Tips For Holiday Decorating & Entertaining
This week at CCH, Christmas has arrived. I will be sharing how it all started & a look into what you can expect this season, along with tips that can help you during the season.
The magic of Christmas has found its way to our home once again. In a way with color & a whimsical vibe.
The magic of Christmas has found its way to our home once again. In a way with color & a whimsical vibe.
I hope to inspire you this year at Country Chic Homes with my holiday creations. I have chosen to bring in all the colors of the 64-crayon box. Something that I last did a very long time ago. It all started with me wanting vintage ornaments for our Christmas tree. With enough space in our home to display our tree, we will only have one main tree & several little ones that get moved around the house depending on my creations.
I lucked out early in the summer when I was on FBMP, just randomly looking. At that point, I knew I wanted vintage ornaments as I had found a few boxes at a yard sale, but not enough to cover a tree. I gave it a whirl & typed in "Christmas decorations" only a few listings popped up, but the one I needed did. An entire lot of vintage ornaments! I messaged the seller quickly & I was on my way later than I usually go pick up items. About an hour later, I picked up two large bins full of vintage ornaments—all style types & colors. My tree was complete. This year I have chosen to create one style for our tree for several reasons, but mainly, I am excited to see all the colors. Oh & we have a new tree! I can't wait to share it with you!
Tip: When on FBMP or anywhere, always search for items out of season. You will find some pretty fantastic items at a great price. Usually, people who are selling out-of-season items want to get rid of them, & usually at an excellent price too. My ornaments were $25!
Whimsical, hmm, what does that mean?
It means color, as our home is pretty neutral all year round. I am bringing in touches of velvet, preserved deer moss, the most beautiful twinkle lights, garlands, different styles & textures, and vintage-inspired bells that will be available in our Christmas Shop. To read more about what to expect in our Christmas Shop, tap here. Everything will have some movement, the Christmas greens won't be stiff, and they'll be snow, well maybe not real snow; the weather doesn't permit that here. Tablescapes will come alive with layers & layers of different natural elements & a mix of textures. As usual, our candles with be present. I will bring out our Advent Calendars on December 1st. Our home will have elegance with a rustic, country, and Scandinavian style.
How & when will it all start?
October 31st will be my first post on Instagram & pictures will be added to the website. We will begin to easily but not hold back either. Spaces will constantly be changing every week in November. I may need to share a few times a day. In December, I will start to slow down to embrace the moments & the magic of Christmas & enjoy my time with my family. So the last creations will be the most precious to me as those are the ones my family will be able to enjoy. I will create two mantles in December; the last one on December 15th will be the one that our Christmas stockings have been hung, waiting for the arrival of Santa Claus, do you believe? I do.
Country Chic Homes Christmas Shop
The Christmas Shop will resemble last year's, having a rustic style & old-world vibe. I have kept the items to a minimum but, at the same time, staple pieces that will last you for years to come & can be easily transitioned into any decor style. We'll have wood bead garland, school bells, and Christmas greens. I have been restocking the rest of the shop to have you covered for your gatherings & your home to have the cozy vibe we all love. November 1st will be our opening day & I look forward to your orders. You can purchase online Gift Cards to give to your loved one this season.
Stay Calm
Don't let the holiday season get you feeling overwhelmed, especially while decorating. The holidays are tim to enjoy every bit of it. I'll add some tips for the holidays, not only decorating tips but ones that help me & will hopefully help you through the season.
TIPS:
Plan and write things down on paper.
Plan styles that you want to create.
Go through your decor & if you have a space to spread them out & leave them out, that would be good. That helps with going through boxes or bins whenever you want to style a room. I have one container that I still need to bring out & this is our stockings, as those go out last in the style calendar.
Create a calendar with important dates you need to attend or host if you need.
If you order floral arrangements, order ahead of time & try to shop at your local small shop florist.
If ordering any decor & especially gifts, check on the shipping before ordering, as many seasonal items are a Final Sale.
Break up your styling into two parts. As I mentioned above, I would start to slow down in December. December should be the time to relax & enjoy what you have created & wrap those gifts, not on Christmas Eve. I should take my tip on that.
If you know you will attend gatherings, send your dry-cleaning items to the cleaner sooner rather than later.
Have snacks on hand for unexpected guests. Mixed nuts, cheeses, dry cheese with crackers, dried berries, your favorite green olives & a bar of dark chocolate. Bam! You have a charcuterie board. Oh, order some toothpicks tis the season of baking & charcuterie boards has arrived.
Have an extra of wine glasses on hand that are boxed away, just in case yours are in the dishwasher & you have a guest stop by or your guest brings a plus 1
I like to have a stash of seasonal cocktail napkins.
Last but not least, batteries for your candles & for those gifts that require batteries, no one like to receive a gift without batteries. Especially our kids.
That's enough tips for this post, and I don't want to overwhelm you. Always prepare for the unexpected.
Don't Forget
The website will look different by mid-week the week. We're hoping to have it completed by November 1st! We're in the final stages & I have been approving things & tweaking a few here & there. Country Chic Homes has a new look but with the same cozy vibes.
Have a wonderful week ahead & although Christmas has arrived here, have a Happy Halloween.
I would love for you to share a tip in the comments that has helped you get through the holiday season. It can be a decorating or an entertaining tip.
& as always, thank you! & feel free to share this post with your loved ones.
XO
Ali
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