The Heart Behind Our Christmas Decorations

Do you ever feel overwhelmed or just down at Christmastime? Do you get the holiday blues while trying to make it magical for your children?  I was that way before the awful Hurricane Harvey floods. Martha Carol and I both experienced flooded homes and we agree that it changes your perspective on things like the holidays.  For the first time in a while, I really feel like there is a lot of excitement about the holidays. Last year, most of us in Houston were still trying to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey. We were tired and frustrated.  

This year, the festivities started with my neighborhood coffee group’s ornament exchange. I always stress about getting the perfect ornament for those things!  Do you? Well, at that coffee, I discovered that I have really amazingly talented neighbors (yes, more than one!) that have recently written children’s books! Each read their books aloud to us. No, do not yawn.  Stop rolling your eyes! I was mesmerized! I literally felt like a child again full of anticipation about what would happen next and what glorious scene would be depicted on each page of their stories as they read their books.  Another neighbor illustrated one of the children’s books. (Seriously, that talent! I’m honored they let me drink coffee with them!) She brought along her original canvases to show during the reading. They were beautiful! That childlike feeling I had made me remember the excitement of Christmas as a child.  It’s the feeling we all long for at this time of the year. It’s the single most reason I love Christmas decorating. I want my home to embody the excitement and magic that children feel at Christmastime.

My joy didn’t stop with the ornament exchange.  Now that many of our neighborhood’s homes are repaired, we are really excited about entertaining friends and family. On Sunday, our neighborhood hosted a holiday home tour.  I was invited to be one of the five homes showcased! ME!! I felt like I had just won the Southern Living Show Home Award. Lol! YAY!! I had so many mixed feelings about this.  My first thought was WOW! What an honor! Then, I felt excitement along with nervousness and lastly, there was a moment of pure panic! People will be looking at my house! EEK! How can I make them feel the childlike joy of the Christmas spirit? Do I have enough decorations to make this work? What will people think?

As y’all know, I love to decorate.  Love, love, love it and admittedly I have a lot of decorations...or so I thought. It’s the one time that I am not clutter free in my life!  What I loved even more was that the proceeds of the tour went to support the Toys for Tots program. To give much is to receive much, and it goes well with the Christmas spirit of giving.

Before the official start of the tour on Sunday evening, the homeowners whose homes were being featured were able to tour each home before the official tour started.  Everyone started at my house. Like I said, I like to decorate so every room of my home is decked with “Christmas cheer,” as I like to call it. I was feeling pretty confident about my home being on the tour - well, it started that way!

We then made our way to each of the other homes and by the end of the tour of these fabulous houses, I was frantically trying to figure out if I had enough time to make it to Home Goods to find more decorations!  The houses were fantastic, and I need to up my game! I managed to pull a few things from the rooms that were not being toured which made me feel a teensy bit better. I did make a point to add buy more Christmas decorations to my to-do list…Christmas décor is not clutter free.

LOL

But then I realized, that it wasn’t so much the number of decorations that mattered.  

Not one house was the same or even similar for that matter.  At the end of the day, it’s friends and family who make a house a home.  It’s our attitude; laughter and joy that make our homes have the magical and childlike Christmas feeling, not the decorations or the “stuff.”

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

Here are some photos from my open house.

These books would be excellent additions to your child’s library.

“Pride of Place”

A charming, original story by a first-time author has just been published!  Entitled, Pride of Place it weaves a beautiful Christmas event from the perspective of Christmas decorations as the special time of year approaches!

Everyone is excited.  Especially the Christmas decorations who wait all year to be brought out of storage and placed as star attractions in the home's Christmas display.  They want to be placed in Pride of Place and reading the book reveals what or where this is!  At the center of the story is 'mother' who has her plan, and what she knows and understands is at the heart of this meant-to-be-read-aloud rendition of an actual Christmas celebration and tradition.  You have to read the story to find out what children, their parents and the decorations learn about 'Pride of Place'! 

The story is written by an Aussie author, Denise Mannix  and the book is beautifully illustrated with actual artwork created especially for the story by a Scottish artist, Jane Cooke.  Both author and artist live in Houston.  The book has a special acknowledgement of Harvey hurricane survivors - the story was in fact developed out of the aftermath of the hurricane, so should have special meaning to Houstonians or anyone who has lived through a catastrophic weather event.   

Though the story is a Christmas tale it carries a message for children of all ages that has meaning throughout the year.

The author, Denise can be contacted on denisemannix@hotmail.com should you be interested in finding out more about the book and how to purchase it!

“Eepworm”

The eepworm is a character created by Corinne Goyette to be a calming companion for children.  Eepworms are soft and squishy toys with many rubbery tentacles that have a soothing touch.  At approximately 5" long, they are perfectly sized feel like a hug in a young child's hand.  They can help to comfort and calm your children when they are distressed.

Corinne wrote and illustrated My Friend EEPWORM  to introduce young children to these helpful creatures.  She wants to share eepworms with everyone, especially children with special needs who struggle with strong, scary feelings as she does.

