‘Tis the Season: Your Holiday Decor Checklist
Manitoba is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! With snow on the ground and joy in our hearts, we’re all looking forward to that most magical time of year. Now that we’re well into November, it’s time for one of the best parts about the holidays—the decorating!
Holiday decor is essential for creating the festive ambience that defines the season. We love how each year brings new trends, along with the reinvention of old traditions. No matter what your taste, make sure to add these decorating projects to your holiday prep checklist!
Outdoor Decor
In Steinbach, we’re lucky to live in a bonafide winter wonderland at this time of year! While Mother Nature is happy to do some of the decorating for you, you can add some extra sparkle with these gorgeous pieces of outdoor holiday decor.
Porch Pots: Here at Oakridge, we love our porch pots! If you’ve never had them before, holiday porch pots take the place of container gardens in the winter. We love to craft them with fresh evergreen boughs, showy ribbons, birch or dogwood branches, holly berries, and ornaments, like angels and jingle bells. If you make your own porch pot, you can customize them to the theme of your choosing. If you don’t have the “craft bug”, though, you can simply visit our garden centre 1 mile west of Steinbach. We carry beautiful, pre-crafted porch pots handmade by our in-house designers.
LED Lights: It’s no secret that string lights are a classic holiday decorations, and LEDs are the best value for your money. Unlike traditional incandescents, LED string lights last for years without needing to be replaced. They also give off no heat, which makes them safer for your decorating your home, trees, and shrubs.
Your lights will look beautiful whether you only choose to trim the edges of your roof, or if you shroud your entire yard with twinkling lights. However, if we can offer one piece of advice, your display will look best if all the lights are the same colours. For instance, if you go with multi-coloured lights on your roof, opt for the same colours in your shrubs. We also recommend incorporating at least some white lights into your display, as they shine brightest and help bring out the other colours you’ve chosen.
Wreaths: After November 12th, wreaths are a must-have item for every door! We love to coordinate the theme of our wreath with the colour scheme of the rest of our outdoor decor. Depending on whether you want to re-use your wreath, you can craft them from lifelike or living evergreen. If you’re a purist and love the smell of the real thing, we carry a selection of beautiful handmade wreaths at our garden centre.
Window Dressing: For those who really love to get in the spirit, a little window dressing can tie the whole look together. Try adding a garland of fresh evergreen and holly berries to your window boxes or use hot glue to attach suction cups to mini-wreaths or holiday bows and affix them to your window panes.
Indoor Decor
After a long day, who doesn’t love being greeted with a home filled with the sights and scents of the holidays? Set the scene with these festive adornments for the home.
Mini-Trees: This year, we’re seeing a trend of incorporating multiple small trees, like dwarf spruces, throughout your home to compliment the family Christmas tree. There are so many adorable ways to make this trend work for you. Try matching the colour scheme of all the trees for a cohesive look or let everyone in the family decorate a personal mini-tree before decorating the family tree together.
Poinsettias: Everyone’s favourite holiday houseplant that never goes out of style, poinsettias can be worked into your table decor, placed on your mantel, or kept in the bathroom for a burst of seasonal life. Don’t forget that there are many colours of poinsettias, not just the classic scarlet red! Try a pretty ivory variety or a two-toned plant in peppermint shades of red and white.
Home Fragrance: We’re of the opinion that fragrance completes any indoor space, and during the holidays, the very best ones are in-season! At Oakridge, we carry a range of handmade candles, as well as a line of diffusers to gently release your favourite aromas into the air. Try spicy blends with notes of cinnamon, clove, or apple to give your home the smell of fresh holiday baking. Or, if you prefer fresher scents, give your home that Christmas tree scent with the fragrance of balsam fir.
Plush Textiles: Around this time of year, everyone in Manitoba is happy to stay bundled up all day and all night. Embrace the concept of hygge, a Danish word that roughly translates to “a mood of coziness”, by filling your living spaces with soft and comfy fabrics. Cable knit and faux-fur are both very popular for 2019. Try incorporating them with throw pillows, blankets, chair covers, and even your Christmas tree skirt.
Easy & Beautiful Centrepieces: We all look forward to Christmas dinner for the chance to connect and be merry with the whole family. A beautiful table sets the mood for a joyful night, and it doesn’t have to be difficult to achieve! You can beautify your tablescape with cuttings of fresh greenery, like pine or eucalyptus, paired with a row of evenly-space white votive candles. If you like, you can even add extra magic with a string of delicate fairy lights.
With these simple and elegant additions, your home will be ready for Christmas from the inside out. But don’t forget to tick the final box on the checklist—taking some time for yourself. Make sure to give yourself the gift of time to curl up with a hot drink and enjoy your beautiful surroundings. After all, to truly enjoy the holidays, you have to take one!