A Massachusetts homeowner shares her holiday decorating tips that are sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.
For many of us at Christmas, it’s the little things that matter the most, and it’s also when reminiscences of Christmases past generate our most special holiday memories.
Maybe it’s the memory of spending Christmas eves at your grandparents’ house. Or making the cookies and cocoa for Santa. Or leaving homemade reindeer food for the reindeer outside on the lawn.
It’s Really About Family
Old traditions such as these have been passed down for generations and hold a warm place in the hearts of home designer April Metrick Tedeschi, her husband Rich and their three children, Autumn, Hunter and Tyler.
Their quaint beach cottage—in its perfect historical setting in downtown Plymouth, Massachusetts—is the best-loved gathering place for April’s extended family for the holidays. April has her own formative holiday memories: When April was a young girl, Christmas was always very special to her.
“It was never about the presents,” April points out. “It was about family. Christmas Eve was always spent at my grandparents’ house. They would have an open house with lots of family and friends. I remember that one Christmas eve (I was around 9), we drove all night to surprise my grandparents, who lived in Canada at the time. It’s the memories of family and the feeling that it brings to my heart that I want to pass down to my children.”
Decking the Halls for Holiday Memories
It would be a bit of an understatement to say that April doesn’t love decorating for the holidays. In fact, she starts the day after Halloween, and it takes about three weeks until she’s perfected the look.
“Every year, I tend to do a different color scheme,” April explains. “A couple of special items from my childhood—a candy dish and a candle holder—make an appearance, front and center.”
April bedecks five trees throughout her home. These include three small trees—one for each of her children. These trees are filled with their homemade ornaments, one faux fir and a fresh Nova Scotia balsam fir.
April is a proud “maximalist” at Christmastide, and she extends the décor to almost every room in her home … even the kitchen receives a generous dose of holiday cheer.
April adds that “at Christmas, I like to decorate with classic red and gold via holiday poinsettias and winter greens.”
A brand-new, Cape Cod-style kitchen designed by April and her husband features custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, indigo damask peel-and-stick wallpaper and state-of-the-art appliances.
The overall comfort level is maximized with an eat-in kitchen/sitting room, electric fireplace and a large, built-in television that brings watching movie classics such as Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” by the fireside extra warm and cozy.
For April, Christmas has always embodied the warmth and comfort of family and making magical moments, holiday memories: “I would have my kids sit on the stairs and wait until I put Christmas music on, put the cinnamon rolls in the oven and take their picture,” April says. “Then, they’d run downstairs for the excitement of opening their gifts.”
Christmas at the Tedeschi household is unmistakable: It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Looking for more ideas on setting the stage for holiday memories in your home? You may also love Christmas Curb Appeal: A Bungalow Beauty in Boise and A Natural, Nostalgic and Nautical Christmas Cottage. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of cottage inspiration!
