There was a time when holiday decorating was quite the ordeal at our place. There were trips up and down the attic ladder balancing huge crates, lights to be strung from trees and eaves, miles of garland to be fluffed, wrapped and swagged, a tree that had to be assembled
piece by piece, twinkle lights and beaded garland to be untangled, wreaths to be hung, bows to be made, a Christmas village and nutcracker collection to be set up, 20 or 30 stuffed toys to be arranged on the staircase, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera! John usually disappeared as soon as the tree was assembled and lit, leaving me to do the rest on my own, which always made me rather grumpy. Of course, it didn't help that I felt compelled to complete this monumental task on Thanksgiving weekend. Luckily, I have finally come to my senses.
The first year after we bought this place, but were still living in Houston full-time, we decided to try spending Christmas in Wimberley. I came up ahead of the others and, not even knowing where half of the crates were stashed, just did a minimal amount of decorating with whatever I could easily lay my hands on. Know what? It was one of the best Christmases ever!
Since that time I have continually pared down, until all of our Christmas fits into five or six small to medium crates (which are kept in an easy to reach storage closet, not up in the attic) and one pre-lit, two-piece tree. No more waiting around until someone is willing to help me haul it all down!
This year, I am taking the simplification process even further. Instead of trying to haul out and do everything at once, I have begun doing one tiny thing each day, and enjoying that tiny thing for all it's worth! The first day I cleared some of the clutter off of the hutch in my kitchen, and replaced it with two favorite Christmas teapots and a few glittery snow babies. The next day I did a grouping on an end table, using my two favorite snow globes. The day after that I placed a few gorgeous mercury glass ornaments in a bowl. It has been most enjoyable, this "Slow" decorating, making me feel anything but grumpy.
And thus I plan to continue, until reaching the point where it feels properly festive to me. Then, I will stop. Will that be before or after a full-sized tree has been set up and festooned? Only time will tell!
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6 comments:
I am with you on this one! I'm simplifying my entire holiday season. The main things I am keeping are good food, cookies, and a few meaningful gifts. When I hear Black Friday promotion, I put my tv on "mute". Enough already.
I love the idea of "slow decorating". Over the years I have pared way down and really only do the minimal now. Of course that will likely change when we move back to where the grandkids live!
Happy Thanksgiving, Becky.
Lovely post! I'm sitting here smelling the muy delicioso aromas of my Sweet Hot Gingered Cranberry Apple Chutney cooking. I combined a couple of recipes and added some minced jalapeno for that southwest flair. It should go nicely with my pork roast and potatoes au gratin tomorrow! I took a leaf from your book of 'slow seasonality' for the festivities tomorrow. Thawing a pre-roasted loin that I fixed when I made the asado a month ago---no standing over a hot oven for me tomorrow means more time to visit and sip Irish Coffees! Gig 'Em Aggies!! ;-)
ME- I'm cooking much the same thing. I tried a recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry and Roasted-Garlic Sauce last year, and everyone loved it, so we're having a repeat. I'm roasting the garlic and simmering the cranberries with grated orange peel, juice and sugar right now. Tomorrow all I have to do is brush the tenderloin with a little of the reserved garlic oil, rub it with spiced flour, brown it, roast it about 15 min., then finish off my sauce in the pan drippings. Sooo much easier than a turkey! Let's hear it for Slow Holidays ladies!
I do the same simplifying with my decorations. Since we never have a tree, I just put out decorations on tables and such. We have a small fig tree inside, so I string it with tiny lights (that stay on the tree all year) and hang red ball ornaments on it. Festive! I also get some cedar from a tree in the neighborhood and put that on the mantel with other decorations and poof, with lights around the windows, it's Christmas!
Hmm, I may have to borrow some of your ideas Jules. The big reward for this "slow decorating" will be the slow (and easy) un-decorating. I always felt compelled to get the big tree taken down by New Years, which kinda put a damper on my husbands birthday, which is January 1st!
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