PATABIT

Back to the Front

It’s officially three days before Christmas, that’s right.  Three…count em.  Are you ready?  Well of course you’re not, who is?  I, myself, have almost, but not quite finished decorating the house.

My color scheme this year is red and gold in the main rooms, teal blue and silver in other areas.  I never know how I’m going to put it all together.  It’s pretty much a how I feel at the moment, artistic sense type of thing.  You know, it looks good right now.

My tree is 8 foot tall, stands in the living room, and is lit with multicolored lights on an ever-changing blinker schedule.  The dining room is adjacent, set with a red tablecloth, and lined with square red chargers.  My plates are white.  I have a long crystal centerpiece in which I’ve placed three small red vases, about 5 inches high.  It is filled with Holiday crackers in red, white and gold. 

I have several sleighs on display.  A red one is filled with snowmen and sock monkeys, holding candy canes.  Another sleigh is silver and is full of pinecones, small gift boxes and candy canes. 

On a sideboard, I have block letters spelling out HO HO HO.  Another table displays a large glass hurricane vase filled with bells, gold stones, beads and flowers, out of which arises a golden reindeer. 

Without going over the top into tacky world, I have tried to put a little Christmas in each part of my home.  I keep a stable color scheme throughout for cohesiveness and carry the decorating out to the front porch and the back deck.  Lighting is important to me.  Where I can, I highlight dark corners or special decorations and scenes with lights.

Christmas comes once a year and to me, it is a special day of celebration.  As a child, I remember it as magical.  I woke up in the wee hours and went out to the couch with my little brothers, where we sat entranced, waiting for Santa and the presents to be.  Of course, we always fell asleep and missed the gift delivery.  That’s the way it should be.

Nowadays, every Christmas seems to come around so fast…too fast…and there seems little time to plan.  But, on that day, I am still struck with wonderment, excited, and ready to entertain and enjoy my company.

My favorite part of Christmas is having friends and family over for dinner and fun.  There’s nothing better than decorating my home and having people ooh and aah.  It’s a special magical day.  Even as an adult, you can retain that old special feeling you had as a child - if you take the time to invest in the day.

I plan to play Christmas games and to have a very special dinner for my company.  They will be greeted with a warm, decorated and comfortable home, lighted with special emphasis on making the day seem otherworldly.  Even adults should have a chance to venture back to their childhood on this day.