The holiday season makes for great outdoors, glittering streets, twinkling lights, festive window displays, furry things we can’t get our hands off; the list is neverending. There’s something so magical and exciting about Christmas and ending the year only to begin a new one; one can’t put it in words. And so, when it comes to doing up your home this season, you go all out in the Christmas spirit and let it translate in the walls of your personal space! Here’s a few things to do this holiday season.
1. Do It Yourself
DIY is good for two reasons – One, you get to show the creative side of you when you have friends visit you; and two, you get to save big time on otherwise overpriced seasonal decor items. YouTube is always full of DIY videos that show you how to create some of the most ingenious decorative pieces out of plain junk lying around your home. All you would need would be some fairy lights, dried or artificial flowers, a day to yourself and a whole lot of patience!
2. Spruce Up Your Tree
Gone are the days when Christmas trees only had to be the real spruce trees migrated from some far off snowy land. Today, it’s all about upcycling and reinventing. One look at Instagram and YouTube and you see so many people making Christmas trees out of plain old bottles and books. Don’t believe me? Take a look!
What you will need: Loads of books, wine bottles, fairy lights and a thing for stacking stuff up creatively!
3. Make Your Own Stocking
Take it from someone who is hitting the 30 benchmark pretty soon; you’re never too old to hang up a stocking for Santa to leave your presents in, stat! And what’s better than buying a ready-made stocking from the fanciest store in the mall? Making one that is 100% you at home! All you would need is an old (preferably red, or green) blanket, scarf or shawl, or if you’re really that good, knit yourself one. Then, beautify it with some holly leaves, silver and gold ribbon. Add a little bell when you’re tying the bow on it.
4. Christmas Curios-ity
(See what I did there?) Truth is there ain’t no Christmas without Christmas curios to liven up your place. I’m thinking reindeers, baubles, bells, tinsel and candy canes! You usually get a good rate at most of the wholesale markets in the cities. But, if you want to save yourself the extra energy and trouble for a few rupees less, the Christmas markets have already started coming to town – way before Santa has – and that’s where you can find almost all the goodies you need! Plus, usually, these Christmas markets are sponsored and associated with charity causes which means the few extra rupees you spend on the items goes towards a good cause. That’s how you ring in the Christmas spirit!
5. Glow Jars!
This doesn’t need much at all; just your old and unused glass tumblers and jars in the house and lots and lots of baubles and fairy lights and you’re good to go. It saves you the time and energy of hanging streaming lights up on the walls and gives your place a lovely, almost heavenly glow that seems to eliminate from little corners.
6. Mistletoes, Mistletoes
Sure, you may not get kissed this Christmas (…again!) but that doesn’t mean you stop hanging up some mistletoe every here and there. So buy yourself some artificial mistletoe; or if you’re one for greenery, go get yourself some real ones, if it’s not too hard to find. What’s better you could even make it yourself. Get some hard green board paper, some red thread, beads, scissors and glue. We’ve got to keep the hope alive ladies and just like an act of kindness, it starts in your own home! *wink, wink*
7. Scented Candles
Is it really Christmas if it doesn’t smell like freshly baked plum cake, rum and cinnamon? Nope, I think not. And the fragrance stores are already going to be full of them, owing to the need to give consumers what they want. Get yourself some potpourri comprising of cinnamon, ginger and orange peels and lavender seeds in a little bowl and leave it at the entrance of your home. You can also stock up on some vanilla, chocolate and coconut scented candles, or essential oils. Mix it up and light it up. Rest assured, your guests won’t be too keen on leaving your place.
8. Christmas Cookies
This time of year, the bakeries are stocking up on gingerbread, plum cake, sugar-coated and frosted cookies that smell and taste like Christmas in your mouth! Buy a decent amount of these and keep them to offer to your friends and families when they come visiting and maybe indulge in some yourself.
9. Festive Spirits
What’s the cheer of Christmas without some festive ‘spirits’, eh? We’re talking rums, brandies, eggnog, ginger wines (your grandmothers probably called it ‘Oatie’) and of course, mulled wines! You can buy these, or even make these yourself if you’re into that kind of thing.
10. The Holiday Feel
How do you feel like you’re right in the middle of the holidays? It’s when you’ve watched way too many Christmas movies and listened to way too much Christmas music. Your Netflix and playlists probably have a separate category dedicated to Christmas! Some of the best Christmas movies – The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Home Alone, The Polar Express and The Christmas Carol! For music, turn on some Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Mariah Carey and Michael Buble!
And have yourself a Merry little Christmas!