The 6" x 9" 28-page paperback book is written in simple rhyming text with beautiful watercolor illustrations on every page and includes a note from the author.  It comes with one eepworm, and is suitable for children ages three to eight.

There are two links that have information and where you can order Eepworm, an online store and Corinne's website eepworm.com.  In the online store, hit the shop button to see a description.  The Eepworms are $4 each, while the price of the book and toy are $15.  They also offer king-size eepworms (20" tall) for $15. 

Our Guide to Holiday Gift Wrapping

I LOVE WRAPPING PRESENTS!  I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to unique gift wrapping ideas.  For me, gift wrapping is like the final decorating part of the holidays, and y'all know how much I LOVE to decorate.  I’m sure several of you are thinking “haven’t you been preaching to us about clutter-free gifts?” Well yes we have, but that does not mean you are exempt from wrapping that gift in a way that emphasizes how truly special it is.  Today’s blog is all about making those clutter-free gifts special.

When it comes to wrapping, I have two philosophies.  First, the wrapping should complement or hint at what’s inside.  Second, it should complement the theme. At this time of year, that theme is Christmas, Hanukah, or Kwanza.  Since I consider gift wrap to be the final decorating part of the holiday, I select my gift wrap in colors and textures that complement my decorations.   

Get Your Wrapping Stations Ready

So now that you’ve purchased all of your holiday gifts, let’s talk about your gift wrapping area.  I think it is important to have a space or container that holds all items necessary to wrap a present. This should include the basics: paper, ribbon, tissue paper, embellishments, scissors, hole punch, ruler, tape, and pens.  Tags and cards are also nice. I will oftentimes make my own tags so that they match the gift wrap.

When it comes to paper I suggest you keep these basics on hand: white, off-white, gold, silver, black papers in glazed and matte finishes and craft paper.  Over the years, I have been adding beautiful solid colors and patterned papers to my collection.

I am admittedly a bit of a ribbon junkie and will pick up beautiful ribbon throughout the year to add to my gift wrapping station.  I typically pick ribbon from the clearance bins unless I happen upon something very special. I like to have a lot of ribbon on hand as I love mixing several colors, patterns and textures to create bows that are extra special.  I keep an assortment of ribbon in different widths in grosgrain, satin, jacquard, velvet, and picot edge in solids and prints, with and without wire.

Tulle, raffia, and string are also must-haves in your basic gift wrapping arsenal as well as tissue paper in white and assorted colors.  I have also been known to upcycle ribbon and tissue from gifts I receive.

Pro Tip: Did you know you could iron tissue paper on a low setting to remove the wrinkles?

Embellishments are a fun way to add interest to your presents.  An old card with a beautiful picture can be trimmed to reuse on a gift as a tag.  Old family pictures make for wonderful gift tags. Are you a gardener? Fresh or dried flowers, leaves and sticks are superb to add to a wrapped gift.  Ornaments and small toys also make lovely additions to wrapping as do old jewelry pieces. Buttons also make for an attractive adornment.

Wrapping With a Theme

Tess Panzer published this beautiful gift wrapping idea.

Gift Card Wrapping Ideas

These are super cute ways to wrap gift cards for a carwash, car maintenance, music lessons, or voice lessons.

Creative Wrapping

Tap into your creative side. This is a great way to wrap a pet sitting gift certificate. This idea is from craftfoxes.com.

Fun Movie Gift

MyFrugalAdventures.com posted this idea for wrapping gift cards to the movie theater. Don’t forget to add some cash for popcorn!

Wrapping Cash Gifts

TheDatingDivas.com had some amazing ideas for making the gift of cash even more special! Check out their post from December 9, 2017.

As we count down to Christmas, I would like to recap some of the true clutter-free gifts we have been highlighting.  These are gifts that leave no physical footprint.  I’ve broken them down into categories for you.

Subscriptions:

• Netflix

• Hulu

• Amazon Prime

• Magazines

• Make-up

• Food

• Beer, Wine

• Satellite radio

• Audible

Activities:

• Museums

• Amusement Parks

• Movie Tickets

• Theatre Tickets

• Bowling

• Escape Room

• Putt-Putt/Mini Golf

• I-fly

• Zoo

• Go-carts

• Arcade

• Scavenger Hunt

• Murder Mystery

• NFL, NBA, Baseball, Soccer tickets

• Staycation

• Vacation

• Photo Session

Memberships:

• Gym

• Roadside Assistance

• Golf Club

• Country Club

• Hunting or Fishing license

Classes/Lessons:

• Music

• Voice

• Foreign Language

• Dance

• Gymnastics

• Martial Arts

• Painting

• Art

• Pottery

• Golf

• Archery

• Horseback Riding

• Flying

Services:

• Babysitting

• Pet Sitting

• House Sitting

• Freezer Meals

• Maid Service

• House Cleaning

• Lawn Service

• Carwash

• Car Maintenance

• Gas Card

Food:

• Freezer Meals

• Monthly Subscription

• Restaurant Gift Card

• Chef’s Table

• Private Chef

Personal Care:

• Massage

• Med Spa

• Manicure

• Pedicure

• Facial

• Tattoo

• Ear Piercing

• College Fund Money

• Cash

With all of these ideas, you are sure to find the PERFECT gift for that hard to buy person on your list.

