The Christmas Switch

Every family’s traditions differ for the weekend following Thanksgiving.  You may have spent your weekend continuing to entertain holiday guests, stood in line in the dark and waited patiently for the best shopping deals, or moved on to Christmas with a whirlwind of decorating.  Can you guess which of these I did?

The faux pumpkins are packed away, and all is merry and bright!  If your home now has decked halls and walls, you’re all set for a new month of winter cheer.  If Christmas decorating is on your to-do list, here are some thoughts about getting the ornaments rolling.

If your table centerpiece for fall was built around a series of glass vases, the winter season can be highlighted using the same foundation pieces with new accessories.  Swap out the tablecloth for a shade that goes with your Christmas theme.  Empty the glass vases and give them a good wash-and-dry.  Stagger them down the table’s center again, and fill with ornaments.  If your Christmas tree has taken on a new theme or color scheme in recent years, using your older ornament collection or keepsake ornaments within your tablescape is one way to keep them on display without hanging them on the tree.  Fill in around the vases with another layer of holiday accents, which could include small loose ornaments, mistletoe or holly sprigs, or even a sprinkling of faux snow from the craft store. 

Replace your fall chargers, napkins, and napkin rings with winter versions.  That could be as simple as going from gold to silver chargers, from chocolate brown to white cloth napkins, and from warm-toned metal rings to jingle bell napkin rings instead.  Take down your front door wreath and hang up a Christmas wreath that features bells, shatterproof ornaments, or seasonal ribbon strands.  Replace your guest bathroom hand towels with whimsical Christmas hand towels, and add a new bottle of winter pump soap alongside the sink.      

When your fall décor started with some easily-transitioning pieces, making the switch to Christmas can be as smooth as swapping out accessories.  This makes investing in decorating staples that much more worthwhile.  And it makes getting to that warm Christmas feeling that much simpler.  

 

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star Sunday, November 27th.

My Christmas tablescape:

   

The Hostess Diary: Preparing for Gobble Day Guests

As your food preparations will really heat up in the next week, turn your attention now to prepping your home for your Thanksgiving guests.  If family is going to be taking up residence in your guest room, get a jump start on making their holiday stay as comfortable as your post-turkey nap. 

Start by making your space for guests feel like a space for guests.  If they will be sharing a room with an office space or craft area, pare down on what is on display that speaks to work and not rest.  Clear your desk, put away displayed supplies, and store as much as possible out of sight in storage boxes under the bed or on closet shelves.  If your guest closet is doing double duty as a whole-house storage space, provide your company with an over-the-door hook stocked with hangers to hang on the outside of the closet door for their clothes.  Clear drawer space and let them know they are welcome to unpack.  If there is no room for a dresser, add a folding suitcase stand like those provided in hotel rooms.

Consider all the comforts of home and more that you can provide to make their stay cozy and enjoyable.  Layer multiple weights of covers on the bed to suit a variety of temperature preferences.  Provide blankets and additional pillows in a trunk or chest at the foot of the bed.  Add a serving tray to the nightstand alongside a good reading lamp that holds a water pitcher and glasses, a clock, and a box of tissues.  Provide some seasonal magazines in a nearby basket for perusing before bed.        

Outfit the guest bathroom with hotel amenities.  Provide new shampoo and conditioner in the shower, along with some fragrant fall shower gel.  Clear a drawer for guest supplies like individually packaged toothbrushes, travel size toothpaste, new razors, cotton swabs, and other necessities like a small hairdryer.  Keep guest towels in plain view, along with easy access to replacement rolls of toilet paper and boxes of tissue.  Provide a basket designated for used towels, and transfer them to the laundry room frequently. 

It can be a combination of little touches that ensures your overnight guests know they were thought of and very welcome in your home for your collective Thanksgiving feast.  

 

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 20th instead of November 13th.

Christmas Zazzle Designs

Get a jump on Christmas photo cards and stamps to send out next month!  Here is a peek at the different Christmas designs used in my holiday collection. 

Find your fit.  There is plenty of winter whimsy to go around.
My Gallery

Soften the Season with Feathers and Ribbon

To incorporate a range of materials into your fall tablescape and decorative groupings, merge some softer textures in with your sturdy fall standards.  Feathers and ribbon are two modern materials that can bring a supple touch and polished finished look.

Fill a vase with a large bundle of tall feathers in lieu of flowers or branches, placing it in the center of your dining table, on your side buffet or hutch, or on the coffee or end table.  Hang an alternative to a wreath made of leaves or vines by creating your own feather wreath.  Use a styrofoam wreath ring as your base, and hot glue layer upon layer of feathers, completely covering the base and fashioning a full and fluffy end result.  Add a peacock feather to each place setting by tucking one into each folded napkin or affix one to each place card for your family’s Thanksgiving feast. 

Use slim ribbon strands in a print, pattern, or shade that matches your table’s décor, and wrap them around mini pumpkins, gourds, large acorns, or pinecones.  Secure one end over the other with some double sided tape.  Fill a large glass pedestal bowl with your collection.  As an alternative to dressy napkin rings, tie a ribbon strand around your gathered cloth napkin at each place setting.  Or fold each napkin to create a pocket for your silverware, placing a napkin on the charger at each place setting, wrapping each in ribbon.  You could add a decorative embellishment to the center of the piece of ribbon like a button, small fall leaf, or dried berry using a spot of hot glue.  For a casual table runner, run different widths and patterns of ribbon down the center of the dining table.  You could also run cross sections of ribbon across the width of the table connecting the place settings across from each other, generating a stylish grid system.

Soften the season with feathers and ribbons to enhance your autumn style.  You may just find the smooth touches add another dimension to warm your home from your doorstep to your dining room.         

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 6th.