Holidays are around the corner and there’s nothing like getting the house ready to put you in the holiday spirit. Every year I aim to get my house decorated by Thanksgiving. And while I try, it seems like it always takes me longer – I guess it doesn’t help that we have four Christmas trees. So this year, I’m planning on beginning my decorating a little earlier. That way I can enjoy the fruits of my labor a bit longer – and my daughters won’t mind it a bit I’m sure. Here are some of my tips for Holiday decorating:
1. Start with a theme or style. My home is contemporary, so typically my holiday style leans to the contemporary too. I’ve done non-traditional jewel toned accessories, glass snowflakes, feathers and lights. Keeping this in mind I typically wrap all of my gifts in a variation on that theme. If your home is more traditional, you can have more traditional décor with candles and lots of fresh garland. If it’s farmhouse/cottage, get creative with found and crafty items. It makes shopping for décor easier and makes your space feel more professionally finished.
2. Let the olfactory sense know it’s the holidays too. Scented candles and potpourri near your entry and throughout the house will certainly aid in spreading that holiday cheer. Or better yet, bake cookies and pies. Then your taste buds can enjoy the holidays too!
3. Choose two or three colors for your holiday palette. Multiple color palettes can be too distracting. Try silver and purple, red, brown and gold, or blue and white. I will typically decide on the palette based on the paper and theme that I choose for the season.
4. Create an inexpensive family tradition that involves the kids. Purchase a ready-made wreath of greens then gather items to decorate it. Use pine cones, ribbons, paper snowflakes – any handmade or found object will do. In our family, we have different trees that fulfill different themes for each person. So every year each one of us gets to pick a new ornament to add to the tree that speaks to that theme – toys, angels, etc.
5. Colored lights can be costly if you change your color palette from year to year. Stick with white lights – they can be used with any color scheme in any style. And always add a touch of elegance.
6. Give your spaces a different look and feel for this time of year. Rearranging your furniture so the focal point is the tree. Create intimate conversation areas so guests can sit and chat without shouting across the room.
7. Start investing in a collection – something that can continue to grow through the years and can be passed on to the next generation. My husband’s mother passed down to us a beautiful nativity that her father had made. It’s always a treat to bring the nativity out every year because of the sentimentality of it.
8. Use lots of candles. Candlelight makes every space feel warmer and more inviting.
9. Don’t leave any public rooms out of the holiday celebration. Make sure that all your spaces – including kitchens and baths are seasonally decorated. Knick knacks, candles and towels can easily add a holiday touch to these rooms.
10. Less is not more during the holidays. If it’s bare – come up with a way to decorate it. I have tall, white columns in my house and every year I wrap them in gift wrap that compliments my décor. My houseplants get lights and ribbons and even some of my artwork receives special attention. Be creative and have fun. That’s what the holidays are all about!
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