From my experience, you’re usually firmly in one of four places when it comes to Christmas decorating:
- Like you’ve just stepped out of an American movie where more is more – and even more is even better. You start buying your decorations on Boxing Day and start getting the lights untangled in early November. Your house puts a strain on the power grid but it’s loved by all who come to see it.
- You love a themed Christmas. Everything has to match and look the part. Each year you go with a different colour theme for your decorations and it all looks beautiful. You spend a small fortune each year on decorations and have to get a bigger shed to store them. If a decoration doesn’t match, it doesn’t get a look in.
- It’s all about the personality. Your decorations don’t match, but every one is meaningful – it was either given to you, bought somewhere that holds good memories, made by someone special or you just love it. New decorations appear each year and it’s become a beautiful, eclectic creation.
- Christmas, what Christmas. You don’t do trees or decorations. You’re out for most of the holiday period, so there’s really no point in decorating your home.
Whichever camp you sit in, make sure you’re happy there. Don’t get caught up in the “have-to” camp. Don’t decorate just because your neighbour is, if you don’t want to. Don’t not decorate because your partner thinks it’s a waste of time and money.
Christmas is a beautiful time of year, but it can also be a stressful one.
Remember to listen to what you want. What you need.
Manage your money, your mindset and your energy levels. The rest can take care of itself.
Enjoy the holidays!
