I’ve decided by this point, that my friends and people around me help me find the spirit of Christmas. While I still feel a little out of it, rushing around helping everyone else get ready for Christmas, I am starting to get excited.
We worked ourselves hard for several 12 hour days helping other people find Christmas in their homes, and now that I can finally sit down and enjoy my home, I find I am getting a little more interested myself. My tree is up, my collections are out of their boxes, the mantle has been decorated and I’m a little more rested after the long naps I had this weekend. So now… time for the exterior of the house.
This is the part people see the most. My extended neighborhood is not always invited into my home, but they will see the front door. First thing up is the wreaths on the windows. Let me say, there is a bit of magic that goes into hanging these, and to keep some of my job security, I’ll go no further describing this part. But I will say it is important to get them “fluffed” and hung evenly. And there is an art form to this procedure. Look around at your neighbors houses with wreaths, and you’ll see what I mean. And proportion is everything. If you have a large window, a large wreath is needed….if you have a tiny dormer, put up a smaller wreath. We climb on roofs, scale tall ladders, and attach wreaths to windows and dormers.
But the biggest awe is always the front door. I love to frame the entrance to homes with greenery, ribbon, sparkly trees and some of our secret weapons. My clients who have a more natural setting for their home have the door framed with more natural looking product, “pumped” up a little with some sparkle, pretty ribbon and some extra ornaments. If the interior of the home has a little more sparkle, the door will show this. If an apartment, or condominium the door will have a great centerpiece on the door. The door will reflect the home inside….it is a peek into what most people will not see.
The entrances to our home are guarded by our dogs, our locks and our security systems, and few enter inside to see who we really are. In my instance, only my closest friends gain entrance to my home. It’s interesting, because we will blog, and put pictures on Facebook, and our websites, allowing a little glimpse of us personally, but the front door stops those intrusions, and allows us to keep some privacy. I am privileged that I am invited into my clients homes and I treat their front door with respect. As I reconnect with clients, who have become my friends, I start to reconnect with Christmas.
