Decorating for the Holidays
With so much time spent at home and all the challenges of this past year, it’s no surprise people are decorating for the holidays extra early. Want to up your Christmas or Hanukkah decorating game? Here are some delightful ways to deck the halls, and every other space in your home.
Spruce Up the Dining Table
We love the idea of a potted miniature tree on the dining table. Whether you opt for a live miniature tree or choose a faux fir, bottlebrush or mercury glass tree, we recommend a single plant or a grouping of three for a pleasing vignette.
Styling the arrangement to suit your decor is easy. Keep it ultra-minimal with the greenery simply arranged in a row for a Scandi vibe. If shabby chic or modern farmhouse is more your style, place the trees in a crate with a collection of ornaments, decorative mini pumpkins or pinecones serving as festive filler. Or, for a more traditional take, intersperse the trees with white or cream candles of various sizes and shapes.
Get Your Garland On
Add a festive touch to any room with a delightful garland. We love to see them winding along railings, swagged above a kitchen window or French doors, or draped over a mantle, Mirror, coat rack, Console table, Credenza or Headboard.
While you can opt for fragrant fresh boughs of cedar or pine, there are plenty of other options, too. Bay laurel, eucalyptus and dehydrated citrus slices strung together are great alternatives for allergy sufferers who want a scented garland, while faux greenery and strings of felted wool, beads or gold coins (especially ideal for families celebrating Hanukkah) can be used year after year.
Tip: Fresh garlands are especially ideal in the kitchen and bathrooms, where steam helps give them a longer life.
Liven Up Lighting
Cedar or pine boughs can also be used to add festive flair to a chandelier. Keep it minimal with just the greenery, add pine cones for a rustic touch, or weave in clusters of faux berries or holiday ornaments for a traditional take.
If you prefer a more subtle touch of fragrant greenery, wind sprigs of bay laurel, rosemary or eucalyptus around the base of Lamps or the top of lampshades. These herbs and greens smell divine and dry beautifully throughout the holiday season.
Decorate Your Workspace
If you’re working from home, why not bring some holiday cheer to your home office just like you’d do at work? Hang lights around a nearby window or along the back edge of your Desk, or simply add a string of fairy lights to a clear vase. Decorate a corner of your desk or a shelf with ornaments like a large star, nutcracker or Santa figurine if you celebrate Christmas, or a menorah, vintage dreidels or gold coins if you celebrate Hanukkah. And don’t forget a plaid throw for your desk chair or a nearby Reading chair
Layer Plaids and Checks
A simple, understated way to add some festive charm to your decor is with plaids and checks. Pile blankets in these traditional patterns in a basket, or layer throws and pillows on your Sofa, bed and dining chairs to create a warm, cozy atmosphere. Reds and greens are traditional for Christmas, while blues and golds are great for Hanukkah. Meanwhile, neutral plaids and checks will look great from Thanksgiving right through to spring.
Wreath the Kitchen
Holiday wreaths are traditionally hung outside, but we also love the look of a classic foliage wreath in the kitchen. Hang a single wreath in the window above your sink, or if you have a bank of windows around your kitchen, you can opt for a series of wreaths, all the same size and style. We love the simplicity of greenery hung from a ribbon, but adding ornaments is a great way to add whimsy and fun for the kids or grandkids.
DIY Your Holidays
If you’ve got time on your hands and are even a little bit crafty, there are lots of fun DIY holiday decorating projects. You can make any of the garlands or wreaths mentioned above. But you could also go old school and cut paper snowflakes for garlands or to hang from the ceiling. Festive fabrics are great for making buntings. Or head for the kitchen to make salt dough ornaments or hand-dipped candles.
Whether you go all in on the holiday decor or you prefer a more subtle approach, one thing is for sure — we can all use a little extra holiday cheer this year. Happy decorating!
