When I was a teenager, we had an enormous pinecone wreath in our dining room. It started out as Christmas décor, full of ornaments and ribbon, but it never came down. Storage was at a premium, and the wreath was pretty fragile. Besides, my mother loved it and how it made the room feel cozy. It complemented the wood-paneled walls and 1970s vibe, so it stayed up year-round.
Instead of packing it away, Mom gave the wreath a creative refresh for every holiday or season. Pink and red hearts for Valentine’s Day. Faux flowers, pastel eggs, and bunnies in spring. Mini pumpkins and scarecrows in the fall. It was one wreath with many moods.
One day, a friend came over, and she kind of mocked it: “Why do you still have a Christmas wreath up?” she laughed. It annoyed me and, without missing a beat, I replied, “What do you mean? That’s the eternal wreath!” I said it to shut her down – and she even apologized for her “mistake.” But the idea stuck. Over time, that wreath became something more than a seasonal decoration; it became something we enjoyed on our terms, not the calendar’s.
If It Makes You Happy
These days, I see my mom’s spirit in how I decorate. I wasn’t ready to put my Bella Lux witch away last month, so she’s still on her bookcase perch in the living room, now wearing a construction paper pilgrim hat and making me smile. (I also see a Santa hat in her future!) My whimsical pumpkins that don’t overtly scream Halloween hang around long past October 31, too.
And I know I’m not alone. I have friends who decorate for Christmas well before Thanksgiving. I’ve had years when I didn’t decorate at all because it felt like pressure rather than pleasure. Some people put their trees up in August. Some keep a small tree or wreath up all year, adapting it for each season. Others swap out garden flags or interchangeable décor pieces that evolve with the holiday.
None of this is “wrong.” It’s simply honoring what feels right.
When Life Changes, So Do Our Traditions
As women in our 60s and beyond, many of us have stopped following rules that never served us in the first place. We know bliss doesn’t come in tidy, labeled boxes with expiration dates. We mix old and new traditions. We decorate slowly, spontaneously, and sometimes not at all. And if we leave things up longer, it’s because we’ve given ourselves permission to let joy linger.
It’s not laziness, disorganization, or being overly sentimental, and we don’t need to ask anyone whether something we want to do is “seasonally appropriate.”
The Nudge You Need
If you’ve ever hesitated because something felt “too early,” “too late,” or “not the right holiday yet,” consider this your permission to decorate based on delight – or skip it entirely. You might try:
- keeping one decorative piece out year-round and giving it seasonal updates.
- choosing versatile décor like wreaths, trees, lanterns, or ribbon that can shift with the seasons.
- skipping decorating when life feels heavy because your peace matters more than presentation.
Happiness doesn’t have a start date, and joy doesn’t end on January 2. Whether we fill our homes with sparkle or leave the bins untouched, the freedom to choose is always in season – just like the eternal wreath.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you decorate seasonally, keep favorite pieces out year-round, or skip decorating altogether? Have your traditions changed over time? What brings you joy when it comes to making your home feel like you? Share your thoughts and experiences with our community.
