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HOLIDAY
DECORATIONS HOLIDAY
DECORATIONS HOLIDAY
DECORATIONS..
| Principles
for Decorating
These are the principles I find people
using when they get out their holiday
embellishments...
- Harbingers of the
holiday mood -
Just seeing the first Christmas tree
lighted in someone’s window, or hearing
the first recorded carol, can get people
thinking "holiday". For those of us who
do look forward to the holidays that
wind up the year, we enjoy the
anticipation as much as anything - and
the "gearing up" for the holidays
themselves. When we put up our own
holiday decorations - tree and lights,
favorite cards and ornaments and
greenery - I know I have weeks of
contemplative as well as convivial
pleasure ahead.
- Beauty
- Well, certainly, people usually
decorate for the sake of beauty. Even
when you put up a goofy kid’s drawing on
the refrigerator, you’re telling your
child that it’s something beautiful. But
during the end-of-the-year festivities,
we’re trying to make our surroundings
even more beautiful - so as to
enhance our experience of the holidays,
wouldn’t you say?
- Reminders of
something important
- A spiritual or religious concept? A
tradition or a wonderful memory? Many of
the traditional holiday decorations are
also reinforcements of something
important to us, whether it be a sacred
symbol or simply something to draw us
back into the pleasurable feelings of
former times (childhood - or maybe not
even times we ourselves knew... unless
you believe in reincarnation!). Again,
an enhancement of our enjoyment
of this special time of the year.
- Surprising us out
of our usual channels - We're used
to walking into the rooms of our own
dwelling places without really noticing
much any more. Holiday decorations spice
up our lives just by being there -
unusual things in unusual places! Well,
maybe the usual places - but only at
certain times of the year. (But why not
change them around each year so as to
enhance this function? Hmm, a wreath
around the bathroom sink or medicine
cabinet? Or an ornament in the
refrigerator!) Not the usual things? -
like, what if you used large eggshells
to hold the votive candles? There's
something about the unusual that's
genuinely good for us (all the
year).
- Enchantment!
- We try to enchant each other and
ourselves with all the attractions
within and without the house...
lighting, greenery, ornaments, garlands,
window scenes, music, special dining
table finery, even the gifts under the
tree. No wonder it’s hard to put all the
stuff away! (I usually can’t bear to
take my Christmas tree down until
February rolls around.) We might even
sometimes take enchantment elsewhere
with us: to work, to a friend’s
party, to the elderly neighbor who lives
alone. Wherever we do it, there’s
something refreshing to the spirit, I
think, in just focusing on
something wonderful for a time.
Something obviously makes it worth
the effort to create an exceptional
ambiance for the holidays. Whatever it is
that works most on you, take it to heart!
We all need a little elevation... and it’s
nice to be able to count on it
coming in the Christmas (Hanukkah, etc.)
season.
And at the end? If you enjoy the
decorations greatly, bask in them by
leaving them up awhile. Too tired to put
them away? Ask a friend over to help you
dismantle, make a party of it. Or take a
little down at a time. (If the aftermath
has become burdensome, another year you
can do less - or even skip every other
year so you'll appreciate it more the next
time.)
Need any ideas for ways to make the
holidays even more special? See the next
section...
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