Not Feeling Like Decorating For Christmas

You've turned the calendar page and realize that it's that time of year….the holidays. The time of year when the expectations of others is in full swing. You know the ones I'm talking about.

The expectation that you'll cook.
The expectation that you'll…(gasp!) bake.
The expectations that you'll decorate the inside of your home until it looks like it belongs in a magazine.
The expectation that your outdoor decor will be the pride of the neighborhood.
The expectation that you'll open your home to guests and that it will be clean, cozy, warm, and inviting.

Who the heck came up with all these expectations anyway? No one asked me to weigh in on the expectations – they were just…expected.

woman rubbing her forehead in front of Christmas tree

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Don't get me wrong. I'm capable of enjoying the holidays just like anyone else. There are aspects about the holidays that I actually enjoy. But could we scale back on the expectations just a little? No, scratch that. Let's scale back on the expectations a lot! For busy working women, this time of year can be the straw that breaks the camel's back….

or the chore that breaks the woman's back…

or…

well, you get the picture.

It's just too darn much! And here's the honest truth….I just don't want to spend an entire weekend decorating for Christmas. There are other things I'd rather do with my time. I want my Christmas decorating to be simple and easy.

A few reasons I don't want to decorate for Christmas

1 – You barely get the decorations up before it's time to take them down.

2 – Lots of decorations means you've got to have space to store them the rest of the year.

3 – I don't like lots of clutter sitting around in the name of decor.

4 – Traditional red and green clashes with the rest of my furnishings.

First off, the good news….you don't have to decorate! There's literally no law written anywhere that says, "Thou shalt go forth and decorate with tinsel and garland."

But even though you may not love the decorating process, there's a chance that you do enjoy the end result (at least a little). So how do you decorate with minimal effort and get the most impact for your decorating buck?

Choose colors that aren't too "Christmas-y"

One of the things that annoys me most about decorating for Christmas is that just about the time you get everything out and in place, Christmas is over and it's time to take it all down. Seriously…you went to all that work and it doesn't last any longer?

In order to let decorations "linger" a bit longer, don't focus as much on the traditional red and green. Unless your home is decorated in red and green already, these colors will look faded and sad come December 26.

On the other hand, choosing decorations in other wintry or warmer colors will allow you to carry the decorating theme past December. Instead of cherry red, perhaps a pretty burgundy or maroon color will work. You'll still get the same effect as a red but it won't look "wrong" once Christmas has passed.

These pillows will look cheerful and seasonally appropriate but also be great once the holidays have passed.

Likewise, pretty deeper greens (think hunter and olive) will last past the holidays as well.

Both of these green pillows are covers to go over the pillows you already own. I love ideas that cut down on the amount of storage space you'll need during and after the holidays. For those of us working to cut down the amount of "stuff" we have this is a perfect solution.

I don't want to decorate for Christmas because traditional colors clash with my furnishings!

Who says Christmas has to be red and green? My house is decorated with shades of blue (my favorite color) so I'm looking for decorations that blend with my other furnishings.

This one I really love! The pattern even looks a bit like Christmas ornament but it will work year-round if you prefer.

This set of 6 pillow covers will let you use your existing throw pillows and add some traditional elements without having to add more pillows to store the rest of the year. When the holidays are over, simply remove the covers, wash them if needed, and fold them away till next year. Hardly any space taken up at all!

Easy holiday for those who don't want to decorate for the holidays

Here are some ideas to make holiday decorating last longer:

1 – Use color schemes that blend with any decor. White, silver, and gold will compliment most decors and prevent the "Christmas clash".

2- It's hard to go wrong with clear lights. I've even seen the clear rope lights used to outline and highlight architectural features, as runners down a hallway, as mood lighting around the top of the walls.

3 – A pretty wooden, crystal, or metal tray or bowl looks festive filled with pretty Christmas ornaments or pine cones.

4 – and snowflakes won't look out of place during the rest of the winter months.

5 – Several small trees are easier to decorate (and un-decorate and store) than are large trees. We put several small trees throughout our house and cluster several small trees together on top of a big planter to create the effect of a small forest.

6 – A winter-themed door wreath make your home look festive even if there are few (or no) other outdoor decorations. Making a wreath that will take you from December through February also cuts down on the amount of wreaths you have to find storage for.

7 – Candles are always an easy decorating secret. Whether you like scented jar candles, tapers, or large pillar candles, they're easy to swap out when the season changes. The added bonus is the great smell if you use scented ones. I happen to adore candles!

8 – It's easy to make bows out of pretty ribbon. You can then attach bows everywhere – door handles, picture frames, your banister, tied on to the pull chains of ceiling fans, draped in and around light fixtures. Ribbon is a cheap and easy to add a festive touch. When you're ready to take them down you have the option of storing the bows in a garbage bag or taking them apart and simply storing the ribbon.

9 – Don't overlook throw pillows, blankets, and rugs. A pillow can be wrapped with ribbon and made to look like a wrapped gift.

Okay, I've talked myself into it…it's time to start decorating. I'm going to overcome my initial "I don't wanna do it!" and just get busy. Besides, the way I decorate will be minimal fuss and effort. Just the way I like it.

So what's your secret for getting your home decorated? Do you love pulling everything out or is it something you dread?