Chritmas on the Outside

Good days after Thanksgiving! My plans to write an entry entitled Leftovers and Other Remains of the Day were scuttled when, after the 2nd meal, there were no leftovers and while I could regale you with stories about my 9 delicious grandchildren who visited, I know that is not what this is about. Afterall, there must be thousands of witty, intelligent blogs about children that you would rather read.

So, let us get on to the next holiday season...lest we fall behind those folk who, at the stroke of midnight on Thanksgiving night, threw the switch for their outdoor Christmas lights. And now they are finished with that phase and can rush out with the throngs in the malls! I also need to apologize to Katie, who submitted a question last week regarding her porch decor, and that went unanswered-until today.

I spent the last 2 days decorating a 3 story, pre-Civil War home with a wrap-around porch. The house is white with gun-metal gray door and black shutters. When deciding on your trim and placement,there are 2 main things to consider: lighting and color. We hung wreaths on every window and wanted to use burgundy bows. Standing away from the house, however, the burgundy faded right into the green wreath. Red became the color of choice. Any dark color such as hunter green or plaids just doesn't stand out from a distance. So depending on the colors of your home, you really should go for red, gold, white, or silver. Keep the darker colors for inside.

Usually the doorway is the focal point of your home and while you want to decorate it, you don't want to make it an obstacle course. If you hang a wreath, be sure it is tightly secured so that it doesn"t swing everytime the door opens and closes. And it doesn't have to be a wreath....how about a swag or a half-basket of greens. Add sleigh bells. Battery operated lights do the trick for anything on the door.

Framing the door can be done with garlands, whether artificial or real. I like to combine the 2 in the name of econmy. Invest in a nice full artificial garland and then tuck in snipits of fresh greens every year- holly, white pine, juniper ( with their berries), and whatever else you have on your property.Be sure to add things that will lighten up the garland during the day- whether it is Christmas balls, white birch branches, dried statice, or ribbon wound around. If you add lights, be sure you have enough! For the average single doorway, you will need at least 300 lights to make a statement. I think most of us err on the side of too few when it comes to lighting - which is the same as color; step back and you realize that it quickly fades away.

Everything that I just wrote regarding a doorway can easily translate to large windows as well; if you have sidelights on you door, be sure to include them as part of the entrance!

If you have planters near your entrance, why not add greens to them as well. Include some branches to give it height; tuck in some artificial fruit or red cardinals, perhaps a Santa or snowman. You could place topiaries in the planters for a more formal look. Again, add lighting if possible. Hanging baskets can also be "greened up"; just be sure to let some of the greens hang down -white pine should work well for that. Coordinating bows will complete the picture

There are so many holidays figures - snowmen, santas, nutcrackers -available in every price range, that if you have the perfect spot, one of them could be your finishing touch.

Hopefully these basics will stir some creative juices. I'd love to hear how you decorate your home for the holidays....let's enjoy The good life.