Oct 27, 2022

Fall, Thanksgiving & Christmas

For a few of us, our Halloween decor has been packed away. So, where do we go from here? I'll chat with you on several topics in this post, from how I store away my fall foliage to Thanksgiving & the anticipation of when will the Christmas shop be open.

I packed & put away my Halloween decor last weekend. I did leave out a few platters & our black dinner plates that you can be seen in my Halloween Tablescape. I left those items out because, technically, Halloween day has yet to arrive. To offer balance to my family, I have chosen to have dinner using our black dinnerware, with our table styled for Fall & our mantle half styled for Christmas. The week before Halloween is the week that I call our transitional period, where three holidays meet through passing spaces.

This was my last Fall arrangement of the seasin — Fall Stems

All the faux pumpkins have been put away. I still have to pack the Fall foliage. As I have a good inventory that I like to reuse, there is a way that I pack them. I'll share a few of the tips that may be helpful to you as you begin to store yours for next year.

I Pack everything together in one long cardboard box. I make sure the box is long enough for some movement, about an inch. It helps to keep the stem straight & not break, as they're all mostly preserved. But first, toss the ones that aren't looking so well. The last tip will touch on this.
Organize the stems by category & keep the same ones together.
For my pampas or stems that shed, I wrap them in saran wrap to keep them from shedding & also shedding onto the other branches.
Laying them in the box, I layered them starting with the prickly ones. In between, I place either tissue or brown craft paper.
I like to take a quick inventory. If I need to replenish, this is the time to do it, as stores by now usually have stem on sale up to 75% OFF. ...
Tape your box & mark it on all sides & you're ready to send it to storage.

Our Multi Wood Bead Garland & Douglas Fir Garland will be available in our Christmas Shop — Christmas at Country Chic Homes

I've decided here at CCH that it is time to move on from Fall & transition into Christmas. You'll start seeing it all come together next week on Monday, October 31st, Halloween day.

I had initially planned to begin to share Christmas decor on November 1st but given that is the launch date of the rebrand, that is also when the Christmas Shop will be OPEN. We can say Christmas has arrived at Country Chic Homes! More to come on Sunday's blog post.

I have a few tablescapes that I will be sharing on November 15th with a group of friends over on Instagram. So, I will still have some tablescapes for you if you're still looking for Fall / Thanksgiving inspiration

I've heard in the past years that Thanksgiving gets lost in the mix of the holidays. Well, it's the middle child that's in between Halloween & Christmas. As a content stylist creator & my fellow creators, we know we need to style ahead for the holidays & seasons. But for you that style, as the season arrives, I have a few tips for you that I will list below. You can click here to read them now if you like. At CCH, we focus more on the day of Thanksgiving & the menu & not so much on the decor. We, of course, bring out the fancy plates that I plan on using more & not just on Thanksgiving. We're working on embracing & use the items that we have every day or more frequently. We enjoy the day by indulging in tasty foods & the company of others.

I host Thanksgiving, so all the food I take on it is something that I love to do, as it is my favorite holiday season. One important thing that I do & suggest, once I create our menu besides going over what spices I have & which ones I'll need. I go over our platters, bowls & serving ware & see that I have everything I need for the big day. If you're not going to host & are going over to a friend or your family to enjoy Thanksgiving, you might be taking a dish. Find a serving dish that is presentable & one with a lid. Consider if it is a hot dish that you're taking how you will take it in your vehicle, place what you need in your vehicle ahead of time. If you're taking a floral arrangement, think about how you'll be transporting the floral arrangement. TIP: add only a few inches of water & fill it up once you arrive at your destination.

Check your serving ware to see if you have what you'll need. — Platters & Bowls

Are you styling for Thanksgiving? Here are a few tips that are budget friendly & will be easy to pack away for when you're ready to style for Christmas.

Update your kitchen & bathroom hand towels to Thanksgiving ones. Target has some great ones at their Dollar Spot. Some say, "Give Thanks" or "Gather." Layer them with a neutral towel
Create a floral arrangement with a few branches. Add them to a copper vessel or an amber glass vase.
Add pinecones to a bowl & place them on a coffee table; a style that can easily be used for your Christmas & winter decor.
If you are lucky & still having real pumpkins, use those instead of faux. Place one or a few mini pumpkins in the center of your dining table with a neutral table runner & of course, candles, real or battery-operated.
If you have neutral-colored throws that you use for Christmas, you can start bringing those out too.

In this transitional period, keep calm & mostly enjoy your surroundings; I promise you that it will all come together.

All the seasons & holidays are magical in their way. We embrace them into our homes & add our unique touch. So, tell me, where are you at in this transitional time?

You can head over to the Home Page & see my mood boards of items I have mentioned here today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart & remember to leave a comment below & share with a family or friend!