Twas the night before Christmas (or Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving), and all through the house … not a single decoration was hung, not even that one from Rouses.
Sound familiar? The holidays often are a blur of cooking, entertaining, shopping and attending parties. Especially in New Orleans, where the holidays don’t end until after Mardi Gras, hosts and hostesses scramble to create a festive ambience in their own homes. With tips and expert help from designers, however, it’s possible to navigate holiday decor without becoming overwhelmed.
Get creative
When it comes to trimming the tree, Sally Carriere of Perino’s Home & Garden Center has some tips.
“There’s a lot of great quick fixes, but I do think lights are important,” Carriere says. “You can stick colored balloons in the tree, bows, apples, candy canes, even bunches of baby’s breath. [I use] whatever I can find in bulk. You can do lots of things with trees that don’t involve intricate glass ornaments and such.”
- Razzle Dazzle home decorated this tree for a client.
Enlist the pros
Local businesses can help. Razzle Dazzle offers design services and in-home decoration installation. The store’s staff chooses from its inventory of adornments for Christmas, Hanukkah, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day and more, and delivers and decorates for clients. Faux trees, garlands, wreaths and window treatments all can be customized.
Consider it Done in NOLA is a lifestyle services company that offers everything from decorating help to running errands. Co-owners Ashley Nolan and Mary Beth Touzet buy holiday embellishments from local stores or decorate with existing ornaments, help clients plan holiday soirees and go to the post office to mail the invitations.
“We’re both moms, we both work, and we understand what it means when a client calls and says, ‘Help!'” Nolan says. “We are here to help you de-stress and actually enjoy the holidays and life in general.”
Nolan urges her clients to reuse as many decorations from year to year as possible. It creates tradition, and the cost of a bin for storing decorations is cheaper than replacing them all annually.
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