Household Tips

The queen of all things domestic has gone on record with her favorite tips for wrapping your holiday cheer!

Wrapping Paper
— To make gift wrapping less hectic, buy a variety of papers in a beautiful palette that works with any ribbon you choose.

— To distinguish identically wrapped presents, vary the color, width, and texture of the ribbons.

— Gift tags aren’t necessary if each family member is assigned a different color wrapping. Choose papers in solid hues that will
complement one another and enhance the colors on your tree.

Ribbons
— Ribbons and tags can get crushed, so don’t add them until you’re ready to unveil your gifts.

— Using the same type of ribbon is an attractive way to unify packages wrapped in different papers.

— Save bits of ribbons, seam binding, and twine along with decorative fruit, silk leaves, and miniature Christmas ornaments for adorning packages.

— With a little scissor work, basic self-adhesive bows are transformed into sumptuous blooms. For each “flower,” cut the loops of one small bow and one large bow at an angle. Then affix the small bow to the empty center of the large bow. Coil a short length of matching ribbon; place coil in center of the small bow, and secure with double-sided tape. Showcase a single bloom, or pair with more matching ribbon.

Tasteful Tags
— Gift tags are all the sweeter when they happen to be crisp cookies. To make them, cut gingerbread dough into shapes or letters, punch with a small hole for threading with cord, and bake. The cookies can be eaten while the unwrapping takes place, or hung on a tree as ornaments.

Photo Gift Toppers
— Decorate with a familiar face (or many of them). Print or copy a photo onto heavyweight paper. Then wrap the package with a wide band of ribbon. Using double-sided tape, secure the photo to ribbon. You can use the photos to identify the giver or the getter, or attach one favorite photo to all your presents.

I have started planning our annual (?) Christmas open house. We live in a historic district, and every year our district hosts a tour of homes, supplemented with luminaries. It’s quite lovely. A couple of years ago, I decided that this was the perfect night to host an open house, and so it began. We generally have about 30 people in our 2,400 square foot house. It’s pretty packed. We open up the outdoor seating areas, too, which helps. But it isn’t perfect!

That’s why I was excited to see these tips from furniture.com. I can actually USE some of these! Maybe they’ll help you, too?

– Make Small Nooks for Small Talk: Create cozy conversation areas by arranging nesting tables to hold guests’ food and drinks. And after the festivities, these space-saving tables will serve a million more uses, for snacks, games, craft projects, and more.

– Don’t Crowd: Face the facts: Ten guests won’t fit around a dining table made to seat four, no matter how you try. Either upgrade to a larger table, or spread out with a more casual buffet. Or, consider a bistro-style dining set to evoke a social atmosphere. The taller-than-standard table height makes it easy for guests to serve themselves drinks, buffet dinner, or even make their own desserts!

– Mix & Mix: Matching all the furnishings within a room is design passe. Experiment. Mix sizes, scales and textures to give your rooms a unique — rather than a retail showroom — style.

– Create Walls of Inspiration: Give the walls a fresh new color, border, or mix of textures for visual interest. Express who you are with a new piece of artwork that encourages conversation. The most harmonious arrangements take cues from the room. For instance, try hanging pictures in a rolling up and down grouping over a camelback sofa.

– Add Color: A little bit of color can go a long way. Bright accent pillows, bold frames and coordinated candles in decorative candleholders can make a dull or sterile room more attractive and welcoming.

– Light Up Your Life: Bring a new look to a room by updating the lighting. Coordinate the look by making sure lamp heights are equal throughout, and all have the same color shade.

– Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize: Arrange accessories symmetrically for a formal look, or asymmetrically to get creative. Highlight a special item by placing it against a contrasting surface. Reflect the seasons and bring nature indoors with arrangements of leaves, stones and fresh flowers.

– Don’t Stress: Forget perfection. Anything “out of place” makes a home more cozy and charming. Go for what feels right. It’s your house — above all else, enjoy the party.

For more guest entertaining info, read this post!

With the holidays approaching, it’s almost unavoidable. You WILL have guests, and some will probably even stay overnight. I entertain regularly — dinner parties and meals. So, when holiday meals come around, I’m not particularly bothered. I know where all of my entertainin If you’re one of those lucky folks with a spare bedroom (I am not), this may come easy to you. With two kids at home, guest planning can be a challenge. The following list of tips comes from our friends at Bed, Bath & Beyond (one of my favorite stores!) Read well, and apply at will!

And of course, don’t forget that you can prepare foods in advance and freeze them!

guests, party planning