Holiday Decorating Made Easy

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”- Edith Sitwell

The holidays are the perfect time to reflect on the past year, create memories and connect with those you love. It’s also a time to pull out all the stops with decor, both inside and outside of your home. While summer gives way to colorful and lush gardens, winter is a time for lights, greenery, and festive displays. The good news is, you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to make your home’s exterior the envy of your neighborhood! Here are some tips to get started.

Container displays 

Container displays are versatile for your porch or front entrance of your home because the possibilities are endless! Consider containers of various heights grouped together. Green boughs, birch tree branches, winterberries, gold accents such as ornaments, and strings of lights are simple but have a huge impact. When it comes to your container, you can go the traditional route with an urn style or think outside the box. Finds at thrift and antique stores such as old wagons, wheelbarrows, and even old ice skates look charming and unexpected, the good news is, you can keep your display up all winter! Bonus: Containers look beautiful with a fresh coat of snow.

Pro tip: Try to personalize your arrangement by adding a beautiful hand tied bow from Winding Creek Nursery and Garden Center. A bow gives your arrangement a polished and finished look. 

Don’t forget your mailbox

When you think of holiday decor you most likely think about your front porch, while that’s important, consider branching out into other unexpected areas. Your mailbox this time of year will hopefully be bursting at the seams with holiday cards, a welcome reprieve from bills. A swag of evergreens or even a wreath with a bright and colorful ribbon is a festive and cheerful way to add ambiance to your home’s exterior. 

Pro tip: Don’t have time? We get it, this is the busiest time of the year! Let the experts at Winding Creek Nursery and Garden Center create the perfect arrangement for you! 

Lighting

As winter approaches the Midwest, one thing we can count on is longer periods of darkness. Creating an inviting warm glow with lights and candles will not only brighten your home’s exterior, it looks cheerful and festive! 

Pro tip: Want to add an inexpensive but gorgeous lighted path? Think ice! Simply fill a plastic cup of water inside a medium to a large container full of about ¾ water to allow for expansion. Add evergreen sprigs, crushed candy canes, or cranberries, if so desired, and freeze overnight (depending on the size of your containers). Run warm water over your lantern to your creation and light tea candles or large pillars. Set outside and watch onlookers amazement! For a beautiful grouping, add different container heights and sizes for depth and height. 

Bring nature inside

When it comes to holiday decor inside your home, the possibilities are endless. Choose from banister garland, table centerpieces, bright red poinsettias, swags for interior doors, and more! To add height to your tabletop arrangement, tall branches look elegant and beautiful. 

Pro tip: Try to stay consistent with your decor and color scheme. A couple pieces with similar elements such as evergreens will add to your home’s theme and tie in all your rooms. If you are in need of inspiration, visit Winding Creek Nursery & Garden Center today! We are located at 

8241 Millbrook Road, or call us (630)553-7211 today!

At Winding Creek Nursery & Garden Center, our certified staff and Illinois Certified Nurseryman can answer all your landscaping and gardening questions. Stop by our 160 acreage nursery for a variety of  trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and vegetable plants as well as home and garden decor. Visit our website today or stop in, we’d love to help you.