Warm Welcome: Festive Decorations Can Make Entryways More Inviting
by Poki Hampton
photography by Thomas B. Growden
One of my most cherished childhood memories is associated with Christmas decorating. Just after Thanksgiving each year, my grandmother would send my grandfather and me into the woods outside Vinton, Louisiana to cut a tree. We would go off in his old pickup truck, which I named Ole Yeller. We would walk around for what seemed to be an hour looking for the perfect tree. I would say “This one, Papa, this one!” He would give it a once over and declare it unfit because of a hole or misshapen branches, but always optimistic that we would find just the right one. Finally, we would spot one that was perfect, with no holes or bent branches—one he knew my grandmother would like.
He would make a great ceremony of chopping down the tree. Then we would find that reject from minutes before and chop it down, too. He’d say, “Poor little tree. We will take you home and make you beautiful.” When we got home, he would pretend that the only tree we got was the sad one. My grandmother would act disappointed that it was the only one we found. We would laugh and carry on, finally revealing the perfect tree. So, the perfect tree went into the house to be decorated and the poor little tree would be used to decorate around the front door and above the fireplace.
We stripped off the branches and made garlands. To these, we added magnolia leaves and holly with berries. Then, the colorful lights were added just before the whole swag was mounted above the door. With a lot of help, the sad little tree became beautiful.
It’s funny the things you remember 50 years later. Those were simpler times, but, like today, people still wanted to say “Happy holidays, and welcome to our home.”
Daphne and Bobby Gelpi’s Barn House was built in the 1940s, and has been both a barn and a house. They have spent the last year rebuilding it into an open-air place for outdoor entertaining and holiday parties. The Barn House is complete with fireplace and outdoor kitchen. The handcrafted pine doors, which are original to the barn, are decorated simply with moss wreaths and red velvet ribbons and bows. Beside the doors is a rustic antique wagon filled with excelsior and stacked with red roses and cascading juniper. A tall, red-glazed pot holds a variegated plant. To the right of the doors are bales of excelsior stacked with red roses, boxwood and a wispy white butterfly plant. The doors open to the barn, which is the scene of many holiday parties and festivities for the Gelpis.
Erin and Marcus Clavier have a busy holiday social season. Their door says, “Welcome one and all.” Large gold crowns top the soft spruce-and-pine garland, which is filled with magnolia leaves, red berries and white Casablanca lilies. Wide gold wired ribbons wind loosely through gold-textured bay leaves. The red painted door with beveled glass oval is festooned with a cascade of red and gold ribbon, Casablanca lilies, magnolia leaves and white berries. A chandelier inside offers a soft glow to the foyer and door. Beside the door are Verdi iron sconces with red cinnamon candles that give off a seasonal scent. The cement planters beside the door are filled with traditional greenery, pinecones, and magnolia leaves. The Claviers are ready for any holiday guests who might arrive.
Patrice Senac always surprises us with her contemporary holiday decorating. Whimsical silver wire-and-glitter reindeer sparkle, flanking the doorway along with textured brown urns holding bronze leaves, brown silk poinsettias and brown berries. Silver grass adds light to the arrangement. The urns are tied with bronze silk cords and double tassels. The swag on the lantern is of wispy greenery tied up with a plaid ribbon that combines sage green, bright green and silver hues. Bronze and silver balls, sage green sequined balls and weeping bronze velvet leaves are hung with bronze tassels. The double door is surrounded with greenery, frosted pinecones, chartreuse glitter balls and bronze tassels. Shimmering wired ribbons wind through the garland. The wreaths are made of the same wispy greenery, frosted pinecones and sage green glittery balls tied with green, gold and sage plaid ribbon. Patrice is ready to serve martinis beside the fire—shaken not stirred.
A red-and-lime-green theme welcomes you into Jan and Len Finley’s home. On either side of the door, the four-foot tall twig reindeer, decked out in red and gold wired ribbons, are guarding beautifully wrapped gifts. The arched blue spruce garland, which tops a wreath, makes for a very full, luscious look. This carries on the theme with gold and green sparkly balls, lime and red berry clusters and tiny wrapped presents. A five-inch wide velvet and silk ribbon is carefully wound around torpedo-shaped ornaments. Gas lanterns beside the door offer a welcoming light. The whimsical doormat completes the picture of coming home for the holidays for the Finley family.
As you look around your neighborhood during the holiday season, you will notice that no two doors are alike. Just as each family is unique, so, too, is the door that marks the entry into its home. But the message is universal: “Happy holidays—and welcome.”
