Summer is the perfect time for outdoor entertaining. Whether you’re just having a few friends over or hosting an outdoor party for your entire family, getting out of the house and enjoying an evening outside can be a great change of pace. Of course, you do have to do a little planning before hosting an evening outdoors, and that includes decorating.
Since you’re going to be outdoors, why not take advantage of the décor already there? Setting up your table near your beautiful flower beds or garden can be a great way to bring in the greens and other bright colors. For your table, cut a few fresh blooms from these flowers and place them in a vase. Alternatively, you can order a nice arrangement that compliments the colors of your garden and flowers.
You can also bring the summer flower décor indoors. If your guests will need to go through your home to get to your event, place a few vases of summer flowers around your home. If they’re coming in through a gate, you can put a small table near the entrance with summer flowers on it. If you need to put a sign up directing guests to the back yard, you could attach a few flowers to it or put several pots of flowers around it.
By letting your summer flowers spread out from the table, you’ll be creating an overall motif that will really impress your guests and show off both your gardening and your decorating skills.
Spring Sonata
Ready to shake off winter? Start by breathing life back into your living space. The clues and tips below will help you transition your space into spring joyfully and inexpensively!
Create a simple spring vignette. Using a tabletop, fresh flowers in a vase and a mirror, create a spring scene. Place the mirror flat on the surface of the table, then add a pretty vase and flowers, preferably fresh. The mirror will create an added dimension as it reflects the design of the vase and the underside of the blooms. Placing this vignette near a window or doorway is a welcoming focal point.
Change out sofa accent pillows. Pull winter textiles (such as wool, velvets or tweeds), and replace them with cotton, linen, or other natural fibers. Solids or prints in florals, geometrics, or botanicals can express your new spring salute. Inexpensive pillows can be found at Pier 1, World Market, TJ Maxx or other discount stores. Of course, if you’re handy, you can customize your own pillows. For the ultimate in recycling, see if you can switch accent pillows with a neighbor.
Showcase a blooming plant on a coffee table or off-season fireplace nook. Kalanchoes bloom in several colors and are easy houseplants that require little attention.
Scent your home with florals, fruit, or fresh linen smells available in air fresheners, air filter add-ons (available at hardware stores), or candles. The sense of smell is powerful, so don’t ignore this chance to express a fragrance that means spring to you.
Change art to spring themes. If you have original art, prints, posters or photos that reflect spring in any way, put it on display! Whether hung on the wall or grouped in frames, color and form in art can transform a room. In a pinch or if you’re just feeling creative, make your own art and proudly display it.
Add bright color. Whether adding a bright yellow throw blanket, an orange and teal tray, or painting an accent wall of a room, color can definitely be an ally in the move to spring. Bright doesn’t have to be overwhelming, either. Small changes, such as coasters or a picture frame, can do a lot.
Change tabletop/mantel display. Use fresh botanicals from your garden (or a neighbor’s) to line a mantle or dining table, even a dresser.
Small area rugs in spring colors can perk up a room, especially when anchored with a beautiful chair or side table. Since the weather will be getting warmer, won’t the rugs feel great on your bare feet?
Lighten up! This can mean grouping some citrus candles of various heights, buying a new shade for an older lamp, or simply rearranging the lights and lamps in your rooms. Don’t forget about reflective surfaces such as mirror and glass, too. Make the most of the increased natural light coming through your windows.
Rotate books. Adding a couple of coffee table books on travel, seascapes, landscapes or cloudscapes can provide art for the table and enliven the spirit at the same time. These books are often available in bargain bins at major book retailers or at your local thrift store. Who knows? With the money you saved, it might lead you to make some travel plans!
Read more at Suite101: Bring Spring Indoors, Change Your Style: 10 Quick, Cheap Ways to Invite Spring Into Your Home
Ready for Your Holiday Guests?
One of the best things about the holidays is getting to see family and friends who you may not get to visit with during the year. However, while this is a great thing, it also means you’re going to have many people coming and going. You may have to do a bit of preparation so that your home is ready to receive these guests.
One of the things to take into consideration is that holiday events rarely go as planned. You may say that you’re eating dinner at six, but chances are, some people might show up early. A “come and go from four to seven” may result in people staying to chat until after ten or even later. Don’t expect guests to adhere to a time-table, so be sure to have plans for dealing with anything that’s time-sensitive, such as taking medication or letting your animals out.
Of course, before your guests arrive, you’re going to be stressed with cleaning your home. One way of avoiding this stress is to start doing a little bit of cleaning every day in the week or so leading up to the event. Put away clutter, do your dishes, and do whatever dusting and vacuuming you can before the big day. It’s really not that difficult to keep much of your home clean if you put a little bit of work into it each day. By doing so, you won’t be exhausted when your guests arrive.
