Susan Dunn
EQ Coach
http://www.susandunn.com
Lucky you if you live in the north (of the US). Lucky for all
of us that nature is plentiful in providing free supplies for
decorating our homes for Thanksgiving no matter where we live.
Even in South Texas at this time of year I can wander outside
and clip off some branches from my yellow-berried pyracantha (I
planted some with yellow berries as well as red just for this
occasion), and grab a handful of at least brown leaves. If you
live in the north and can garner pine cones, seed pods, pine branches
and fallen leaves in all their glorious colors, use these as the
basis for your color scheme.
I’m also lucky to have a garden full of chrysanthemums
in bloom ready to be put around in vases in the house. Since they’re
perennials (down here), I can always count on having them come
back this time of year. Check your yard and garden for blooms
in keeping with your color scheme (and next year, consider planting
accordingly).
You also have an array of decorating materials available in the
produce department of your grocery. All those squashes lend themselves
beautifully to the fall color scheme. It’s nature’s
way. Go for it! Arrange some greenery branches across the mantle
and place fruits and vegetables around and there you have it.
We’re celebrating the harvest, after all.
Now here’s the trick. We have two major celebrations coming
up: Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Here at my house I need to
make a quick transition and I’m short on time, like everyone
else. I’m having guests for Thanksgiving, but then my grandchildren
will be coming here the Friday after. I’m giving a Christmas
Cookie Baking Party for Kids on Friday, and will need to switch
rapidly from Thanksgiving to Christmas, so I’ve planned
my decorating accordingly.
I’ll be using only greens, yellows, golds and whites for
Thanksgiving. Then, for instance, I can remove the white, green
and yellow gourds and squashes from the greenery on the mantle,
add some white lights and gold stars, gold jingle bells, and gold
ornaments and I’m set to go.
The white, yellow and gold candles and tealights for Thanksgiving
can remain. See how easy it can be!
Cheap tip for a real glow? Buy a fair-sized mirror, place it
on your dining room table, buffet or mantel and cover it with
tea lights. Beautiful!
You could achieve this same easy transition keeping green and
brown for basic background and using accents of burgundy and rust.
This is a more subtle look for Christmas than the bright primary
red, but it works just as well.
Also make some trips to your local Goodwill and Thrift Stores
and visit some garage sales. People give away the most amazing
holiday decorations that can be yours for pennies. I’ve
found everything – hand towels, wreaths, pillows, stuffed
animals, wall pictures, water globes and statuettes. Since they’re
used only for a short time, you hate to spend too much on them.
And here’s a neat tip. My Goodwill store has a selection
of lamp shades and I have the lamps, don’t you? You can
change out your lampshades to fit your decorating scheme. Did
you ever think of that? It only takes a minute. Just make sure
before you go that you know which kind of lampshades you have,
and match them.
Oh and don’t forget to check out the picture frames at
the resale shop. You could move a favorite photo to a holiday
frame and place that up on the mantel as well. In fact if you
don’t already have some great holiday photos, take some
this year. I have a great photo of my grand-daughter sitting with
a pumpkin I move to a central location at Thanksgiving, and then
a collage of my own children at former Christmases I bring out
in December. I bought an ugly print at a garage sale that had
a beautiful forest green frame, threw away the print and substituted
with the collage. It’s such a dear reminder.
And while you’re decorating, don’t forget yourself!
Most thrift stores set up displays of holiday apparel you’ll
want to take advantage of for you and the kids.
Some planning ahead can help you save time and money and still
allow for a festively decorated home for the holidays
