Spark

See ya next year Santa!

Q: I was late setting my Christmas tree up and now I’m probably late to take it down. What’s the best way to undo and pack up my decorations to make next year easier?

A: Today, January 6,  is also known as Little Christmas or the last official day of the holiday season. Pack it all up today and you’re right on time! We’re happy to share our tips for transitioning out of the holiday snowglobe and back into reality. Some of these suggestions may seem obvious, but when you’re in the packing frenzy it never hurts to have reminders.

1. Take snapshots of your holiday decor before disassembling so you remember what you have and how you set it up. Maybe you were super inspired this year by your impromptu centerpiece using candy canes and  random vases. . . remember it!

2. Make a list of what decorating items you’re missing (new tree skirt?) so you can shop early next year and be ready when it’s time to set up. Next August, you’ll know if you can ignore the premature Christmas displays or need to start looking for a glittery tree star before they are all mangled.

3. You don’t have to keep all the holiday cards you receive, but select your favorites to store in an acid free box or scrapbook. It’s fun to look back on the photo cards over the years and see how your family and friends have changed. Plus, you might get lucky and find a photo card that fits the criteria for an awkward family photo!

Vintage Ornaments in Tissue

4. Wash alll holiday linens, tablecloths, tree skirts and such before packing them away to avoid permanent stains. And don’t pack candles in boxes that will be in the attic. They might end up as lumpy pancakes in our Texas heat.

5. When packing, group ornaments and decorations according to how and where you use them in your home. For example, all the vintage glass ornaments are in a separate box because we hang them on their own tree.

6. Pack fragile ornaments with leftover tissue paper in sectioned boxes with cardboard dividers (make your own or use pre-cut dividers for packing dishes).  Want a fancy solution? Try this telescoping ornament keeper that holds 80 pieces with no additional wrapping needed (like a giant egg crate for ornaments).

7. Use sturdy plastic packing boxes in all one color for Christmas so you can spot what you need in a cramped attic or closet.

8. Take advantage of after Christmas sales at better retailers to snag deals on decor that you might not have bought at the regular seasonal prices. The selection won’t be great but the prices will be rock bottom. Here’s a few worth browsing: Garnet Hill, Cambria Cove, West Elm, Crate and Barrel, Ballard Design, and of course, Pottery Barn.

So Christmas is over for 2010 and New Year’s Eve is beckoning. Before all the parties kick in, make a resolution to chip in. If you had a fresh tree this year, please consider recycling your Christmas tree and turning it into a resource. Bonus! Trees collected in many cities are recycled into mulch, which [...]

It’s not too late! If you’re still bustling about prepping your home for the festivities, here’s a last minute inspiration tip from Ashley. When decorating a mantle, it’s best to start with a color scheme. Consider using a mostly monochromatic palette with one additional color to make it all pop. There’s no reason you have [...]

Today’s post comes from our seamstress, Leslye Womack of Best Dressed Windows. She and her handy hubby came up with a unique solutions for displaying her Christmas village. This is a DIY that you can try too! Or you can simply follow the links, https://www.phsgreenleaf.co.uk/christmas/, and entrust everything to professionals. Need a new way to [...]

Tis’ the weekend to start decorating for Christmas if you haven’t already done so, like me. Really, I’m in shock that it’s only three weeks until the big day. So far I have three pine trees, 150 feet of evergreen garland, four boxes of decorations and a partridge in a pear tree. Scratch that. But [...]

One of my favorite new holiday traditions is the historic home tour hosted by the Georgetown Heritage Society. I love a home tour no matter what, but historic homes are near and dear to my heart. In fact, it was the home tour last Christmas that motivated us to purchase our own historic home in [...]

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Everyone knows that the Pottery Barn catalog (or maybe Martha Stewart Living) sets the standard for what our holiday  entertaining would look like in an ideal world with an endless budget and an uncluttered schedule. Of course we would have a color coordinated Christmas tree instead of a mish-mash of school craft projects, hand-me-down ornaments [...]