rights: Looking for an inexpensive way to express the spirit of the season? Turn to the ideas posted by visitors to the Web site https://www.simplifytheholidays.org, where the motto is “More fun, less stuff.” One idea: Create a family brag package with photographs, letters, documents and recordings of your family’s oral history. Or borrow from Native American traditions and create “prosperity bundles” from twigs, bark and wood, tied with colorful ribbon or cord.

Snow much fun: If you see firetrucks, Highway Patrol cars and U.S. Marine tanks stacked end-to-end in downtown Fullerton today, don’t panic. It’s just the Spark of Love toy drive and winter festival. The festival starts at noon. From 1-1:30 p.m. the vehicles pull up. Santa Claus, 20 tons of snow, crafters and student singers are all part of the fun. A tree lighting ceremony is at 5:30 p.m. (714) 871-3244.

Have a holiday tradition, tip or shortcut? Call (714) 966-7883, write Home Design, Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 or send e-mail to ocsocalliv@latimes.com. Please include your name and phone number.