Winter, in All Its Beautiful Mess

New rule! No more putting Thanksgiving so close to Christmas. This is ridiculous. Thank God we’re not going anywhere this year! To better understand how grateful I am to not be traveling right now, you’ll have to use your imagination. You’ll need to picture me dramatically dropping to my knees, Scarlet O’Hara vowing never to be hungry again at Tara, kind of dramatic fashion, shouting to the heavens: THANK GOD I’M NOT TRAVELING FOR THE HOLIDAYS! I think you get it.

This Year’s Mission: A Tree (Finally)

One of the things I wanted to do was put up a tree this year. We haven't had one for years. Some of the years were too busy decorating for other people; I just didn’t have anything left in the tank for me. In recent years, we were out of town. So come hell or high water…ahem…we certainly have that!… I was gonna have a fun tree.

Another fun fact about me: I was trained by professional tree decorators… yes, that is very much a thing… during my Visual Merchandising days. It simultaneously ruined and empowered me. If you’ve ever wondered why some trees look effortless and others look like the ornaments got into a fight… it’s a skill. A craft. An art form, even. And once you’ve been trained, you can’t unsee it. You can, however, use it for good. Which means now I have to share a favorite tree decorating memory.

The Goodwill Tree That Started It All

My little sister, Katie, and I were living together in a tiny post-war duplex in Olympia, WA. I loved that little place.

Anyway, one day she and I were wandering the Goodwill, as I have been known to do, and I saw a bedraggled white and silver artificial Christmas tree with its garage sale price tag still on it. I could picture it finished and it was cute!

Katie, while trusting and up for it, also had one eyebrow raised. Trust. That’s a powerful motivator. Her trust in me added jet fuel to my already revved-up imagination. I wish I could find a picture of this tree. I tried to ChatGPT it for you… that sucked.

After vacuuming the tree (as one does) and lighting the crap out of it (as one should), I wrapped the trunk in red, metallic foil paper and then proceeded to wrap gift boxes in black and white checked contact paper, don’t ask me why, with the same red, metallic ribbon. This all sounds so tacky.

My mom thought so too, as she later confessed after seeing it, but would only say sweet, encouraging things to me as I breathlessly described it to her over the phone. This was back when we couldn’t send pictures, mind you!

This Year’s Theme: Winter Disco (With a Brief Peacock Detour)

Anywho, this year, I set out to do a “Woodland Disco” tree. Then it morphed into “Woodland Winter Disco with Peacocks.” Oddly enough, I mean, who could imagine, the peacocks from Amazon were tacky 🤷‍♀️🤣! So, “Winter Disco” it is. Just so you know, the tree turned out really freaking cute!..even my mom thought so! And with that...we're done!

Why This Tree Works So Well

The best thing about this tree is that it’s a great daytime tree. On a sunny day, the room is filled with reflections and it just makes you smile. Here’s a short little video showing my tree-decorating process: click here. This tree makes me smile and I need more disco balls next year!

Our house is small and quirky and I love every square inch of it. We had to move furniture all around to accommodate the tree, which triggered all kinds of purging and decorating, which was awesome.

So she infused a much-needed, funky, creative energy that my soul is craving and I am so grateful to have had the time to pull this off.

What I’m Leaning Toward This Season

I’m trying (trying!) to let my own spaces be what they are, beautiful where they are, evolving where they need to, and forgiving everywhere else. They are imperfect. I’m imperfect. And winter has a funny way of making peace with that.

Here’s to a season that doesn’t ask for perfection, just presence.

I hope you all enjoy this season to its fullest. However you celebrate, whatever you celebrate.

Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! Happy Solstice!

Have a beautiful day, every single day!

‘Til next time,
Arlene