A Time to Gather Friends and Family Together
By SUSIE COELHO
Can you believe that the Holidays are just around the corner and the season is underway! Everyone is looking ahead and making decisions about how they want to spend this holiday season. Will it be the same as last year? A fresh approach? A more simple celebration? A return to tradition or just a fun day to spend with loved ones with minimal hoopla and fanfare! What is it for you?
I love this time of year, as it’s a time of celebration with family and friends. The colors, change of season (although as I write this it’s 80 degrees at the end of October) and changing leaves propel me to set up my home for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday.
Decorations are important inside, outside, and in those key places where most of the gathering and conversing will be. However, decorating need not be a task to get anxious or stressed about. Focus on a certain piece of décor that could be used to add more harmony to family and friend gatherings.
My dining room table is a place where my family gathers to tell each other about our days, play a game, work on the laptop and, of course, eat! It’s one of the central hubs of my house. I always have a centerpiece that reflects the season. My most recent favorite is a long rectangular mirror that I lay down the center of my table; if you have a round table, you can place a round mirror in the center. The mirror reflects anything you place on top of it and brings in a wonderful reflective element to a wood table, plus a little drama. I then place other items like battery-operated candles (from www.grandinroad.com) that are a “must-have” as they are easy and safe. For the harvest months, I add items that I have collected in nature. My daughter and I love to go on walks in the neighborhood. I use the items that we collect and nestle them around the candles. Sometimes, I will add a piece with a little more height to add dimension. Spraying these with a metallic paint it adds elegance and beautiful reflections in the mirror.
Transforming items from nature is a wonderful way to let creative juices flow, and it is a great way to save money during the holiday season! Keep creating- it’s the joy of life!
