Don’t Keep Up with the Joneses
The holidays can be stressful enough, there is no need to make it harder on you or your immediate family to overextend yourselves with holiday decorations. During the holiday season, it is very common for neighbors to get together and decorate their homes and showcase their best holiday decorations.
People not associated with these neighborhoods will parade through these glamorous neighborhoods to see the pretty light displays. This can put unnecessary pressure on families to keep up with the same holiday displays. It is important for homes to offer a cozy and comforting feeling. The holidays are a time of giving and also not receiving an expensive electric bill for the month of December. I understand it can be fun to get other people involved in the holiday spirit. But be mindful of how much some of these decorations are going to cost you and your family.
Ambiance
Who doesn’t love walking into a home around the holidays and having it smell like fresh baked goods? This kind of detail adds a lot of value to a home during the holidays. These additional details such as seasonal throws, family heirloom decorations, and a roaring fireplace can help make rooms more inviting than ever before. When the kitchen isn’t buzzing with warm baked pies and delish smells, it is important to still leave your kitchen and living spaces smelling refreshing and clean. To add a variation around their homes, many people place essential oil diffusers in the entryways of large rooms to help add a more calming and seasonal scent. It can be inclusive to place holiday decorations throughout your entire home, to ensure not all your holiday decor ends up in one room.
The Importance of Re-gifting
Many people overly spend trying to make others feel included during the holidays. This can be very costly, and gifting can lose its meaning if enough thought isn’t put into the item. People are frequently gifted items that make no sense and can really make people question why the gift was purchased in the first place. Of course, people are grateful to receive a gift in the first place, but if it isn’t meant for you it’s okay to re-gift it in a more meaningful way. This can also help you cut down on your to-do list during the holidays. It will be one last thing you’ll have to run to the store to purchase.
Effortless Details
Decorating for the holidays can be a fun activity to do with the family. A beautiful wreath is a perfect start to brightening up your home. Buying a simple wreath and adding your own variation of pinecones, bows, lights or even lavender and rosemary can help dress up your front door. Centerpieces are another addition to your home that can inspire your creativity. Arrange fresh and decorative seasonal flowers like poinsettias, holly, and paperwhite narcissus around candles or decorations. If your home has more than one Christmas tree, incorporating a theme for each one is a great way to make every room look fun and unique. Some popular themes include aloha Christmas, under the sea, rustic themed or something more traditional like a Nutcracker theme or an all-white wonderland.
Image Credit: ProFlowers
Remember the meaning behind holidays
As the Christmas decorations get rolled out in the department stores the day after Halloween and the malls start to fill with people, it can be easy to get swept up in holidays. It’s important to take a moment to remember the reason for the season. Even handcrafting a gift can hold more meaning than purchasing a store-bought item. One great way to stay in touch with the real holiday spirit is to decorate with family heirlooms and make gift-giving more meaningful. Fill an old punch bowl with ornaments or put your family’s holiday china out on display. Remember to reach out to family and friends, let them know you care about them. Finally, take some time to reflect on what you are grateful for in the past year. As the new year approaches, set your intentions and keep your heart and mind open to new possibilities.
