Brockman Holiday

There is nothing more relaxing than a holiday.  An opportunity to sleep in and enjoy the beauty of doing nothing.  Well, wouldn't that be nice if you could be that person.  During the last two weeks here at the House of Brockman it has been nothing but go go go!  We're trying to get ready for the bundle of joy who will be here in about a month, and we realized the reason why babies are called a bundle.  It is because "a bundle" is the measure of money you will spend on them - and believe me, it's not a joy.  As the season has now turned to Christmas, we're trying to figure out how to decorate without spending all our money.  There is more than jingle bells jingling at the House of Brockman; it's the simple melody of change that is left over in our pockets.  From lights to wreaths to our tree, its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  We want to be sure our Christmas is more like the Whos and less like the Grinch.

I have to admit, I have always been a little crazy when it comes to Christmas.  Growing up my family called me a Christmas Nazi, especially when it came to decorating the tree.  I was always the first to smack away the hand which started to clump the ornaments.  My goal was to create the best looking tree, or simply put, to create the Master Tree.  As Christmas only comes once a year, so do the trends that follow.  As I researched the current trends for the 2012 Christmas season, I found more and more of the same theme that we have in our own home this year:

Gold!  Lots of Gold
In this world of white gold and platinum, gold can seem cheap and almost cheesy.  I like to think back to the 80's where you could see gold chains and large Italian men saying, "How you doin?"  But gold can truly invoke the feeling of a golden age - the Victorian era.  It adds simplicity, sophistication, and elegance to any room.  You can use gold in ornaments, candlesticks, ribbons, and centerpieces in order to execute our own golden Christmas.


Old World
If anyone has been to Colonial Williamsburg during the Christmas season, you know the simple beauty of how Christmas used to be. During the Colonial days there were no LED lights. There was nothing but simple candles in the windows, and wreaths decorated with fruit. In 2012 it's all about finding the old world in the new. The simplicity of the past can be created with garland wrapped around the front door, a fresh pine wreath with pine cones or a simple bow, and lanterns that light the path ways. Don't get me wrong, it would be great to see ten blow up Santas on the lawn in front of the Governor's Mansion in Colonial Williamsburg.


New World

This year, Emily and I invested in Warm White LED Lights.  It took a bit of a searching since most of the white LED lights are cool lights.  When it comes to your lights display, a little goes a long way.  Remember, the trend of 2012 is simplicity.  For our first Christmas in our new home (named Little Pea Cottage), we only decorated what was necessary.  Don't tell anyone, but I do love the terrible house the has every square inch of house and lawn covered in lights, and where everyone you can think of, from Charlie Brown to Santa riding a motorcycle all come together. On this lawn the baby Jesus is not only greeted by the Three Wise Men, but also Frosty, Rudolph, and if your really lucky, Micky Mouse Santa!  As you look over the spectacle you can count over 15 Santas, and all I can ask is, "Will the real Santa Clause please stand up?"

Don't be a Scrooge
The idea of "bah, humbug" will NEVER be in season. I understand Christmas is also known as the season of penny pinching. But the idea of doing nothing is just not good enough. If all else fails, invest in simple candles in every window. You can always add to your display in the future.