It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Our street is lit with twinkle lights; massive trees are bound from tip to toe; urns are decked in their holiday finest. I find myself driving a little slower everyday to take it all in, wrapped in my own childlike wonder.
I am usually pretty controlled in my holiday decorating. I add to my ever-growing bin of Christmas stuff each year but usually follow a strict buying protocol – nothing sparkly or off the red and white Christmas message I deliver every year and definitely nothing too cute – there are no reindeer in my repertoire. I do like to keep it classic and rely on fresh greenery more than anything.
We all fine tune our holiday style year to year – here are some of my newest go tos and seasonal favorites.
Bows be Gone
I know we like to wrap and tie and twist ribbon around everything living and otherwise this time of year, but I completely resisted the urge in my holiday décor this December. Instead I used long lengths of unpatterned, coloured ribbon (red and white for me – I am a purist at heart) and loosely draped them around the bottoms of wreaths with a sloppy tie. I love the sophisticated, modern effect.
Mix and Match
I always layer greens in my urns and on my mantels – fir, pine, cedar, magnolia, boxwood – the more the merrier. But I have always selected one forest green for my indoor and outdoor wreaths – usually pine because it is the cheapest – and have hung them centred on doors and windows. Ho hum. This year, I bought a mixed bag of wreaths of varying size, shape and greenery. I know. I have gone mad. And I have clustered them with birch bark wreaths in groups of threes and fives on walls and even on the ginormous mirror in my dining room. Completely unexpected but delivers a tall glass of Christmas cheer. Definitely.
Poinsettia Not
Not sure about you but I can count on a cool half dozen of these as gifts from business associates and people who are that degree separated from us but feel the need to send something of the Christmas persuasion. Bless. I am not crazy about poinsettias as a plant – I am not crazy about plants in the house if we are going to call a spade a spade – but as a cut flower, poinsettias are lovely. Its blooms are large and stately – just lose the soil. As an aside, I love amaryllis potted or cut – maybe because I know they have a shelf life, the soil can stay. You can almost see an amaryllis grow if you watch carefully enough and they are stunning in full bloom. As a further aside, if you are gifting cut flowers – delight your host by bringing arranged flowers, ideally in their own container. Cut flowers, as pretty as they are, are a disruption. Your host has to find a vessel and arrange them upon your arrival. Something already done makes a smarter gift.
Let Go of the Tree
In our house, the tree belongs to the kids – fully and completely. I always marvel at designed trees with monochromatic balls and accents, perfectly placed blooms and lights – but it isn’t for us. Ours is loaded with ornaments from my childhood, from our first Christmas’ as a married couple when I used whatever I could to fill the tree and heaps of homemade ornaments the little hands of our kids have crafted. I love that it tells our story. What is yours?
Wine Not
I recently read that it is gauche to bring wine to someone’s home as a hostess gift as it may offend their cellar. What? What?? What about those of us without a cellar with a delicate disposition? Or one at all for that matter? What about those of us who only have a second fridge that holds everything from the extra carton of milk I keep on hand to the case of homemade tomato sauce my best Italian friend gave me to the few bottles of wine we haven’t drank yet? Don’t expect your wine to be served at a dinner party or holiday gathering, but I think it makes a smashing gift. And so does champagne. Bubbly goodness and not something you would necessarily buy yourself.