"Everything but the Kitchen Sink" Holiday Decor

We are often faced with the challenge of not using repetitive materials when designing most of our events, and when it comes to holiday time I am a fan of using every medium to express anything aesthetic and celebratory.

If I could fill a room with squiggly, soft puppies instead of the average Christmas tree I would. But, is that really practical? NOT.

Instead, I am a sucker for the traditional cone shape of a tree, or the outline of what can be reminiscent of a Jewish Star or Menorah, but I tend to shy away from expressing these shapes using traditional materials.

Does Christmas or Hanukah colors necessarily have to be expressed in Green and Red or White and Blue, respectively? I don’t think so… so many other colors and metallics are celebratory in their own ways, such as Copper, Gold and Gun Metal tones, Purple hues, rich Chocolate Brown tones mixed with gradients of Ivory, White and natural Green.

For Corporate events, using your Logo colors as base Holiday tones raises morale around the water cooler.

In my holiday design aesthetic, I like to use a lot of textures. The use of rich Velvet or Faux Fur screams Holiday to me a lot more than a soft linen or light Cotton which I associate more with spring and summer. Festive fabrics that have a natural sheen to them will reflect natural candlelight or any illumination in a room that can easily cause “visual magic.”

To me a fireplace is a Rock Star Holiday element that many of us take for granted… I cant tell you how many times I stared into the glistening light of the fireplace and let it gleefully transport me out of my food coma and into an enjoyable Holiday trance.

What I am saying here is that there are so many simple things that we overlook when gearing up to decorate in time for the Holidays, things that we already own and can utilize from our own surroundings:

Don’t overlook color as a Holiday décor concept.

Paper and cardboard rocks!

Never underestimate the power of candlelight or LED candles - use them!

Family photos displayed artfully around a Holiday affair gives meaning to your event.

Comfort is key: pillow up! Utilize your plush accents for folks to feel at home. I use shag carpets, pillows, blankets, floor cushions, and give comfy slippers as gifts.

Give Back! If you are throwing a corporate Holiday event incorporate your LOGO in a playful way and find a way to include a charity that your employees want to support.

Treat your guests like Kings and Queens. Everyone loves presents, but don’t go overboard, sending a guest home with a take away cupcake or sweet treat can work wonders.

Make sure those Kings have a good Holiday beer and that the Queens have a specialty cocktail that will make them feel fabulous!

Use your own feel good music playlist as an entertainment source. Most likely if something gets your blood pumping on the dance floor your guests will feel enthusiastic about it too.

Keep Holiday entertaining organic in the way that you should ask yourself what makes you happy and then share it with those you love. An example is if you adore bowling, then take a group of your special people out for a great bowling night that is a great way to start out an evening of celebration; just remember that not everyone will be as passionate as you about it so offer up some other options for the evening too.

If you love your home, then invite the people you love into your home. Don’t feel intimidated if you don’t have a “show place,” you have a good time to offer and that should be enough.

Its funny because obviously we do some pretty heavy duty and detailed events over here at jesGORDON/properFUN, but it seems that when the team actually does get a Holiday off, we tend to spend them very simply, quietly and happily J