MODMOD NEWSLETTER
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DECEMBER NEWSLETTER
Thanksgiving day was always a day I looked forward to growing up. Of course we had family “dinner”, often around mid-day, which never made sense to my little brain, but we also spent the rest of the day busting out all the Christmas decorations. Allergies dictated a fake tree for our household. Stories and memories were shared as we covered the plastic pine with homemade ornaments and candy canes. Holiday nick-nacks, a tiny ceramic village, lights and tinsel all covered the common areas in our house. There was never a theme or even color coordination, just the things that we liked displayed for the month or so that followed.
Looking back to my younger years of decorating, it seemed all about spreading
holiday cheer and inspiring smiles.
As many families do, we would often travel around town admiring other holiday displays and neighborhood decorations. Filled with wonder and delight, I enjoyed the twinkling lights moving to music, inflatable characters and humongous trees in front windows. Many houses did so much more decorating than we did, but as a child, I didn’t think much of it. I was simply there for the fun of it all.
I’m not sure when it happened, but becoming an adult and owning my own home somehow transitioned the activity of decorating for the holidays from something done for joy to something done for status. The other homes in my neighborhood with elaborate lighting displays and lawn decor, not only limited to the winter holidays but also Halloween and Thanksgiving, were a standard to be reached; since we all were secretly comparing as we humans tend to do.
As if the stores understood this competition, larger than life characters and decorations began appearing for purchase and I spent tons of money on decor to stand out above the crowd.
There were countless tubs to store everything and soon more than one closet was full of items I only used for roughly 1-3 months out of the year. I still enjoyed spending Thanksgiving day taking out my Christmas decor, but it was becoming more of a pain and source of stress than anything else.
When Darren and I downsized from 2,000+ square feet to less than 800, a purging of items cut things down considerably, but my mentality hadn’t truly changed. The goal was still to fit as much decor as possible into our small space and outside. That first year in the country, though, was the beginning of the shift. A transition from what was “expected” to what I wanted - what truly brought me joy.
I realized that no one could see the decorations on our small home unless they were a guest invited onto our property. It was really just us. No neighbors to compare to, just a slight smattering of lights or an occasional wreath on a property gate.
It began to sink in that the decorations I was putting out were really just for me and my family and if it didn’t make me happy, bring me joy, uplift my holiday spirit or encourage smiles, then what the heck was I doing?!?
The following year, I decided to only take out the decorations that I truly loved, that brought me the most joy. As soon as the process of decorating changed from fun and exciting to taxing and stressful, I stopped. After a couple years of this, I ended up donating all the items that I didn’t use and have resisted buying anything new unless I simply cannot control the smile it brings to my face. This has been my operating standard for several years now and it is truly liberating. I have lived in both small spaces and larger homes, but the principle still applies - I only decorate for the sake of my own joy and when it’s fun.
While I know that every family situation and home are different, I would encourage you this year to take a step back from your normal routine, assumed expectations, neighborhood comparisons and the all consuming force that is commercialized holidays.
Ask yourself, who are you decorating for?
What is the purpose?
How do you feel when you decorate?
What does each item mean to you?
What are the traditions you love and wish to uphold?
Which traditions aren’t as meaningful to you?
What end result do you really want?
And is the result you get worth the time and effort you put in?
Find the sweet spot for you.
The one that allows holiday decorating to be full of fun without the stress.
Full of pure joy and not forced cheer.
Full of meaning without heavy expectations.
Whatever that looks like for you, let that be what guides your decorating this year!
Cheers and happy decorating!
Darren & Becca Christensen
Founders of ModMod