Sunday, July 25, 2010

One Partridge...More Than One Tree

I have an issue with the good intentioned partridge that perched himself on top of that ever so famous pear tree. My issue…there was only one partridge and only one tree. So many people limit their Christmas décor to a singular Christmas tree, adorned with the same ornaments they’ve used for years. To make it worse, some can’t even think beyond putting the tree in the exact same corner of the living room. Why limit yourself just because you’ve always done it that way?

 It’s pretty typical for most people to only have the one Christmas tree boxed up in the basement, just waiting to be pulled out shortly after Thanksgiving. Along with that tree are boxes or totes full of “adorable” ornaments from years past. These ornaments are traditionally made from materials like pipe cleaners, macaroni, jar lids punched with holes. You get the idea. It’s that Christmas tree (covered in macaroni ornaments) that your guests see as they share the holiday with you.

Why not impress your company with some great Christmas décor? While you can enjoy the memories behind your common Christmas tree, most guests won’t experience the same appreciation from the little sleds made out of Popsicle sticks. Find an appropriate place in your home for the tree with those family heirlooms and step outside of your old tree box. Have a second tree box ready to unpack.

No one ever said you could only have one tree. There is at least one full-sized tree in every room in my house…including the bathroom. It’s time to revisit the limits you’ve created when it comes time to decorate. Maybe this year will be the year that your sad, lonely tree will be packed with some new company. Tree number two, three, four…

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Welcome To My World

Christmas has always been my most favorite time of year. I’m not all caught up on the gifts…rather the lights, trees and décor. There’s something amazing about the sights, sounds and scents of Christmas. As a kid I grew tired of the tree with all of the homemade ornaments that each of us kids had made over the years. It was then that I started decorating my own tree…one that was a little more cohesive with colors and themes. That began my love for Christmas décor.
Things haven’t changed much over the years. As an adult I began doing some pretty intense decorating. Never is there just one tree in my home and nearly every available inch of the house is decorated. It started becoming something that friends and family would look forward to seeing each year. I began hosting a yearly open house that has continued for years. People love to come and just take in the atmosphere. I hear people say things like, “I would never think of that” or “I don’t have the knowledge or ideas to make my house look like this.” I’ve been inspired by a friend to blog on how to do Christmas…Donnie style.

I’m going to share what takes place as I pack up last year’s Christmas and prepare for yet another year of decorating. While I reuse and recycle, I never do the exact same thing two years in a row. I’ll show you how I make Christmas happen from year to year. Maybe I can help inspire you to step out of the Christmas box you’ve been decorating from and start some new Christmas décor traditions for yourself.