Holiday Fun

Have yourself a Coastal Christmas.

Happy Chanukah. Have you heard this Chanukah song?

    

Now, more than ever, peace to all!
 

When in doubt, send flowers

One of my favorite gifts for the hostess is flowers. I like to bring them in a vase trimmed and arranged so they can be enjoyed with little effort. 

A long road trip would not be kind to a floral arrangement, so I am thinking of sending some in advance. In fact, I may or may not be sending some to friends that I can't be with this holiday season. I don't want to spoil any surprises.

Flowers Via ProFlowers

Now the hard part of deciding which one to send.

Plants via ProFlowers

Last month, my husband sent me flowers from ProFlowers and they were lovely, so I used their images.

Do you ever send a hostess gift in advance?

 

Nantucket Christmas

Balsam Hill artificial tree company recently contacted me about showing you some of their popular products for Christmas. I thought it would be more fun to have them cover one of my Nantucket Style posts with a Christmas theme.

Christmas, Nantucket Style

Cape Cod and Nantucket Island in New England are favorite destinations, and for good reason. The people are nice, the weather is just fine, and the arts and crafts scene can get really busy. Here are some tips if you'd like your home to feel like Nantucket for the holidays.

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Lots of light

Nantucket is known for its beaches and summer sunshine, and the houses in the island have a clean yet rustic feel. Popular shades include white and lemon yellow. At the same time, your house could use a few accent pieces in cool colors like sky blue and teal.
When spray-painting Christmas decor, look for paints with names that contain words like "spray" and "mist." These colors balance out the warmth of sun and make the weather easier to endure for the residents of the island.

Look under the sea

Many items found on the sand can be used as Christmas decorations. For example, instead of pine cones, string sea shells together to make a wreath.

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 Small shells glued together make interesting patterns that can be painted and used as Christmas tree ornaments  just drill small holes in them and hang them on the tree.

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Starfish, on the other hand, make excellent Christmas tree toppers and make traditional wreaths more interesting.

Etsy Seller

 Just make sure that the starfish are already beached to keep holiday celebrations as eco-friendly as possible.

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Transform small glass balls into a winter wonderland by filling them up with sand and putting in ornaments like miniature sun beds, starfish, and shells.

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Pine away 

Pine cones are a traditional winter symbol, and they can be found in patches across Nantucket Island. The most widespread tree in Nantucket is the pitch pine, which carries beautiful cones and needles. Dried pine needles can be used as accent pieces on wreaths or trees, while dried cones can be pierced through and formed into tree ornaments, wreaths, and even miniature trees. Again, since dried-out plant parts catch fire easily, treat them with fire retardant, and use safe light sources.

Coastal Living

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Rustic rules

Another common theme in design schemes inspired by Nantucket is the use of earth tones. Small, narrow wicker baskets can be used in place of traditional holiday stockings, and can be decorated with brightly colored ribbons for a more festive effect.

BHG

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You don't need a house in Nantucket to enjoy a New England-style Christmas. Just use things that you find around the house, employ a bit of imagination and creativity, and your home will be cheerful and jolly as the holiday season approaches. After all, half of the fun of decorating lies in making the decorations yourself!

Key designer Jessica Phan works for www.balsamhill.com. The site is one of the top sellers of artificial Christmas Trees. Jessica has a wide range of interests, especially Fashion, Photography and Design.

I'm feeling the holiday spirit....how about you?