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St. Tammany Parish:
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Deck the Halls |
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by Poki Hampton
After the Thanksgiving dinner is eaten and the dishes are washed, my family settles down to a soporific afternoon of football watching. I climb into the attic and drag down box after box after box of Christmas decorations. There are now thirty-five years of decorations to sort through, some from my mother and grandmother. I get sentimental over the ones made by my children when they were little. I wonder what I was thinking about the bright orange balls I bought to go with a particular décor in the 70s. But they are all there, the bubbling candles, the frosted balls, the brass lanterns and little foxes dressed in country outfits. Every year I try to add the latest rage or something appropriate for the year.
This year is no exception. As I talk to friends about their plans for the holidays, everyone agrees that this holiday season should revolve around family and friends. We all have so much to be thankful for after Hurricane Katrina. There is a feeling that everyone wants to make the holidays even more special this year. Whether sharing a favorite gingerbread man recipe or figuring out how to make oyster stew without oysters, everyone is thinking big. And stores are full to brimming over with beautiful merchandise! Katrina Peters at Lagniappe Home Accents says, “People are going all out decorating their homes. We all want to have a sense of normalcy.”
There are four distinct themes for holiday décor: rustic, opulent, retro and whimsical. The casual rustic theme is centered on metal, iron and natural materials such as raffia, iron stars and metal beads. Table runners with feather trim add a special touch to the table. The more opulent theme is filled with crushed velvet, gold and silver leaf and greenery. “Fresh, fresh, fresh,” says David Wood of Square One Interiors. “I like to fill a home with fresh greens and add poinsettias, berries and amaryllis for color.” Marbleized candles, mirrors and garlands filled with ribbons, pine cones and ornaments are what Cheryl Decuers uses to decorate clients’ mantles. “Silk runners are great to intertwine with the greenery for a very lush look,” she says.
The retro theme incorporates bright colors like turquoise, orange—did I say orange?—and bright green with geometric shapes. Tables come to life when set with brightly colored dishes. Trees made of glitter, garlands packed with colored Christmas balls and colored lights round out this idea. “No more little white lights. Color is in,” says Patrice Senac of Arabella’s. “I use colored spotlights to shine on mirrors and metallic garlands. Christmas is a time when clients can take a plunge into something they wouldn’t normally do in decorating.”
Whimsical is perhaps the most prevalent theme out there this year. There are Santas, alligator candle holders and ornaments, jeweled fish and bubbles. “One of our most popular ornaments is the Pine Cone Fairy. He is supposed to keep the pine trees off your house,” says Beth Assaf of Rug Chic. I wish we had heard of him a few months ago. “People are looking forward to Christmas this year for more than the traditional reasons. They are looking forward to a time when things are back to normal.”
So, get up in that attic, drag down the boxes and put on the Christmas albums. It’s time to get to work decorating and making your home special for the holidays.
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