Decorating for the holidays

I deeply believe that a beautiful decor can have a beneficial influence on our lives. --so says Albert Hadley and I couldn't agree more.  Even simple little touches like cosying up your space for the holiday’s lifts the spirits. Yesterday my sister and I spent the day working out the structure of the Christmas class, those spending the day here next week will be getting a fabulous sneak peak into Gem's world and making the coolest arrangements I am so excited!  Although we were both tired Gem more than me she had a 4am start, figuring out stuff to put on mantles, tables, on entryways made us buzz with excitement. I made a quick dash to the florist at the end of the day and brought bundles of berried ivy (lasts for three weeks) and dotted it in containers all over the house, lit a zillion t-lights and a roaring fire and was just about ready to hang my stocking on the fireplace by the time it was bedtime. You don't need to spend the earth on Christmas upping the house for the holidays, may I even suggest you do it as early as this weekend.  I am because if you go down the foliagy route or fake route it will last forever and it transforms the house so instantly. I do both because I don't want to miss out on the scent of pine, eucalyptus, and herbs its intoxicating stuff coming down the stairs in the morning, the house filled with a fragrant woody smell. Adding a wreath or garland to a wall or mantle will get you instantly in the holiday mood, we embellish ours with our faux berries and other gardeny blooms so they almost look like they are bursting at the seams, you can embellish with foliage, ivy, fur cones all you need is some floristry wire and then bind round easy peasy! Trees are harder to decorate I find I go in and out of the baubles or no baubles.  This year rather than a big tree (although I am contemplating a large one outside) I'm thinking a series of small trees on little tables dotted all over the place. Tree hunting day is Columbia Road on Sunday, also I'm thinking just beautiful white lights, nothing else. Remember to put something in the loo,  a little hand tie of fragrant herbs or again eucalyptus is heavenly and t-light the hell out of everything then wham bam you are ready for the holidays.  Oh and if you have a real fire save orange and  lemon peel and fling it in the embers and if you don't do the same in a dying turned off oven  and you will scent your home with the most intoxicating smell! To get us in the mood The Waverly Inn in NYC as decorated by the fabulous Rita Konig last year. Have a lovely weekend, sunny and cold I here this side of town just right for decorating the home for the holidays!