Let the Holiday Decorating Begin

With the Thanksgiving feast behind us, it’s time to begin thinking of Christmas and holiday decorating.

Wreaths have been a part of our Christmas celebrations since the beginning of Christianity and nearly every culture attaches a particular meaning to the wreath.  I will leave the symbolism to each culture, but encourage you to use your family traditions and cultures to express yourselves when decorating a holiday wreath.

Don’t limit your wreaths to the front door, while I strongly encourage you to continue that age old tradition, don’t stop there.  Wreaths can be a welcoming bit of décor in every room.  Each child in the family can decorate a special wreath for the door to their bedroom allowing them to show off their creativity allowing, them to express a particular theme; sports, horses, pets, wherever their imagination takes them.

If you are entertaining this holiday season you may find decorating your buffet table or libation table with a series of wreaths circling tempting treats.  A simple and inexpensive plastic punch bowl gets special status when its base is wrapped in an evergreen wreath with tiny white lights entwined for sparkle, add some unscented floating candles for more light and turn down the lights and see the magic.

A wreath around a fun family photo makes me smile every year when I think of the silly antics of my children several years ago.  Don’t stop with one photo, pick several and put a wreath around each one to make a dreary hallway come to life.

A wreath with several wide ribbons hanging down makes a great way to display Christmas cards.  Or use a wreath frame of wire or straw to add cards to and make a Christmas card wreath.

Inside or outside wreaths welcome us with the winter fragrance of balsam and pine, add candles and we have the light to remind us that the short days don’t have to be dark; add a bright ribbon and some shiny ornaments a wreath is just plain festive!