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Decorating
Think impact and
style (quality) over massive substance (quantity).
Here's my list
of the TWELVE SIMPLE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS to keep it really simple this holiday:
1. Buy or make a nice wreath for the
front door. Buy another for inside. Hang them up, you're practically
done.
2. Decorate a tree. Yes, this
takes time. But it is a truly fun thing to do. Plus, the decorations
will make your house light up and help you feel more in the spirit.
3.
I like to avoid lights outside, on bushes, or in windows. Not only do they
take a long time to set-up, many people forget to take them down (tacky) and
they are a fire hazard. Try a simple garland or wreath or ribbon on the
mailbox instead.
4. I like to avoid trinkets. However, my
father made me a large nutcracker. Each Christmas, it's the first thing
out. I put it by the fireplace or by the TV and in about 30 seconds my
place feels a little more like the season.
5. Keep the table simple. If you
have to put a tablecloth down, fine, but all the matching stuff really isn't
necessary to feel "in the spirit" of things.
6.
Plastic reindeer, fake Santa's? We are talking about elegance, after
all. Let's skip these this year.
7.
Music is key to the mood. I own several jazz Christmas CD's and some
classic discs, including the Charlie Brown Christmas CD and 3 Tenors Christmas
concert. I love to listen to these when I decorate the tree.
8.
Candles are great. Many people from various religions celebrate with
candles, to represent special days or meaningful events around holidays. I
like them for the soft light they produce, as well.
Simplicity
over-simplified: Wait a
minute, Get rid of the tree?
Many
people talk about ditching the tree. Frankly, the tree is one of the few
things I care deeply about with the whole Christmas scene. It brings life
into the house, smells nice, and gives me a reason to deep clean around some
furniture (ok, so I should hire a house-cleaner). We can take
simplicity too far, and a tree is one of the best symbols of life we have at
Christmas-time - much better than the symbol of a fat guy who brings our kids
better gifts than we give them. The base
of the tree indicates life, water, which nurtures us, the limbs represent life,
which supports us, the decorations are reminders of all of our gifts, each day
of the year, and the star is a reminder that we are special and a child of
God. For all of these reasons, I like the tree best. It isn't about
religion, to me, it is about love. By watering the tree during the
holidays, it reminds me of the giving we need to do to nourish life around
us. Of course, my cat likes to drink the water, too.
Some
people get allergies during Christmas. Is it the TREE? If it is, put the
tree OUTside rather than INside and see if you don't stay a little
healthier through the holiday season. Or, then, you are justified in
ditching the tree. The last two years I got rid of the tree and had a
lot better health. I found out that last year, with a fake tree, I was
healthier. If you're like me, you might consider getting a nice
artificial tree. It saved on pollution, and can be used year after year.
Things
like plastic reindeer and Santa candelabras are pretty lame. But as a kid,
I thought they were cool. Who are we decorating for? We must consider this
before we begin the project. My
sister likes to bake at Christmas. I think I love her most when she bakes
her famous white fudge. At least, my stomach does (until after I've eaten
too much)!
Additional ideas
9. If you must go all-out, outsource
decorating. The glamour-people do it. Why not you? Many
companies specialize in decorating for people who don't have the time or would
rather do something else.
10. I like to have one food or drink
recipe to indicate a season is special. For example, it might be chestnuts
on an open fire one year, or perhaps a French 75 Champagne Cocktail (it involved
cognac) recipe the next. This is personal taste, but adds a touch of
elegance to the whole scene and makes it more palatable, too.
11.
Avoid buying anything about holidays until the holiday is over. This helps
minimize junk we could otherwise accumulate and also results in better
deals. And by all means, donate or sale things you don't want anymore
PRIOR to December 25th, or the value is diminished.
12. One year my folks just left town and
we visited several close friends who had children our age. I think that
for Mom & Dad it was likely about as much work as staying home, but it was a
fun trip. Plus, everyone else did the decorating that year!
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