You’ll certainly want your entryway to look great since it’s what your guests will first see. Be sure that all coats, shoes, and other things are put away. Some of these can easily be put in the closets where they should be kept. Others, like your keys or mail, should be put away that day—perhaps in your bedroom or some other location no one will see. You may want to put a floral arrangement or set out a few holiday photos in the entryway to make your guests feel welcome.
The family room is another area that can become cluttered quickly. Ask your children to take anything of theirs to their rooms before guests arrive. Then do the same yourself—move that stack of magazines, books, or mail that you haven’t sorted yet to your desk. Put away recently watched movies if they aren’t on the shelves, and make small touches like putting your cordless phone on its base or stacking up your coasters. These small details can actually do a lot to make a room look more organized.
Remember, of course, that no room can truly be perfect, but you can clean out all your clutter, organize what remains, and make your home look great for all of your holiday guests.
Hanukkah, of the Festival of Lights, is the Jewish celebration of their victory over the Syrians in 165 BCE. In the story, the Jewish people are lead by the Hasmonean family in their quest to remove the Syrians from Israel and in restoring the Temple. After the Temple was restored, the priests went to light the Temple menorah. However, they could only find one jug of oil, which would be enough for one day. Hanukkah, however, lasts for eight days. Miraculously, the oil lasted for all eight days.
The lighting of the menorah is the most famous tradition of the holiday. This nine-branched candelabra is lit starting on the 25th day of Kislev, which is calculated using the Hebrew calendar. It occurs anywhere from late November to late December. On the first night, only one candle is lit. On the second, two candles are lit. On the final day, all eight candles are lit in recognition of the eight miraculous days in the Temple. Most modern menorahs have a ninth candle, called the shamash. This “helper” candle is used to light all of the others.
For young children, one of the best Hanukkah traditions is playing with a dreidel. This little spinning top keeps them occupied for quite some time, especially if they know how to play game associated with the dreidel.
Another Hanukkah tradition involves the table settings. Many who celebrate Hanukkah will set one extra place setting on the table. This extra plate is for any hungry stranger who wanders in to dinner. While most people won’t have random strangers wandering into their homes during the holidays, this tradition emphases the Jewish focus on sharing and giving to those in need. One way some families keep the spirit of this tradition alive is by volunteering at a shelter or by making a donation to a local food bank.
Cooking traditional Hanukkah foods like latkes and donuts, is another great activity families can do together. Children love helping make batter, cut out shapes, and decorating cookies with icing and sprinkles.
Don’t forget decorations. While Hanukkah doesn’t feature a huge tree like Christmas, you can still find plenty of things to decorate your home with. Beautiful flowers, homemade candles, and Hanukkah cards from years past can add a great air of festivity about your home.
Entertaining family and friends during the holidays is one of the highlights of the season, especially if you don’t get to see some of your guests that often. Spending a day with those you love, eating great food, and generally enjoying everything the holiday season brings with it is what this part of the year is all about. But entertaining can sometimes seem like a lot of work. However, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some ways you can entertain without spending a lot of money or getting too stressed out.
Don’t do a big, formal dinner. While some people love cooking a huge meal for their guests, others want something much simpler. There are a few options here. You can do a potluck meal where each guest brings a dish, or you can do simple finger foods. If you have the budget, you can even order a full holiday dinner from some places. For an afternoon or evening gathering, you could offer drinks and desserts. Nothing says every holiday gathering must be accompanied with a huge dinner.
You don’t have to go all out on decorating, either. For your table, think simple: a nice poinsettia arrangement makes a great centerpiece. If you don’t have a huge Christmas tree, don’t worry about it—everyone decorates in their own way. One cheap way of adding to your holiday decorations is to pick up pine cones from your yard or a local park. You can take a large bowl and fill it with pine needles, pine cones, and even a few colorful tree ornaments or candles. This looks very festive but doesn’t cost much at all.
When it comes to the guest list, remember not to let it get out of hand. You have a fixed amount of space in your home, so you don’t want to invite so many people that they can’t find a seat. Remember, though, that it’s not your responsibility to entertain everyone. It sometimes may feel like it is, especially if you have the largest home out of your friends or family. The person with the most seating often ends up being the designated host for all events, and this can get overwhelming. It’s perfectly fine to suggest something like a restaurant outing in place of hosting an event or ask a few family members to come over early to help you prepare food.
All in all, even though it may be stressful at times, holiday entertaining can be very rewarding. Spending time with loved ones during the holidays more than makes up for any extra work you have to do. When all is said and done, it doesn’t really matter what type of food or decorations you have as long as you have a good time and enjoy the company of those around you.
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