Room Redo

When Christmas is over, think about easy ways to decorate for New Year’s celebrations. Whether you’re planning an intimate dinner or a big bash, ring in the New Year with a home decorated for the occasion. Try these ideas to transition from Yuletide to New Year’s Day.

Update Your Welcoming Wreath
- Remove the bright red bow and any red berries
- Tie a shiny silver or gold bow on the wreath and sprinkle silver or gold   glitter
- Find a New Year’s decoration at a party store and attach wire or hot glue

Transform Your Christmas Tree
- Remove all the tree decorations that look quaint, historical or nostalgic
- Remove the topper
- Concentrate on leaving mainly silver, gold or white decorations
- Arrange a white tablecloth or length of silver or gold fabric around the base of the tree in place of the Christmas tree skirt

Around the House
- Remove all the red or green candles and replace them with silver or gold candles.
- Tie silver or gold bows on candlesticks
- Remove red or Christmas design ribbons from garlands, railings, mirrors, swags, or anywhere else and leave bare or use silver or gold

Feng Shui has many elements rooted in common sense and safety. When following Western practices like holiday decorating using lights. Feng Shui can provide good advice in several ways.

Feng Shui encourages us to use resources wisely. As discussed last week, minimal but elegant use of lights can be unexpected and beautiful, especially when street after street is lined with lights all hung exactly the same way.

Feng Shui also promotes safety. While enjoying your holiday decor, keep the following tips in mind for a safe and healthy holiday season:

- Use only one extension cord per outlet.
- Be careful where you place electrical cords. Don’t run electrical cords under rugs; walking traffic can weaken the insulation and the wires can over heat, increasing the chances for fire or electric shock. Be careful when placing cords behind or beneath furniture; pinched cords can fray and cause shorts. Keep animals away from cords to avoid entanglement and chewing.
- Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house.

Christmas is a time for cheer and friendliness. Make sure that your designs reflect this.  Lights will add warmth and color to the cold winter nights and bring a sparkle to the eyes of the beholder.

Designs and Decorations with Christmas Lights

Use Christmas lights to decorate not only your tree, but your home as well. As the strings of lights are lightweight and flexible, get appropriate clips and create designs out of them. You can use traditional Christmas designs such as Santa and his reindeer or the Holy Family.

Also try modern themes such as peace and harmony. Create a winter scene with icicles hanging from your eaves or lilies decorating your outdoor wall.

Match Lights with Other Themes

If you have a garden, drape net lights around bushes and shrubs. They will really brighten up the cold winter landscape and add to the Christmas cheer of your home.

Frame your doors and windows with flexible lights. LED lights do not generate much heat and are ideal for this purpose.