With the rule of 10 putting a limit on the number of friends and family allowed to socialise together, the holidays are likely to look very different from previous years. But before you say, “Bah, humbug,” and try to fast forward into the new year, here are some creative ideas to brighten the holiday mood both indoors and out.
Trim a tree outdoors
Real simple offers some practical, 2020 holiday friendly decor advice. Since you might be entertaining outdoors more than you usually do this time of year, this is the year to go overboard with decking out your deck or patio. Adorning an outdoor-friendly tree (or even a live Christmas tree in a planter) with LED lights and shatterproof ornaments is the way to go. Use twist ties or florist’s wire to secure the ornaments to the tree, so they’ll stay put even in a stiff wind. Decking the halls outdoors is a family-friendly activity and works well with social distancing protocols
Focus on fire features
Since it will be could outside, it makes sense to gather around a fire in the winter but keeping warm is not the only reason to focus on a fire feature. Patio fireplaces and fire pits provide a warm and welcoming ambience for social gathering and coupled with a string of sparkling outdoor lights make a holiday party feel like an upscale winter soiree. Whether a portable fire pit that you can pick up from a local home and garden store or a professionally installed fireplace, the option to add an outdoor fire feature to your gathering is possible on any budget.
Get creative with your table centrepiece
While you may not be entertaining for a large crowd of extended friends and family this year, you still want to make your holiday table special. A winter white centre piece could be just the thing to set that intimate festive mood.
For striking winter centerpiece try a birch-look pillar candle in the center of a wooden bowl surrounded by white chrysanthemums and branches of white pine. For a variety of blossoms Midwest Living suggests white spider chrysanthemums, white football mums and white garden mums finished with a bit of gray-green dusty miller around the edges.
Be practical with your dishware
It may feel like you need to pull all the stops for the holidays, but there is one area where you may be able to pull back, it’s dishware. Plates, bowls and glasses all serve both a practical and aesthetically pleasing purpose on your table, but the emphasis is on their utility.
Choose dishware based on how well it holds up to silverware and the dishwasher, as this will make cleaning up much easier in the long run. Simple plates, like clean white or any other solid color can be perfect. The rest of the table decor will ensure your family is fully immersed in the holiday spirit while they eat.
We are here to Help
You don’t have to stress about setting a festive holiday mood when you receive help from a professional decorator at Saree Parry Design. Contact Saree Parry today for a free in-person or over the phone consultation to discuss your plans for the holiday and to see how we can help you create the perfect holiday mood.
Saree Parry is an award-winning designer and owner of Saree Parry Design, an independently owned and operated Decorating Den Interiors franchise.
