I love holiday decorating and I love making a big deal out of each special day. This year, even before the budget crisis, I had decided to stop buying holiday decorations as part of our compacting efforts. I find it is very hard not to want *new* decorations for
every holiday...
every single year. Places like Target do an amazing job of turning out new and improved decorations that always seem to one up the ones that they put out (and I bought) the year before. I am always fighting the strong urge to give into this marketing powerhouse. It's amazing how effective it is. Who would know that you can actually feel somewhat humiliated about your past heart shaped purchases upon spying new Valentine's Day decorations of all things? I wish I was kidding... but seriously... those marketing folks know what they're doing. And that is mostly the point behind the compacting. To sit with what you have. To enjoy what you already own without feeling that something *new* is something *better*.
And so I give you tissue paper hearts.
I cut out about 20 hearts (using every single scrap) from 2 pieces of old tissue paper. The kids hung them *artfully* with
plenty of scotch tape and hung them in all of our windows.
The light shines through them like stain glass (not so much the 12 yards of scotch tape... but whatever).
And our house was instantly transformed into the most festive house on the street... both inside... and out.
20 comments:
Very interesting. I've never felt like I needed to replace my holiday decorations, I'm more drawn in by the holiday things in the every day supplies, paper towels with hearts on them, oven mitts with shamrocks, etc. Or do you just put the old ones AND the new ones out each year?
(but at the same time, I don't like decorating for anything except Christmas, too much work!!)
Well it depends. Christmas stuff usually just gets added to it. Smaller holidays I have definitely felt like upgrading. Things are much cuter now then they were 6 years ago when I started buying them. I didn't do all holiday decorating until I had the kids. But I do consider the oven mitts and stuff as decorations.
I feel the same way over here....staying out of the stores is my plan of attack!
We don't big decorate for anything but Christmas, but I feel you for that. I'm addicted to buying Christmas decorations. Cracker Barrel and Target are my favorites.
We do decorate a bit for Easter as well, mostly on the outside. I put up window clings and a couple of other things indoors (table cloths, towels, etc) but most of our decorations are yard ones because we have a huge Easter party. I can say no to additional Easter decorations, but not Christmas. Help me say no!!!
Love it! We have a huge mirror in our dining room that has become holiday central over the past year or two. It started because they wanted to "surprise daddy" by decorating for xmas (i think), and they decided to put all of their drawings on this mirror because when he sits on the couch in the living room he looks right at it. Each holiday the girls and I pull out the construction paper and make snowmen/snowflakes, hearts, flags, etc.. and "decorate" the mirror with it to surprise dh with when he comes home. They love it so much more than a random store-bought heart.
I think they are beautiful! Personally for some reason, other than Christmas (which I adore) I for the most part feel annoyed by that marketing in the stores, I've always felt like they are 'made up' holidays solely for the purpose of making $$, its just completely out of control. btw- I've always been against mothers' day as well, yes, I know, I know, send the hounds after Shirls... my take however is this, I truly believe that my Mum deserves more than a day that is everyone else's day, she deserves her own special day for being "my mum" and that day should be the day she gave birth to me, my sister on the other hand should have her own special "mum" day and that would be on her birthday... so yep, I think Mum's should have as many special days and truly be celebrated for each child they have, after all they are the ones that did all that hard work on that day and deserve the credit... but thats just my take on it..
Shirls,
I don't care about Mother's Day either. I just like the ones that are fun for the kids. Kid had her first real valentine exchange at school today. SO CUTE. And they are still too young for their to be any meaning or girls don't like boys type stuff going on.
Michelline,
I'm not sure I'm much help. I think for me a complete ban was the only way to go... and even that... I would sit at home trying to rationalize getting just one or two things. Or worse... going after and getting the clearance things...
Kiki,
agreed. You have to stay away so you don't know what you are missing. If I went into Target right now I would crumble.
Marie,
Good idea. I'm just going to stick with the window decorating. It's fun for the kids... it's festive... it's an art project... it's free. Win-win all around ;)
I love doing Valentines day with the kids!!!!!!!
I will decorate tonight after they are in bed so it will be a surprise in the morning. Sort of. They know I will do it. LOL
We are hitting Fun Depot tomorrow around 1 if you want to join us!
My advice: stay out of stores and stop watching television and reading magazines.
It is amazing how much happier you are with what you have when you don't compare it to what someone else has.
But I am single and childfree, so I don't feel a need to decorate for holidays!
So cute!
The Other Susan,
This time I have stayed out of the stores and it is a BIG help. What you don't know can't hurt you ;)
Your tip about magazines is on the money. I read in one of my compacting articles around Christmas that just not getting the women's magazines would cut out a majority of the pressure to get everything/do everything perfectly. And it's true. That stuff really eats at you.
Supermom,
I used to do that for Kid. It was fun.
Haley,
you could do it ;)
Dude, Adam would laugh me off the PLANET if I started putting up pink hearts. :)
They *are* charming and cheerful. Yay you. I'm really impressed!
They look so festive and cheerful!
I'm glad Kid had fun with her Valentine's Day exchange at school. The kids get such a kick out of it - we had a great time sitting down at the table and looking through everything my two brought home today.
Emily,
Us too! It was so cute to see all of the handmade cards. Baby was a wee bit jealous though ;)
Heather,
Thanks
Haley,
that's exactly why you should do it ;)
Marie,
this is probably redundant but I was afraid that the way I said I was going to stick to decorating our windows made it sound like ... instead of your mirror idea. What I meant was that I am going to decorate our windows like you do your mirror.
I am making Valentines for my mom and sister by taking a potatoe peeler to some crayons and spreading the shavings on wax a paper - putting it on the ironing board with paper towels under it - sheet of wax paper on top - paper towels on top of that and ironing it all so it melts and then take pinking shears and cut hearts out - punch a hole in the top - thread ribbon through and viola - stained glass hearts!!! Everyone loves them!
Staying out of the stores works for me, too. I do love to decorate, though. My "fix" is to use what I have to make new-to-me arrangements, etc.
Claire,
I had forgotten about melting crayons between wax paper. The girls would love doing that!
Kat,
Oh I forgot to comment back about your allowance on the other post... I LOL at the candle budget! It reminded me of shopping at Target a couple of years ago... I was looking for a coat for KId and balked at paying $12.99 for a spring coat. Then I went in the candle aisle and willingly plopped down the same amount on a candle!
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