Holiday Decorations for Getting in the Holiday Spirit
When do you start decorating for Christmas? At one time it was common practice in the U.S. to wait until Thanksgiving to put out all the Christmas decorations. In recent decades though, the trend has been to start the decorating season sooner. It’s not unusual to see folks decking their homes out for Christmas in early November these days. Major store chains continue to try to extend the shopping season, too. It’s more and more common to see Christmas items on display side-by-side with Halloween items, even. If you simply followed the lead of the retailers, you might have a hard time knowing exactly when it’s time to celebrate which holiday. Sometimes it can all make your head spin!
‘Tis the Season … But for How Long?
While folks decorate for other holidays throughout the year, Christmas is still The Big One. Halloween has a pretty solid hold on the #2 spot, but it’s still not likely to overtake Christmas anytime soon. Simply put, we do more to decorate for Christmas than we do for any other holiday in North America. Outdoors, there are all sorts of light displays and animatronics all over the house and all around the yard. Indoors, there’s the Christmas tree of course, but there are also throw pillows, decorative shams and blankets, garlands, wreaths, figurines, nativity sets, candles, and all sorts of knick-knacks.
The real bummer is that the season is too short if anything. It’s a shame to put in all that time and go to all that effort to decorate, only to have to start taking everything down on December 26. But do you really have to take everything down? Not necessarily! There actually is a way to extend the seasonal lifespan of many of those decorations; you can simply transition from Christmas décor to winter décor!
You Can Take Down Christmas, and Still Leave Up Winter
The fact of the matter is that many Christmas decorations are built around a basic winter theme. Once December 25 comes and goes, you can just weed out things like Santa’s, elves and reindeer, while leaving up any snowmen, snowflakes, and anything else that follows a general winter theme. But what about the tree and any greenery? Just remove the Noel-related items on your tree and garlands, and you can leave up everything else! The same goes for any outdoor decorations which aren’t Christmas-specific. Obviously, some things should probably come down, but no need to remove any white or blue light. In fact, icicle lights and snow decorations are perfectly appropriate throughout the duration of winter. Items like these can be proudly displayed all the way up until the first day of Spring if you like!
Decorate Your Bedroom and Living Spaces for Any Season with Pillows and Shams
There’s certainly something to be said for making use of very season-specific decorations, but those aren’t the only way to turn your home interior from being merely functional into something that’s both more beautiful and personal. One of the simplest and easiest ways to make your living spaces pop is by adding in some throw pillows, or pillows with decorative luxury shams or pillow covers. You probably already know that sham-covered pillows are a natural way to change and enhance the look of any bed, but these decorations certainly aren’t limited to just bedroom use. Decorative pillow covers come in every color and pattern under the sun and can be used for all sorts of décor motifs, both seasonal and year-round.
Where can you leverage decorative pillows? Essentially anywhere you want! They’re perfect for sprucing up nearly any seating area or common area. In addition to beds, you can strategically locate decorative pillows on sofas, loveseats, chairs, benches, and stools, for starters. There’s likely some sort of sitting furniture to be found in practically every single room of your home. Wherever there’s a place to sit, there’s also another opportunity to create a “wow” factor through the use of some decorative pillows! Tasteful decorative pillow arrangements can also be placed around the room in large baskets, as well.
Shams or Pillowcases? It Doesn’t Have to Be Either/Or – Just Use Both!
What’s the difference between a pillow sham and a pillowcase, anyway? It really just comes down to a question of application. While traditional pillowcases are often used on bed pillows or other sleeping pillows, pillow shams tend to be designed with a greater variety of fabrics, textures, and looks. Whereas a pillowcase is primarily designed for comfort, a sham is a more decorative covering that helps to turn “normal” pillows into real ornamental accents. To that end, there’s really no reason that you can’t incorporate both pillowcases and pillow shams into your decorating scheme for any room. Decorative pillows are honestly one of the best accessories to keep in your design arsenal. They’re one of the easiest and most affordable ways to tailor your home décor, and they allow you to add some pops of color, texture, and luxury to any area, in any season, on any budget.
Explore Jennifer Adams for Luxury Shams, Pillowcases, Cozy Bedding, & More!
Jennifer Adams has spent decades helping people through her work as both a home interior professional and a sleep environment expert. She’s passionate about producing, curating, and making available all the tools and products you need to turn your home into your own stylish & cozy personal sanctuary. Whether you are on the market for bedding items, sheet sets, area rugs, home décor items, or other home essentials, Jennifer Adams has plenty of great collections for you to peruse. Plus, when you visit her site, you’ll also find lots of great tips and tricks for making any house really feel like home.
Whether you’re planning your transition from the holidays to winter, from winter to spring, or are simply trying to plan some great year-round decorative schemes, Jennifer’s here to help. We wish you all the best!