Is there anything more magical than the month of December? The painful loss of afternoon sunlight is offset by the warm twinkly lights inside and out. Kids come home with wonderful holiday projects in green, red, silver and gold and our house smells like pine and baking. Out come the chunky sweaters and coats which initially feel comfy vs cumbersome. We enjoy holiday celebrations with colleagues, families and friends and we overindulge and overindulge and overindulge!

AND THEN COMES JANUARY…

The 4pm dusk feels cold and uninviting and our mantels suddenly go from joyful to ordinary.

So what do we do about the New Years blues? How do we make the glow of December last? Can we re-purpose the happy string of lights? Here are some ideas that we are going to try at home…we need something to get us through the rest of the winter!!

http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/g2870/keep-your-holiday-decor-up/

http://www.countryliving.com/home-design/g2921/winter-decorating-ideas/

http://thenester.com/2011/01/post-christmas-decorating.html

http://www.today.com/home/easiest-indoor-house-plants-won-t-die-you-t73006