Nothing welcomes guests to a home better than a festive wreath on the front door and some simple seasonal sidekicks that draw their inspiration from nature. This wreath was handmade with two types of chunky ribbon, one with a fall leaf motif.
The holiday season is stuffed full of traditions from the Thanksgiving turkey to the New Year’s toast. There’s Grandma’s pumpkin pie, Aunt Betty’s green bean casserole, the flocked Christmas tree in the living room and new flooring throughout. What? Yes, years ago winter entertaining also became synonymous with the annual assessment of everything from the dining table to the family room furniture to the wall-to-wall carpet.
Before you max out your credit card without even buying a gift, hold your sleigh full of horses. A few intentionally-placed updates and decorations could be just the thing to take your home from drab to fab for holiday entertaining.
Front Door
• Nothing says winter like a fresh evergreen wreath and a festive ribbon hung on the front door. Make it personal with pinecones, colored bulbs, a string of cranberries, even a single strand of battery-operated mini-lights.
• Have a Japanese maple or other small ornamental near the front door? Add a strand of Christmas lights for a little holiday cheer and take that idea to your porch light by changing out the bulb for a red or green one.
• Greet guests with an arrangement of cinnamon-scented pinecones in a basket, a traditional poinsettia or some colorful gourds.
Entry
• A couple baskets placed on the floor near the front door accommodate a no-shoes rule or just encourage guests to take their shoes off and stay awhile.
• Clear out the hall closet to make room for guests to hang their coats.
• If you have a side table near the front door, make sure it’s clear of clutter to give guests a convenient place to drop their purse(s), totes, cell phones or anything else they don’t want to be weighed down with.
• A winter or holiday-inspired carpet runner is an inexpensive fix for tired carpet or a decorative element for hardwood floors.
Living Room
• Think pocket-friendly vignettes like votives or pillar candles in sets of three. Decorative pillows covered in winter or holiday-inspired fabric, throw blankets placed on the back or arm of furniture and bowls of fresh fruit or nuts are not only inviting to the eye but practical. Don’t forget a well-placed nutcracker — this is their season after all!
• A large area rug can hide a multitude of imperfections for a fraction of the price of new carpet or change up the look of a room floored in hardwood.
• Have a fireplace? Adorn the mantle with boughs of evergreen, some Christmas bulbs, a strand of lights, pinecones, maybe even stockings hung by the chimney. Don’t forget to draw the eye up with a decorative mirror and maybe a ribbon or spritz of garland atop it. Another easy holiday idea is to embellish the mirror with snowflakes using stencils and snow spray.
• Don’t have a fireplace? Employ all the above tips on a sofa table placed against a wall.
Dining Room/Kitchen
• This is where the magic happens. No matter the occasion, breaking bread together marks the best memories. If you have a heirloom china set, that’s wonderful. If not, a set of white plates can become Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas or New Year’s with red, gold or green napkins in any combination. Don’t forget table runners, table cloths and gold napkin rings.
• Use seasonal foods for the centerpiece. Chestnuts, cranberries and clementines grouped directly on the table or in pedestal bowls can set off outdoor foraged items like dried leaves, pine cones and twigs.
• Each place setting can have its own centerpiece with a sprig of evergreen, a candy cane, a cinnamon stick and a mini bulb or bell all tied up with raffia or ribbon. Add a name tag to take the guess work out of the seating arrangement. Make each mini centerpiece interactive with instructions to use the cinnamon stick with served hot cider or save the candy cane for an after-dinner hot cocoa stir stick.
Bathroom
• A little goes a long way in the powder room. Fresh hand towels, winter-inspired potpourri, a nice smelling soap in a decorative dispenser and lotion for dry, winter hands will leave guests thinking they’re in an upscale inn. Maybe even trim the top of the mirror with a couple snow spray snowflakes.
Employ some of these budget-friendly tips this holiday season and, in the New Year, you can toast to warm memories made with family and friends instead of dreading the credit card bills to come.
