Copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Hekimian-Williams
You're tired. You've worked hard all week. Suddenly,
the kids
shout gleefully... "let's decorate!" ... in anticipation of the
coming
holiday. The "let's not" is miraculously not permitted to escape
your lips. Instead you take a deep breath while you wonder about
how this decorating could become an easier and more fun-filled
activity.
Well, it can be!
- First, insist on family members
pitching in to help and treat
this like a family project. This should not just rest on your
shoulders to accomplish and it will be much more fun if you
all are making changes and creating memories together.
- Next, pick
a day and time you'll all devote no more than one to
two hours for a quick holiday makeover at your home (for a major
decorating holiday schedule two or three longer blocks of time).
It helps if you can set the decorating date about one to two weeks
from now, if time still allows for that. This gives you time to gather
items together for the project.
- Ask the kids to create one or two new arts and crafts decorations
that are suitable to the holiday to have ready for the decorating day.
Or, ask them to select ones from among any they may already
have on hand, for instance, from school projects.
- Decide on 3 to 4 areas you will focus on decorating this year.
Here are some choices: the front door, the front yard, the entry
hallway, the kitchen table, the dining room table, the living room,
the patio, the bathroom, the bedroom. There are other areas you
could consider as well. But if you want quick and dirty, then focus
in on only 3 to 4 of the areas for decorating this year. Anyway,
you can select other areas next year for a change.
- Keep holiday
decorations in separate bags, boxes or baskets in the
same closet or in the attic so they'll be easy for everyone to retrieve
when they are needed next.
- Buy items you really love when you see
them advertised or
they may not be available when you later. It's common for
seasonal merchandise to change from year to year and also they are
not stocked year-round typically. So, your item may no longer be
available if you wait too long to decide you want it. Then
stash your figurines, statues, wall hangings, and other holiday
decorations in your bags or boxes, sorted by holiday.
- Make or buy
some snacks or treats to enjoy together at the
completion of your decorating
time.
Here are some favorite quick and dirty decorating areas and
tips:
1. The front door- Have a welcome sign that is theme oriented and
you can easily change by season or by holiday. You can either hang
up a completely new themed sign, or there are some that come with
interchangeable pieces you swap in and out representing different
holidays or themes.
2. The dining room table or a table that is
centrally located but not
used that often- Change the table runner or the tablecloth to a
holiday themed one. Then showcase your holiday decorations
by arranging a combination of your kid's holiday creations and
your own figurines or other holiday decor on the table.
3. The
mantel or entertainment center- Add a string of lights and if
you wish, you can also vary the string of lights by color best suited
for the coming holiday theme. Wall hangings can be changed around
this area temporarily as well. Holiday accessories, flags, figurines,
etc. are easy to rotate in and to view on or around this area of your
home.
4. Special areas by kid's choice- Smaller children can help by
adding little decorations to windows and glass doors. They enjoy
taping up their creations or they can easily put up static cling
decorations. Other areas small children enjoy decorating include
outdoors, the dog house and their own rooms. Allow them to
handle this aspect of decorating while you take pleasure in their
big smiles and hugs!
Finally, make your decorating time even more
enjoyable by having
holiday background music or other favorite tunes playing in the
background. Then, when you're done decorating, finish up with a
big family hug and munching on tasty snack treats together!
Liz
Hekimian-Williams is founder of Giftsprings.com, a gifts and
home decor online shopping site. Sign up for your complimentary
subscription to the Giftsprings ezine and browse the store at
This article may be freely reprinted as long as you include the author
resource box and link above, the article is kept intact and you notify
the author of the URL, print publication, or ezine in which the article
is reprinted. Also, please send the author a complimentary copy of
any ezine in which this article appears.
For more articles available
by this author, or to join our in-house articles announcment list for publishers, please visit
