I am mid-way through the western excursions with one more leg to go. What is so captivating all year, seems to slip away as quickly as a sunrise or a sunset. So, it is with our annual trips as well. The planning and preparation, which goes on for months, culminates in a week of intense participation, and then it’s over. Why can’t we figure out a way for it to last as long as we prepare for it? I know there will be a long hot summer to endure before we once again are able to do it all over again. Thankfully, Mississippi is blessed with an abundance of outdoor opportunities that offers many of us extended time to enjoy nature.
With this said, my thoughts moved towards what still lies ahead and as I made the trek home, I began to think of Christmas. Yes, it’s almost here and part of the fun of Christmas, in addition to its true meaning, is preparing the home just as we prepare for our other adventures. I thought I would share a few ideas that I am truly fond of when it comes to decorating for this wonderful time of year.
Are you dragging out the dusty boxes of wreaths and garland from your attics and closets for the season at hand? Are you getting tired of the same old routine of placing the same pieces in the same places to bring your home to life for Christmas? I will invite you to think outside the box and put a little holiday in your step by doing something different this year. See what you think about these crafty ideas to decorate “naturally.”
Pinecones are very abundant in our neck of the woods. Sure, you can purchase the glitter sprayed versions for your tree, but how about creating your own pieces to bring out the best of the holiday spirit. Why not venture outside with the family and collect a multitude of different shapes and sizes of cones that have dropped from the trees. You can then bleach them, which is fairly simple, or use them in their natural state to create novel decorative pieces.
For example, pile the cones into a wooden bowl with perhaps some glitter lightly sprayed on them. By adding some red berries, like holly, you can bring the bowl to life. Whether the bowl is placed on the dining room table, or just scattered about your home, they will bring a festive feel to each room. I have made strings of pinecones, of course in different lengths, and hung them in windows and above light fixtures and it is amazing what they bring to the room. You can also dry slices of oranges, lemons, and limes and make strings of them as well to mix in with the cones. An added benefit is the wonderful aroma the dried fruits offer as well. Try this and see if you don’t agree.
Have you ever noticed the stacks of firewood on porches and hearths in some of the classic Christmas movies? Logs, stacked in a triangular shape, add a lot to your den to help create that warm glow during the Christmas season. We don’t often have snow in the deep south, but you can always add some “fake” flakes for added effect especially if you stack it neatly outside your front door. It won’t hurt at all to place a few of your extra pinecones to the base of the pile. It will put a finishing touch on your project that I’m sure you will enjoy. Be careful removing the logs if you actually use them in your fireplace, for they will tumble.
Do you hang the same artificial wreaths on your front door year after year? Has the luster faded from your ribbons and bows? Here’s an option. Venture outdoors and find some muscadine vines hanging from trees. They are abundant and easy to recognize. Collect several pieces and take them home and “wrap” them into a natural wreath. It’s as simple as basket weaving and depending upon the length of your strands, you can customize the size that will fit your needs. You can become as creative as you wish by adding boughs of cedar or pine and mixing in colorful berries of holly and pyracantha, also known as “firethorns.” Don’t you agree that it’s time to retire that 20-year-old, plastic wreath? Make sure you collect muscadine vines and not poison ivy, that will create quite the itch back home. No worries though, it’s easy to distinguish the two apart.
Deer antlers are more useful than one would think. For home décor purposes, pick out several “shed” antlers and let your thoughts wander. I like to wrap a red ribbon around the bases and scatter them about on end tables, coffee tables, and fireplace mantles. You can also “weave” a garland around the beams to spice them up. I have seen small candles glued to the main beam and they are also nice. You can wedge them among the branches of the Christmas tree limbs as well. Who knows, this may lead to a subtle approach to add bucks to your home for those that “scorn” the horn, if you know what I mean.
Table runners have always added so much for the decorating of the main table where the roast beast will be carved. Traditionally, we use some sort of cloth and place various items on the table. Try this the next time you prepare your table. I like different lengths of smilax, also known as green briar, for the start. The more leaves you have, the better. Mix in some of the leftover muscadine vines from the wreath making if you would like. Add to this runner, pomegranates, apples, unshelled nuts, pears, and whatever else you think would bring a “pop” of color to your dining table. You can become as creative as you like. Remember, there are no rules when it comes to decorating. This is to be fun and something for the entire family to engage in.
Floating candles have always been a favorite of mine. They are simple to create, and as with the table runner, there are no rules of engagement. Take your old mason jars in the pantry that were left over from this summer’s canning project. Fill them halfway with small holly branches, or you can mix with cedar and pine boughs also. Then add water and a floating candle. I like to add acorns, hickory nuts, and pecans too. Of course, in the shell. You can place them on the dining room table, or just scatter them about your home. The flicker of the small flames will add more ambience than you can imagine. Mix a cinnamon stick in here and there for additional aroma. Practice makes perfect, but these will add an organic look for your Christmas party. I truly love these floating candles.
So, what else can we do? Do you remember stringing popcorn and hanging the strands on your Christmas tree? How about popcorn balls? Do you remember making them with your mom? The sticky caramel that seemed to touch everything in the house was just part of the experience. Again, this is part of the seasonal experience, why not indulge. Let’s not forget the stockings. Instead of using the same old red stockings that we have for decades, why not bring out some of those iconic hunting socks and hang them from the mantle. Become creative by adding a jingle bell to the toe. I would recommend the largest socks you can find; they just hold more goodies.
I hope I have given you food for thought to do some things differently than you have in the past when preparing your home for Christmas. I’m starting early, but it will be here before you know it. My drive home from the west seemed much shorter than usual with my thoughts drifting back and forth regarding different ideas for what’s to come. As I’ve said before, enjoy, for this season will be gone before we know it. I hope you take some of my ideas to heart and be creative. We can get stuck in our old habits so easily. Make it fun and please share with me what you come up with. I bet you’ll be surprised how talented you really are. By the way, I’ll bring more Christmas “cheer” to you soon. Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it.
