The holidays are a time to absorb the warm moments with family and friends and accentuate the classic spirit of generational tradition. Your home is a direct reflection of who you are and the holidays provide an opportunity to really shine – not necessarily with a million lights you can see from space, but with thoughtful adornments that tells of you and your household. Adding those adornments, however, can be time-consuming and expensive. We have a few tips to keep you in the spirit of the season with decorations that can sustain celebrations from November through January.

  1. Start outside. The entrance of your home is some of the most important decorating you will do. It will be seen by many and sets a seasonal tone for your celebrations. Be sure to have adequate lighting on sidewalks and porches for the safety of your guests and to illuminate the adornments you’ve added for the holiday. Hint: Use evergreen boughs and topiaries accented with glass balls to create a motif that will continue inside the home.
  2. Develop a theme. Tie your style together with a color scheme and use things you already have to make the most of the natural light and ambiance of the room.   Add coordinating color garnishments or velvet ribbon to lampshades, picture frames, and mirrors to add shimmer and sparkle. Hint: Fill glass containers with vintage ornaments and tinsel to add shimmer and interest to your mantel.
  3. Make your holiday bloom. If you love natural decorations, consider the vibrant amaryllis, a winter bloom associated with the holiday season that symbolizes pride, determination, and radiance. Another traditional holiday bloom is the poinsettia, which comes in shades of white and red and can be enjoyed long after the holiday. Hint: Fill your fireplace hearth or mantel with a bounty of poinsettias for a festive fresh look. They can then also be used as centerpieces too.
  4. Use nature’s gift: the pinecone. You can find them at your local craft store or make it a family outing and go collect your own. These durable gifts from the evergreens add texture and tradition to your home and can be used year after year. Hint: Create snow-tipped pine cones using glue and glitter to add sparkle and spunk to the tree, packages, or centerpieces.
  5. Try decorative aromatherapy. The tradition of pomanders dates back to the thirteenth century. Using fruits, usually oranges, pomanders studded with cloves are a unique form of aromatherapy blending the sweet smell of citrus with the strong scent of spice. Hint: Make reusable pomanders by adding cloves to oranges and allow to cure dry.

Are you ready to take the stress out of holiday decorating? Keep it simple and natural; when the holiday is over you’ll thank yourself! If you’d like more advice for your home this holiday, contact the home expert, George Papakostas and learn what homeownership is all about!

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