Guest Post by Alex Berger –

Deck the halls – the holidays are here!! I’m not sure how this time of the year snuck up on us so quickly, but I am beginning to get very excited about all of the festivities that are about to take place.

This year, I am excited to create the most festive holiday home yet and I know some of my friends wanted to do so, as well. If you are in the trenches trying to get your work wrapped up so that you can work on your festive home, I want to give you a few ideas on how to create the most festive holiday home.

Here they are:

Decorations

Here is a biggie: Decorations. Making your home look festive for the holidays can be largely accomplished with the right decorations. I will touch on a few must-haves below:

 

Tree

Whether your style is Charlie-Brown-barely-there tree, or 13-foot full Douglas Fir, a Christmas tree is a necessity to bring the holiday joy into your home.

In my opinion, the earlier it goes up the better! Getting your family together to go out and pick a Christmas tree, then decorating it all together, can be a special yearly tradition that young and old will never forget.

For an extra bonus, collect meaningful ornaments throughout the years (such as first-year married, dog or baby’s first Christmas, etc.) to make the decorating process even more special.

 

Mantel (for those few Floridan’s that have one)

Decorating your mantel can make an unexpected difference in the way your living room looks for the holidays.

Try draping some garland across your mantel, adding a Christmas Countdown of your choice, and hanging your stockings from decorative stocking holders to add an extra flair!

 

Dining Table

Your dining room isn’t just the place you eat, but it’s also the place that your friends and family will gather to create lifelong memories year after year.

Prep your dining room to make those memories extra merry by placing a runner on your table (this can even just be a string of lights running across the length of your table), a centerpiece, and maybe even a few pieces of spruce or pine cones here and there. Eat and be merry!

 

Garland

I mentioned using garland on your mantel above, but there are so many other uses for garland, as well.

Draping it along your staircase if you have one can create a Christmas-morning feeling. You can use it on tables, in door or archways, on shelves, the list goes on and on.

Garland is widely known as a Christmas decoration, so it is an easy holiday touch. 

 

Lights

Last but not least, lights are a critical part of any holiday setup.

Putting lights on your tree is one thing, but this is a decoration where you should think outside the box.

You can line the outside of your house with lights, line pathways or driveways leading up to your home, place them around the borders of windows or doorways, or even let them hang from the ceiling to create an icicle look. Get creative!

Fill It With Love

The most important part of your holiday home is the people inside of it! While adding the small details like lighting, scents, music, garlands, and more are great, what is Christmas without the people you love?

If you do not have time to go ALL OUT this year with your Christmas decorations, just know that the people and the love that fills your home is what is most important (oh, and heat, too!).

 

It Starts When You Buy Your Home

I’m not sure about you, but I start brainstorming about my holiday home the second I buy my house. If you are in the market for a home, make sure you think about where you are putting your Christmas tree before you sign your name on the closing paperwork – this is important, guys!

There are also many holiday festivals, markets, and lighting ceremonies that go on around this time of year. If you love those things, then try finding a home near some of those so that you can easily get in the festive spirit early! Not familiar with the area when buying a home? No worries – just find an agent that is well-versed in the specific area that you are looking in.

So, for example, if you are looking in the Jacksonville area (maybe you are interested in Murray Hills historic real estate?), you will want to find someone like Erin King Jax Historic Realty to help you out. He says, “purchasing a property is most likely the biggest financial decision you will ever make. Whether this is your first purchase or you are an experienced buyer, this decision must be made carefully.”

It really is one of the biggest financial decisions you can make, so you need to make sure that as a home buyer, you know all of the facts about the area and your potential home before signing a contract.

Erin E. King can help you with all of your home buying needs in Florida, specifically in Jacksonville. Not only is Erin a Best of Zillow® REALTOR®, but he also has fantastic reviews from his past clients, so you know that you are in great hands when you work with him.