Adding 47 strands of white lights to the tree requires a full
day. Shana lights each branch from the tip to the trunk and
uses wire to secure the strands in place. Next she adds her
growing collection of whimsical ornaments.
“I always start with one style and make sure they
are evenly placed around the tree" she says. “Then I
add the next style and the next.” She then supplements
the
ornaments
with
large,
dried
hydrangea
from
her
own garden. Each bloom is sprayed with adhesive and
sprinkled with glitter before it’s placed on the tree.
For another touch of the unexpected, Shana tops the tree
with twigs and moss balls tied up in a big chartreuse satin bow.
Shana says the overall look is reminiscent of a tree in
Dr. Seuss’s
How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
The funky Seuss-
inspired look is repeated on the family’s stockings, which
feature large green polka dots, leopard-print banding, and
pom-pom fringe. “I couldn’t resist them" Shana says. “I’m a
sucker for polka dots.”
Shana finishes the living room’s changeover by dressing up
the mantel and banister with bows and “whatever else I have
floating around that works,” she says.
Finally, Shana gussies up the dining room and front
stoop. In keeping with her color palette, she uses fresh
limes and Granny Smith apples throughout the house,
including on tabletop trees and in urns outside.
Shana’s
design
ingenuity
allows
her to
spend
time
and money on what really matters—making the holiday
memorable for daughters Mackenzie and Quinn.
Hung with Care
The mantel may be the
traditional hitching post for stockings, but Shana
prefers to use her hearth for other decor. Instead,
she hangs graphic-print stockings from a vintage
ladder that rests against a wall near the Christmas
tree,
left.
On Display
Every expanse of open wall space
is an opportunity for Shana to expand on her holiday
decor. This pretty tableau,
below,
includes a boxwood
wreath hanging from an old window frame, fresh
flowers, and an ornament-filled glass jar.
“Since I became a mom, the meaning of Christmas has
changed,” she says. “Nothing is more rewarding than watching
your kids gasp with joy as they open their presents. They have no
concept of money or wanting more, but as their mother, I want to
give them everything and make it last all day.”
Best of Christmas Ideas
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