I am going to be a total bah humbug here. I feel like now we have a Instacart for holiday decorating. And I love Instacart but it’s for groceries and maybe Home Depot and Lowe’s when you don’t want to get your car all dirty.
But it’s like no one wants to do anything any longer that used to bring us all so much joy. And I don’t think people are necessarily busier today then they might’ve been 10 years ago or so.
I don’t know maybe I am some kind of an old fart at this point, but I have always loved doing my pumpkins and decorating for Christmas. And that’s been since I was a kid.
When I was a little girl, I helped my parents decorate. I had the most wonderful memories of going on then snowy nights with my father to pick out a Christmas tree. Thanks to climate change we don’t get many snowy nights anymore, but I digress.
As I grew up and got out on my own, no matter how busy I was, I found the me time to decorate for holidays. And I had total joy in going to things like the Saint Davids Fair in the fall, looking for new decorations and haunting thrift shops for cool vintage things.
I figured out long ago it wasn’t so hard to make a wreath. And that was whether I was making one out of ornaments or live greens or fake greens.
I am not Martha Stewart. Nor am I particularly crafty. I can cook, I can garden, but I am not a craft diva. That’s something entirely different, and you don’t have to be a craft diva or a decorator to do your house up for the holidays!
So we learned in October that there are professional pumpkin pimpers. Because God forbid, you pick out a pumpkin and put it on your porch or your front step yourself. Better yet you need to spend hundreds of unnecessary dollars to have someone look like it vomited pumpkins on your porch or front walk.
But the holidays/Christmas? How can you want someone to make you look like you live in Stepfordville? And Christmas is not for a beige beige world.
Now I do understand when people want someone to put lights in a really, really tall tree. Most people don’t have a bucket truck lying around.
I also understand when people are having a party somewhere and they need the help of a florist or a stager to get it together. Especially if you are renting a space which doesn’t necessarily come with furniture and things to give you your look.
I understand people that when they have Christmas parties or even Thanksgiving dinner, gatherings that they go to a local florist for table arrangements. But the rest of it? It’s not hard nor difficult.
If you are unsure what to do with greens outside your house, you can buy lovely preconceived packages from BloomBox. Literally with them, you can buy DIY container kits and you’re out per kit under 100 bucks before tax.
But this new service? It’s like you’re paying for a middle person to deliver Balsam Hill. Only to be honest, I think Balsam Hill artificial greens are better looking than what I saw on that website.
And just FYI for information sake, these foyer fluffernutters offer packages that start at $475.00 but that doesn’t include service packages. Those start at $380.00. The higher end of their spectrum? $1150.00 before service, service packages add $750.00 and none of these service figures includes true customization. No ribbons, no ornaments. In other words, you look pretty bland like everyone else.
Do you really want your holiday decorations to look like everyone else on the block?
If you do, then this post is not for you. If you don’t, I’m telling you I think the prices are ridiculous and you’re paying for the Emperor’s new clothes and they’re not very attractive.
Look, I understand the time is at a premium for some people, but when you just order the holidays without benefit of participating in the decorating, you’re missing out.
And if money is no option and you want to look like it’s a Stepford wife Christmas then hire somebody with the samey same packages.
But I think the better plan is to enjoy the reasons for the season which includes being creative and even encouraging your kids to get creatively festive. Try it, it will bring you joy.
Here are some links that you can go peruse for ideas:
https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/christmas/decor/farmhouse-christmas-decor
https://www.countryliving.com/christmas-ideas/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/how-to/g2203/christmas-decoration-ideas/
https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/tips/g907/craft-ideas-for-christmas-decorations-1209/
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/home-lifestyle/crafts-diy/g33549660/christmas-decoration-ideas/
https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g3952/diy-christmas-decorations/
https://www.marthastewart.com/274467/christmas-ornament-projects
https://www.realsimple.com/how-to-decorate-a-christmas-tree-like-a-pro-6836384
https://theinspiredroom.net/category/christmas-seasonal-decorating-and-entertaining/
https://www.stonegableblog.com/easy-christmas-decorating-ideas-and-tips/
I love Christmas. I love decorating for the holidays. I realize not everybody does, but from a practical standpoint it’s easy to do yourself, and you can save a lot of money, and not look like everyone else.
Don’t be bah humbug. Remember the little kid joys of paper chains and cut out snowflakes.
But please don’t start playing Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.
Thanks for stopping by.
