Simple, Subtle Holiday Decorating

Is there one on your block? I bet there is. You know, the house with all the Christmas lights. They started out with a string of multi-colored but ran out of string about midway across and decided to tie it off with a string of blue. The two half-dead bushes by the driveway on tangled with clear lights of which half are not burning and there is a lone camel, a survivor from some long lost Nativity set, standing by the porch. I know you know, or possibly even love, one of these houses but, my friend, there is a better way: A simple, much more subtle way to decorate your home for the holidays. Here are a few ideas to help you spruce up your home for the holidays with out making it look like a carnival gone bad.

First, remember, less really is more, especially in the area of Christmas lights on your home. A lot or a little; feast or famine, that is my philosophy on Christmas lights on houses. Stick with one color, either multi-color or single colored lights. Either light up every tree in your yard on only the bushes lining your driveway. The idea is to make a pattern, to be cohesive and to create something that the eye will naturally follow. The human brain loves a pattern. Follow a pattern and be cohesive otherwise your house will just look jumbled and busy. A headache in lights.

Second, consider limiting the use of life size, or yikes...even bigger, yard decorations. For instance, if you live in a two bedroom house in the middle of the block that giant inflatable snowman is going to look like the marsh mellow man monster in the Ghostbusters movie. Big yard decorations require big yards. Limit the use of these types of decorations, or don't use them at all, if your yard is not big enough to handle them well. And stick to a theme. Don't have Frosty the giant snowman overlooking the baby Jesus in the manger.

Last, consider going all the way down to just an electric candle in each window of your home that faces the street along with your Christmas tree visible through a main window. Houses adorned this way for Christmas are charming and are a warm, welcome sight on a cold winter's night. A simple wreath on the front door or a lighted garland outlining the walkway is always pretty. Gaudy is for carnivals, subtle and gentle is for Christmas.