Project Good Life's Guide to Decking the Halls (and Staying Married)

 

Christmas Table at Project Good Life

 Those who know The Husband and me know that almost every aspect of our relationship is a negotiation. Decorating for Christmas is no exception. The Husband does not like wreaths.  He also does not like automated santas or Christmas creatures (which he calls Pirates-of-the-Caribbean style decorations). And, do not get him started on colored Christmas lights.  I agree with him about the Christmas lights and have never been a fan of automated Christmas creatures (although until marrying him I would have never described them as of the Pirates-of-the-Caribbean variety).  But, being true to my Southern roots, I do like a good wreath, I love garland, and I generally think that houses should be decorated for Christmas as if they were scenes out of the Mothership's Christmas Book.  Decorating with these tastes can be difficult in a small urban condo and they become even more difficult once I throw the Husband's preferences into the mix.  Needless to say, the process of decorating for the Christmas season is a bit, um, complex at Project Good Life.  But, over time, the husband and I have found a middle ground -- and, I've learned to prefer our compromised way of decorating to the deck-the-halls-to-the-hilt strategy that I previously employed. 

Here are our ground rules.  First, in general, most decorations should be able to be disposed of after the Christmas season so that they do not take up storage the other 11 months a year.  This means saying no to the valuable Christmas treasures at high end stores and opting for more simplistic decor.  Second, decorations should not get in the way of living -- meaning that table surfaces should still be able to be used and areas of our home should still be functional (this means no Christmas-village-laden counter tops or extra large manger scenes). Third, Christmas decorations should accent the rest of the house as opposed to being a featured presentation.  Basically, one's home should not look like a scene from the Macy's Day Parade or from the local church's Christmas Pageant. Finally, and most importantly, Christmas decorations should be warm and inviting -- they should encourage people to feel a little more special and to savor this magical time of year.

Christmas Table at Project Good Life

I have found a simple methd for implementing these ground rules and creating a beautiful Christmas home. First, capitalize on what you already have.  Have some red napkins? Tie them with green ribbons and viola! you have a Christmas decoration.  You'll see our take on this pictured above with table linens and napkins that we already had. "Shop" your home for things that can be made into seasonal decorations.  Books with festive holiday colors or Christmas titles make great coffee table decorations and you don't have to buy a thing.  Second, consider using natural decorations.  Red roses in a festive vase look very holiday (as do white tulips).  Use simple pine tree branches for accents (you can pine tree branches either at a farmer's market or on a weekend trip to the country).  If you opt for a Christmas tree, try to get a natural one.  Place these natural gems strategically around your home for a nice holiday look (and scent!).  Third, purchase a few inexpensive holiday accents.  One of my favorites? Red or gold ornaments (see pictured above in simple glass bowls, which we already had), holiday candles, and some cute stockings.  We have found Home Goods to be a treasure trove of holiday goodness (and very good prices) and enjoy making a seasonal trip there to pick up some fun decor.  Finally, don't forget a good holiday playlist for background music.  We like Sinatra's holiday songs mixed in with others (and, of course, a little country music -- sorry, we just cannot resist). 

The benefit of the Project Good Life Guide to Decorating for the holidays is that each year we can decorate with something a little different. The other benefit? The Husband and I can continue to live in negotiated marital tranquility.  Happy Holidays.  I hope each of you enjoys decking your halls as much as we do.