Some people do a lot of entertaining throughout the holiday season. On the other hand, there are those who hesitate to open their doors to large crowds of people. Although there can be many reasons for their reticence, it’s often because they’re not confident in their hosting or cooking skills, or they’re insecure about how their homes look.

Usually, however, they’re worrying for nothing. First of all, Christmas parties are rarely dull, no matter who is hosting them, as the spirit of the season alone can carry the occasion. Unlike non-holiday get-togethers, at these affairs, there’s no lack of conversation, because everyone has something to say about the big day that’s coming up, and how excited, exhausted, frantic, worried, prepared, or unprepared, they are for it.

In the second place, their fears about the appearances of their houses are probably just as unfounded. In most cases, they are fretting about relatively minor things, such as carpet stains, dull wallpaper, scratches on their buffets, dining tables, bars, or other wood furniture, or because they don’t feel that they have enough – or good enough – tableware for bigger groups.

If you are apprehensive about any of these things, relax! As I said before, there are tons of ways in which you can use decorations to make your home look stunning, even if you feel that it’s not exactly a showplace. Besides dimming the main lights, and illuminating the place chiefly with candles and Christmas lights, you can use red and green doilies on your end tables and accent tables to cover up imperfections, or add even more shine by making table runners from foil wrapping paper.

Another attraction that’s a major distraction is food; and a brilliantly-set table will make things look even more smashing. This, too, is easy to do, even if your resources are few. So, in my next blog, I will have some tips and suggestions for inexpensive ways to create a fun and festive table.

Oh, by the way, there’s one other big reason why some people don’t invite anyone over during the holidays – they simply don’t want to.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

As I pore over books and magazines, looking for holiday decorating ideas, all I see, naturally, are the picture-perfect houses and rooms that everyone wants, but few of us have. I’m sure you get the same feelings from these photographs; it’s just like the one you get when you see clothing models. You think, “Wow! That’s such a great outfit! But will it look that way on me? Heck, no!” Aahhh!!!! Why must they torture us like that?

(A-hem!) Anyway, one advantage that we have now is that holiday decorations can cover up many imperfections. Oh, and remember, as is the case with our personal appearances, we’re likely to be the worst critics of how our homes look (it’s those durned magazines that make us think that way!).

So, what’s the trick to making your home look spectacular when your guests come a-callin’? Well, it’s a lot like pulling off a fantastic illusion by using smoke and mirrors, except that you’ll be using candles and mirrors; and, of course, Christmas lights, ornaments, and other glistening decorations. Word to the wise, they’re your best allies, to dazzle, disguise, and distract the eyes.

Along with the strings of lights that you’re sure to have decorating your rooms and your tree, use candles, placed on mirrors, to create a veritable festival of lights in your home. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, because you can use plain mirrors that you already have hanging around the house, mirrored vanity trays with gilded edges, or even polished silver platters. Set them on end tables, accent tables, cedar chests, buffets, bars, and other wood furniture.

Dim the main lamps, and the overheads, and let the reflective glow conjure a festive, old-fashioned, and very merry, atmosphere. Oil lamps with colored-glass bases, and vases filled with shiny ornaments or clear, multi-colored, decorative stones, will also help to make everything sparkle.

Whether your home is already magazine-worthy, or has that comfortable, lived-in look, these few, inexpensive touches will make it absolutely radiant, and instantly brighten everyone’s spirits.

By the way, another bonus that you’ll get from this will be the undying appreciation of your guests. After all, the candlelight can hide many of their flaws, too.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

As I was saying, I enjoy trying to find out how our many holiday traditions got started; but each one has so many conflicting versions, that it can be difficult to pinpoint its exact origin.  Still, they’re all pretty entertaining.

 Kissing under the mistletoe, for example, is a strange one.  As one story goes, in ancient Scandinavia, it was a plant of peace; so, if enemies happened to meet under it in the forest, they would put down their arms and observe a truce until the next day.

 Somehow, over time, that led to kissing beneath it.  The thing is that, according to legend, men supposedly had license to kiss women who were standing under it.  BUT (and, as you can see, that’s a big but), afterward, they would pluck a berry from the mistletoe, and when the berries were gone, it was, well, all kissed-out, I guess, and the privilege existed no more.  

 However, like every tradition, it apparently kept on changing, and the berry-plucking eventually ceased.  Of course, although it’s no mystery why men would want to do away with the part that would deprive them of their rights to further kisses, I don’t know whether it was a blatant disregard of convention that caused the modification, or the simple fact that most mistletoe found in homes today is plastic. 

 See?  That’s the even-funnier thing about trying to solve an ancient puzzle; the more pieces you find, the more puzzling it becomes.  In the first place, I can’t imagine what possible good a one-day truce would do anybody, except that, maybe, it gave one party the chance to run away (and live to fight another day!) under cover of darkness.  Otherwise, it seems to be a hollow gesture – kind of like a meaningless kiss.  

 At CedarStore.com, we prefer more solid traditions; and that’s why most of our wood furniture is still hand-crafted in true, Old World style.  This includes our beautiful oak and cherry jewelry chests, jewelry boxes, armoires, silverware boxes, and cedar chests, which make great gifts, not only for Christmas, but for any occasion.  In fact, by giving one, you may start a whole new tradition, as it may end up being passed down for generations. 

 All in all, I’d say that’s much more enduring and meaningful than an insincere kiss under a plastic plant!

 Yours Outdoors,

 Kathy