By Way of Salem: Light Up Your Holidays!

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Light Up Your Holidays!

I say the same thing every year, "I'm NOT decorating for the holidays!" and do I regret it each year that I don't? Yes. So this year, I'm breaking the non-holiday tradition and I'm going to decorate my little house out in the country.

Some of my fondest memories of these recent years when I lived in Washington State were related to holiday decorations in the neighborhood. I lived in a new subdivision of large, Craftsman style homes. The kind of home that has a tall front door, some with double-entry doors, stone-faced beam columns (for lack of better description or the correct architectural term). I wouldn't really call the entry area a "porch" like we have here in the south, but something close. Large enough to decorate anyway.

Each night, I'd walk my dog Toby up and down the streets (always took him forever "to go"), and we'd wander in and out of the different neighborhoods. I think he enjoyed seeing the lights as much as me as he always stopped and looked and I could see the reflections in his big amber eyes. There was this one particular house I won't ever forget. It was painted a rustic Apple Green on the siding. It was beautiful. With an Antique Cream trim and 2 big large entry doors painted Country Red. I wish you could've seen it. Just lovely. It was a large, 2 story home. Big picture windows in the front that faced the street. We'd always pause outside, passing several times on our walk, so I could just stand there amazed at how beautiful the Christmas decor was that they put up. Glittery lights, swags of green Spruce and bows of red netting adorned the door and hung from the beams above. Inside was all decorated too, what you could see through the windows anyway. I always thought the lady of the house must be a decorator, or at least hired someone. Beautiful...sigh...a Hallmark house. That home will forever be emblazoned in my memory book.

My house here in Tennessee is definitely not on the same scale as the homes there, but it's country quaint just the same, especially now that I've painted the outside and added new crisp white shutters and trim. The porch area, and I DO have a porch here, is all painted in bright white too. What better time to add some white glittery lights and snowflakes. Maybe some of my own pine swags around the door. And of course snowmen, must have snowmen!