Meaningful Holiday Decor

If you’re like most folks this time of year, you’re in the process of battling all of the boxes of holiday decorations you’ve accumulated over the years. You go to the basement or attic, locate all the stuff, stand back with your hands on your hips and think “do I really want to go all-out this year?”.
It’s okay to have those feelings about holiday decor. It doesn’t mean that you’re a scrooge–it just means that it’s time to re-evaluate your idea of meaningful holiday decor.
In my previous rants about the blandification of America, I introduced the idea that decorative things weren’t as important in a design scheme as the meaning behind them. Work with me, here, and apply that theory to holiday decor. If each year of decorating means pulling the same trite stuff out of a box to stick on the tree, then you’re missing an opportunity to reinforce tradition and meaning with your family.

Each year at Christmas I reminisce about my wedding ceremony and the most thoughtful gift that my husband and I received. Bodey, my favorite high school teacher, served as the officiant in our ceremony and presented us with a gift of Christmas decorations, including a pretty blanket, ornaments and a Santa figurine. We were puzzled by the holiday gift for a summer wedding until Bodey explained her intention. “You just became a family and you need to start your own traditions”, she said. The blanket quickly became our favorite holiday item and it now serves as the treeskirt. For the first time this year, my daughter Lily is old enough to understand the concept of Christmas. I took great joy in explaining the meaning and history behind each decoration, ornament, and accessory to her.

Each item you pull out of the Christmas box has the potential to bring back a flood of memories and meaning, and I encourage you to think about holiday decor as an opportunity to start your own tradition. The best thing about tradition is that it’s never too late to start!
(and yes, that is a vulture with a santa hat on top of the tree–an old fraternity house tradition).