There is a lot of pressure on us over the holidays to cook the best food, decorate the house differently each and every year, re-invent the wheel with unusual dishes, different decorations pressure no one needs. I say ignore all that and do what works best for you. For me I look to nature for my decs and gather branches, lichen, and ivy, things that represent a real sense of the seasons. I am obsessed with foliage such as eucalyptus and herbs such as thyme and rosemary - they scent the house so beautifully. Also and this is personal obviously I don't want them to take over so when it comes to January and they all come down I don't want to feel that flat feeling inside so I don't over do the decs. I buy a few trees (some of them teeny tiny) which I plonk on counters, consoles and tables and simply just string with white lights and that is pretty much it. I do the same outside putting a tree on the table on the terrace and lighting that -very beautiful, I string fairly lights through the honeysuckle convert little jam jars into t-light holders and string from trees. I have bowls of oranges, apples and quince all over the kitchen and I t-light everything. Last night as I was lighting the candles (this is just a normal evening by the way I haven't even added any yet) I counted 18. Imagine when I'm lighting all the trees - I need to start now!
A few further ideas below:
Trays of candles look lovely and particularly glam on a bar or counter if you've got people coming over.
Simple, simple, simple - I tend to buy blue spruce its branches fat, feathery and a beautiful hue and of course the scent is to die for!
If your good at drawing (regrettably I'm rubbish) you can knock up the simplest decorations that look lovely, like this Christmas tree drawn from chalk.
Sweet little idea for the table!
I consider myself extremely lucky not only to have the most beautiful selection of faux flowers (anywhere) can I say that, oh well I just did but also to have a sister as a florist. So Gem will be making up lots of posies like these ones we have in store for my house (not that she quite knows that yet)!
Happy Wednesday x
