As many of us grow older, we remember the nostalgia of the good old days, when everyone muddled through the snow to get a live tree, hung simple ornaments, and spent the holiday at home with the entire family. We remember it as a much simpler time.
The truth is, it really was a much simpler time. No "cyber Monday". No posting pictures on various social media sites. Although you can't go back in time, you can re-create the look of an old-fashioned Christmas.
The trick is really to make things imperfect. Instead of putting all your ornaments on a tree, scatter them throughout the room for a contemporary touch. Setting up a bar or glassware for a party? Decorate a tray with snowmen or reindeer. A miniature sled on your dining room table gives depth or can corral the salt and pepper shakers. Do you have a vintage Santa Toby Mug or Department 56 Mug? Fill them with candy canes or lollipops. It is a cute decoration and they double as gifts for your guests as they head out the door.
Finally, remember that everything doesn't need to be so matchy-matchy. Even though it may seem out of place with your Wedgewood Snowflake Ornament , go ahead and hang that Styrofoam Christmas ball that you decorated with fabric scraps in the third grade. After all, these are your memories. You might start some traditions that will one day be looked at as part of “the good old days.”
