If the thought of unpacking all the Christmas decorations seems daunting and you just need a quick hit of holiday cheer, try one or two of these fast fixes. They’ll add festive feels all over your home in no time.
- Why wait? Pop your Christmas wreath on the front door on Thanksgiving night! or pick up a fresh wreath at the home improvement store or nursery on Black Friday.
Tip: Buy a few extra fresh wreaths to use indoors as candle rings, to hang in windows, or to cut apart for clippings.
2. Pick up a few potted poinsettias at the grocery store or home center while running errands. They will add color and life to your home all month long with these tips.
3. Set a button on your car radio to the all Christmas station. Every town has a radio station that plays only Christmas music this time of year. Or, find a Christmas station you like on your streaming music service. Whenever you need a dose of Christmas cheer (like sitting in traffic or circling the mall parking lot looking for a parking space), tune in and let the music get you into the holiday spirit.
4. Play the scent soundtrack of the season! Simmer a few whole allspice, a few cloves, a pod or two of cardamom, a cinnamon stick and a strip of orange peel in a small pan of water on the stovetop. (Add water as it boils down.) It fills your home with Christmas-y aromas without the expense of scented candles.
5. Pick up an inexpensive box of solid-colored glass ball ornaments at the drug store or your favorite discount department store. Display them in a clear glass bowl and voila! Instant holiday sparkle!
Tip: Store a box or two of glass ball ornaments in a closet or drawer. They’ll be within easy reach next year!
6. Snip cuttings from a pine tree and tuck them into a bouquet of flowers, or scatter them on the shelves of a china cabinet. I buy a bouquet of red roses from the grocery store to make 3 or 4 small nosegays with pine cuttings. Placed around the house they add punches of color and cheer.
7. Gather pine cones from your yard (or a craft store). Pile them in a wire basket, a clear bowl or a vase. Add a few glass ball ornaments for shine.
8. Place two or three pillar candles on a pretty plate or tray and scatter fresh cranberries around them. Use off cuts of wrapping paper and ribbon to wrap around the pillar and secure with double-stick tape.
9. Place a jar candle or a flameless candle in a large, clear vase. Add a layer of kosher salt (for “snow”), and a few pine sprigs, cranberries and pine cones. (Be sure to keep any flammable items away from an open flame.)
10. Relax with a Christmas flick. No matter long your to-do list may be, no matter how many gifts are left to wrap, sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and your loved ones to watch a Christmas movie helps one to remember what the season is all about. Queue up your favorites on your streaming service watchlist so a little cheer is always close at hand.
Hi! I’m Deanne Marie – designer, author, attorney, travel enthusiast and everyday goddess. I love showing other single professional women how to create a home that is as comfortable as it is stylish, and have joy-filled, everyday goddess kind of life.
