HOLIDAY CHILL

Okay, you’ve been cutting our ideas (and directions) for all the great looks you want to create in your home for the holidays. (Now where is that file again?) Well, it may be just a couple of weeks till Christmas, but it’s not to late when you know the Trade Secrets. Sharing hers is interior designer Marsha Peterson.

“Each year as the Holidays roll around it seems I’m always looking for easy, inexpensive ways to decorate and this year more so then ever. Life seems to be moving at an ever-faster pace. (I’m sure it has nothing to do with iPhones, texting, Twitter, or Facebook.) Now if we could just figure out how to make all that technology do our decorating and shopping for us!! Talk about the Christmas miracle!

As one of my fellow designers on HGTV says, ‘If Christmas was just about decorating the tree it would be a snap,’ but for most of us it’s not. You long for a house that’s worthy of a glossy cover on Martha’s latest home magazine — but without the sweat and tears.

As I thought about writing to you,  I really wanted to suggest some simple, easy ideas everyone could do. So I went through my files and found a few great ideas from “Christmas Past” that are as appropriate to day as they ever were, maybe more so with our new mind set of “less is more”. I hope you will find them to be easy, creative, economical and fun. Now it’s time to jump in and get started.

Don’t Overdo It – A great way to avoid overdoing it is to select a focal point in each room and only decorate that spot. It could be the fireplace, dining table, living room or foyer. Every inch of the room does not have to be visually overloaded. Your ultimate priority should be to NOT overdo it.

Pick a Theme – Another way to make decorating easier is to choose a theme and decorate everything around it. Themes are great ways to get your kids more involved in the decorating process. And your theme? It could be a color scheme. Everything fuschia and turquoise instead of the traditional red and green. Or maybe it’s all bows, all the time. On the tree. On the door. At the windows. Victorian of Space Age. Themes make it easy to decorate.

Skip A Step – Forget the prickly job of looping garlands around and around the banister. It’s much easier to lay an evergreen swag on the top of the banister and fasten it in place with floral wire (available at craft shops and nurseries). Next, snugly wrap it with extra-wide-ribbon (such as 4 ¾” silk taffeta ribbon). To figure out how much ribbon you’ll need, measure the banister and multiply by four. You’ll have enough for a big, dramatic sash at the newel post. I love this one as wrapping the banister is my least favorite Holiday job.

Make The Table Sparkle – Entertaining is an important part of the season. To dress up your holiday table, arrange several votive candles atop a mirror (long rectangle, square, or round depending on the shape of your table). Finish the centerpiece off with a sprinkling of fine white sugar, cranberries & sprigs of holly for a stunning display.

Start A Tradition – Hang an unadorned twig wreath (available at nurseries and florists) in a spot where arriving or departing guests can’t miss it. Set out red Magic Markers and small plain cards on a table next to it. Post a little sign asking friends and relatives to scribble a greeting or wish for the New Year, along with their names and have them slip the notes into the wreath. When the party’s over, you’ll have a sweet, one-of-a-kind decoration. This sounds like a great job for one of the kids to be responsible for!

Plan An Activity – Most kids aren’t great at sparkling repartee. If you want them to bond with one another – or at least stay occupied so the grown-ups can talk-give them something to do with their hands. Making aluminum-foil ring chains is the perfect zero-supervision party project-go glue, no scissors, no sparkles to vacuum up.  All you need to provide is squares of foil (get an older child to cut up a roll or buy a box of the precut sheets that Delis use to wrap sandwiches). Then, if you can, put the kids to work in a spot where they won’t interfere with the party traffic. Let them take home their handiwork. Sounds like what Christmas memories are made of…

Festive Twist – Give your clear vases a festive twist by filling them with cranberries, magnolia leaves and white lilies, or plain white holiday lights – without water of course.

Wrap Wisely – Have a large supply of white wrapping paper on hand. Presents wrapped in white can be easily, elegantly accented with bright ribbons and simple notes of joy, peace, and love, and they will also create a stunning display under the tree. And unlike reindeer-studded gift wrapping, white paper can be used beyond the holidays. Craft paper is a nice alternative for a casual country feel.

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Now see how much easy that was? Just one or two of these and you home will sparkle with the best of them. And just think of all the time you’ve saved!  We’re wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!”

Meet Marsha Peterson.