It’s getting close folks–less than a week to go before the BIG day! Just saw a cartoon about how the children say “It’s so far away” and the adults are saying “It’s so close—I don’t have enough time!” I still have some shopping and baking to do, but I’m getting closer to finishing.
In the last post, we took a tour of the Christmas decorations in my house. I’ve definitely downsized since (a) there are no children at home, (b) I’m working, and (c) I’m older. At least I have culled a lot and the bins are stored in the basement and not in the attic where there are pull down stairs!
We have a side entrance which most people come through. It is the one place that, if I have the time and the energy and the inspiration, I will still make seasonal. Every year it changes. This year I went more natural.
I used just greens and trees along with an icy birch ball and an icy nest. I threw in the soft gold crackle ball just for a little sparkle. I’m pretty sure in a past life I was a raccoon because I like those sparkly things, but it does help tie in with the picture frames. I tucked in a couple of little fur deer as well.
I also decided to put the Christmas card pictures of the children through the years here. I love to see how they have changed as they grew older. That’s hubby in a Santa suit!
Next we have the den. The den is the one area that I have kept more in keeping with my husband’s tastes. He would love to live in a hunting lodge if he could, but he can’t cause he lives with me! So, the den is the ‘faux’ lodge. Here is the deer, affectionately named Dirk by our son.
Every year Dirk gets greens and a ribbon. This year he got the bonus addition of some pheasant feathers brought back from South Dakota by hubby. That is as much as I am allowed to do decorate him.
The mantel gets a garland with other greens mixed in. This year I left the bronze of the hunter and the various dog statues. I added a new ribbon this year, just tucking it in here and there.
This is a good time to talk about real greens versus faux greens. If you are going to decorate more than a week ahead, which I think most folks do, I don’t see how you can use fresh exclusively. There are some really good faux greens out there. They may cost more, but I think they are totally worth it, especially when people think they are real AND they don’t drop needles everywhere. BUT, there is a caveat to faux greens—-you have to fluff them people! It is not good to pull them out of a box where they have been smushed for a year and just stick them around. The branches, leaves, and whatever need to be re-shaped to look like they grow in nature. It doesn’t take too much time, and it is so totally worth it.
I added some more mixed greens and pheasant feather balls to this tray with the beeswax candles. Very simple and effective.
Another note about the greens. You can add fresh greens in with the faux ones and that REALLY makes them look good. Try some boxwood, which you can add pretty early on since it will dry and look okay. I also get the bottom branch cuttings from the tree lot and add those in when it gets closer.
And, now for the tree. We always use a fresh tree. I bought a really good faux one at market one year, but the family rebelled so it’s fresh only for us.
I still use colored lights—-I just like the way they look. However, I did discover that if you mix in some white stands with them, I like it best. The white ones help tone down the colored ones and the colored ones give the white ones some pizazz. Another tip on tree lights—start at the top and alternate a colored strand with a white strand. Kind of go in a zig-zag pattern so you don’t end up with stripes. Also, go into the tree then back out on a branch with the strands. This gives light in the center of the tree which gives it great depth.
Our tree is a family tree—no themes for us. It has everything from pre-school and elementary school ornaments to ornaments from my tree as a child to Christopher Radko’s. I really enjoy the memories tied to each one.
From all of us to all of you, best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!