With 15 days until Christmas, we here at Si & Oui pulled together a list of our go-to ways to simplify things this season. Here are go-to ways to get things done when time and money is tight at Christmas.
Give the Gift of Food
Who doesn’t love cookies? A beautiful gift like these can be made with love or purchased at a local bakeshop. Being a small business ourselves, we love when people shop local and shop small. If giving food isn’t in the cards, why not give back with food. Food banks and food drives are easy to access this time of year and so many initiatives do fantastic work. Supporting any number of charities goes such a long way. Here are a few of our favourites:
Sick Kids Get Better: Cookies For All
Confetti Sweets Cookies For a Cause
Elspeth Hayward Centre for Women
And we can’t forget our furry friends…Toronto Humane Society
Simplify the Tree
If you are like us and need a bit of variety in your own home, changing up the Christmas tree may be in the cards. This year we suggest moving from multi colour ornaments to a single colour and build in a variety of tones and textures in that colour.
Skip the gift wrap
This year we say skip the gift wrap (kids’ gifts excluded) and stick to beautiful ribbon and simple boxes. For best results use wired ribbon which can be easily manipulated and will create a luxury look for very little money. This is an effective way to save on paper and create a lovely, thoughtful gift.
Choose One Focal Point for the Dinner Table
There is no need to purchase a table full of holiday themed accessories, one bold piece will do all the heavy lifting. This year, we say invest in a few statement plates and to jazz up your daily dinnerware. Styling a dining table can be overwhelming but the truth is a well put together table does not need an abundance of decor.
To make sure your investment works for you, choose something that works with the rest of your home and make sure you truly love it – never buy something like this just for the sake of having it.
Paint Something
Tired of all your old decorations? Paint them. Paint an ornament, a wreath, a decorative object that lives on your fireplace year after year. There is no limit to what you can paint so get creative! Tip: Don’t paint outdoors if you live in a cold climate, stay indoors and keep the room well ventilated. Painting in the cold keeps the paint from adhering pro.
Paint Something
Tired of all your old decorations? Paint them. Paint an ornament, a wreath, a decorative object that lives on your fireplace year after year. There is no limit to what you can paint so get creative! Tip: Don’t paint outdoors if you live in a cold climate, stay indoors and keep the room well ventilated. Painting in the cold keeps the paint from adhering pro.
Happy Holidays and Happy Decorating this season from all of us here at Si and Oui!
