Holiday decor in five minutes

To say that I'm approaching this holiday season with a more relaxed attitude than the last is a bit of an understatement.

This time last year I was frantically preparing for a full roster of family houseguests, buying presents for a list of friends and family longer than my arm and decking the halls (while unpacking) a three-bedroom East York semi. Stress, anxiety and financial duress did not begin to cover it.

This year, I'm heading home for the holidays (on a seat sale, no less!), have all but two of the gifts on my ridiculously short list purchased and am responsible for decorating a mere 475 square feet.

In fact, my festive season is so stress-free that I decided to host a small holiday baking bash next week! A spur of the moment decision, I still wanted to get the ball rolling on my decor early to prevent any pre-party anxiety. So, armed with a spare five minutes on Monday night, and a cup of hot chocolate, I now feel holiday ready!

What did I do? I salvaged some of my holiday basics - in wisely purchased neutrals silver and white - when I moved. Tucked away in a shoebox in my closet - turns out condo dwellers don't enjoy a whole lot of storage space - I hauled out my mini ornaments, unceremoniously dumped them in a vase and pulled out a twiggy reindeer to dress up my bar/kitchen island/prep table. Easy peasy!

(Sorry for the blurry photo. My camera battery is on the fritz, and my cellphone cam just hasn't been the same since it took a dip in the bath.)

For my entryway, I pared down my console table display - just because it's the holidays doesn't mean your decorations don't need breathing room - grabbed a serving tray, lined up some ornaments, in a variety of finishes, of course, and placed it in front of the mirror that's already there (which also doubles as my last minute lipgloss applying and hair check centre). A martini glass full of mini disco balls added a little more glitz and sparkle to finish off the look.

All this done before my holiday albums even had a chance to finish downloading!

Sure, there's more I can do. Lights could, if I feel so inclined, be strung up. My workstation/entertainment unit (can't you tell I"m all about the multipurpose furniture these days?) could use some more festive cheer, maybe in the form of a sweet little ornament.

But, now when I walk in the door, my apartment feels glammed up and ready for the season. And next week, when my pad is filled with friends and the sweet smells of cookies baking, the holidays will have really arrived.

Comments

[Los Angeles maid service]

It's not really the decorations that will make you feel the holiday spirits but the family, relatives and friends that you'll celebrate the holidays with.