Happy shopping!  Happy holidays!!

XOXO

- Lisa

Grab a Cocktail, and Let's Get Busy Setting Your Christmas Calendar!

Are you worn out from the hustle and bustle of Christmas?  Feeling overwhelmed? Do you keep starting and not finishing your tasks because of the distraction of so many “to do’s” on your plate?

Grab your coffee (or cocktail) and a pen and paper, sit down and read for just 3 minutes.  I’ll keep it short!

1. Add all dates to all December functions on your calendar.  Do not get up because you remembered you are supposed to bring cookies to your kids class tomorrow and you need to see if you have flour.  Sit back down. Are the dates added?

2. Look at what’s on the calendar. Make a list, in calendar order, of things you will need to do for those activities. Some examples:  Cocktail clothes need to go to the dry cleaners before the company party? Schedule that. When do you need presents shipped? Schedule that. Cookies need to be baked before the school event? Put the grocery shopping and the baking on your calendar.  Give each “to-do” a deadline and add these deadlines to the calendar. If it’s not on your calendar, it doesn’t exist.

3. Download our gift log.  Fill it out as best you can. Put this in a safe place THAT YOU WILL REMEMBER.  My list stays near the computer and gift wrapping in my office. Lisa uses an app for her list.  Here is the link. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/santas-bag/id397698040?mt=8

4. Now, schedule a date with your girlfriends to bring their presents and a bottle of wine for y’all to get busy wrapping! Wrapping and Wine Wednesdays? Schedule it!

Ok, now what’s on your calendar today?  

Ready, set, go!

P.S. Download our Holiday Gift Planner and Clutter Free Gift Idea List to get you started!

The Answer to a Clutter-Free Christmas? Staycations. Here's Why.

Do you find it getting harder and harder to find the right gift for certain people on your list?  Do you find yourself buying a gift just for the sake of giving the gift even though you know the person you are buying for does not need or necessarily want said gift?  I think we have all been in this position. As the world moves toward a less is more mentality, this predicament is becoming even more prevalent.

As a mother, I am embarrassed to admit (on several occasions mind you) to finding unopened gifts my children have received.  The gifts are unwrapped and properly thanked for but beyond that, they are just clutter. This in no way diminishes the feeling of gratitude towards the gift giver; it is just a fact!

WOW, that sounds terribly ungrateful and if you know me you know I am nothing but grateful for the people and gifts in my life!  I cannot stress that enough. However, I have come to know that experiences trump most things, and the gift of an experience outlives that of a trinket or latest gadget.  

This is why my family moved from giving mountains of gifts when the children were young to what we called “the three wise men gifting” (three gifts) as they became teenagers. Now, we do a “staycation.”

What is a stay-cation?  It’s a vacation in your own city or a city nearby.  I will not lie, not buying gifts felt really weird and still does. But when I ask my family what they would like for Christmas, they tell me another staycation.  

Last year’s staycation:

I planned a family dinner at Damien’s Italian Restaurant with a shuttle to the Alley Theatre to see a performance of A Christmas Carol.  If you are in Houston, this is a must!!  Damien’s Restaurant provides a free shuttle to the theatre district.  The minibus drops you off right in front of your theatre and like a magical carriage following the performance it is there to pick you up.  What’s more, they know you are going to the theatre so they pace your meal to accommodate those plans. No need to worry if your entre will be out with perfect scheduling or whether the check will be delivered in adequate time to retrieve the car, drive, park, walk to your seats.  

I wanted to add a little international culture to our itinerary so I planned a dinner at Yauatcha Houston, a dim sum teahouse offering classic and contemporary dim sum, wok dishes, patisserie, and an innovative wine and cocktail list.  I paired this with a performance of Shen Yun, a performing arts group that performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and story-based dance, with orchestral accompaniment and solo performers.

Continuing with our internationally themed staycation, we also attended a family dinner one night at Peli-Peli, a South African restaurant in Houston.

This year’s staycation:

We’ll kick off our staycation with dinner at La Griglia Italian Restaurant with a performance of Ä Christmas Pageant at Stages Repertory Theatre.

I have also planned a family outing to I-Fly, the latest immersive experience combing VR technology with the real rush of skydiving over some of the world’s most beautiful destinations.  Now everyone can pick a bucket list place to skydive atop! We will then grab an early dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, where we will no doubt recount the excitement.

To continue the experience, I purchased tickets to the Houston Rockets versus Boston Celtics basketball game and thought that might team well with a great barbecue dinner.  

Our house is still decked out with Christmas cheer.  We still do our Secret Santa exchange on Christmas Eve while wearing our matching PJs and Santa still delivers stockings to our family on Christmas Day, but Christmas has become more about our time together and less about the presents.  These staycations have put the meaning of Christmas right back where it should be!

Check out our Instagram for more clutter-free gift ideas!  We have been posting one per day and will continue to do so until Christmas Eve.