“The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there.” ~Ellie Rodriguez
I love this quote. It reminds me of being at my Grandma Millie’s house, twirling around her kitchen playing dress up, wearing her pink Mary Kay lipstick and a frock from the 40’s. My Grandma Millie was warmth ~ her home and heart was always open. We would sit at the table, {she, my mom, and I} dipping anisette toast cookies in hot cocoa and talk about anything and everything. She had so many stories to share, and she listened well, too.
Grandma Millie never grew old, age was truly just a number to her. She loved life and she LOVED the holidays. She would decorate with such enthusiasm, the spirit of a child with bright eyes twinkling while showing me and mom the latest additions to her holiday collection. Oh how I miss my Grandma. She passed away 9 years ago in January, but it feels like yesterday when we spent her last Christmas gathered around the tree sharing gifts and stories and love.
I think the way we decorate our homes gives our guests a glimpse of our hearts. And, the holiday season is a beautiful time to open our doors and let friends, family, and neighbors in, the way my Grandma Millie always did. I learned lots of lessons from her on how to create a space that exudes warmth. So, when this opportunity to work with Glade® on a campaign about creating a warm and inviting space came, it only seemed natural to share what I learned from my Grandma Millie:
1) Have mugs on the counter, waiting for guests to arrive. Yes, Grandma Millie always had a small rack of mugs out on the counter, ready to have a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa with anybody who rang her bell. I like to designate an area of my counter just for this purpose, and around the holidays I put the mugs, coffee, and cocoa into a festive basket so visitors can pick what they’d like to drink when they arrive! We like to jar up some winter spice blend coffee and have the mugs right next to it ready to make guests nice and warm…
2) Create calm and shimmer using candles. Grandma Millie loved candles, especially ones that filled her home with beautiful scents ~ there was always a candle centerpiece on her table. I love to cover our home with candles ~ the more the merrier, literally, just having candles shimmering around your home calms people naturally with both the visual sight of the candlelight and the scent of the candle. With a calm spirit, our joy shines through us even brighter!! So, the new Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection is sure to create an environment filled with love and shimmer ~ scents like Glade® Apple Cinnamon CheerTM, Glade® Sparkling SpruceTM,Glade ® Pure Vanilla JoyTM {don’t you just love that name?!} , and {my favorite} Glade® Frosted Berry KissTM bring true to life fragrance into your home beautifully.
You can spread them around your home simply and decoratively mixed in with pictures, on the mantle, or decorate the base of the candle with some fresh pine, maybe a sprig of sparkle, even a little winter white fur:
3) Keep small tokens of gratitude like food to share and trinkets out in the open. Whenever anybody left Grandma Millie’s they left with something. Whether it was a candy cane that was hung like garland around her living room, or a glittery ornament, she spread these small tokens of appreciation around her home, and on the way, she would share it. I like to do the same thing, keeping simple, homemade gifts around the house. My husband {aka “The Domesticated Dad”} is an amazing cook, so we like to jar up some of his guacamole or fresh made salsa and wrap it pretty, I make homemade spa treatments and Christmas cards to give to guests, and we spread some tokens that double as décor like a basket of journal books, mini frames with quotes on counters and shelves, and ornaments wrapped under the tree so when guests leave, they have a little something to take with them. You can even offer each visitor a flower as a simple sign of gratitude. My hubby surprised me with beautiful seasonal stems and I put them in a coffee can on the dining table…you get my drift:
How do you like to add warmth into your home around the holidays and all year long? Enter the “Add a New Sparkle” Sweepstakes— 100 winners will receive a $10 Target GiftCard to purchase a Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection product, plus a copy of Real Simple Celebrations!
Get festive this holiday season with the Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection available exclusively at Target. Inspired by the best feelings of the season, the Glade® Sweet Holiday Treat™ scent lets you indulge in the irresistible scent of rich cocoa, toasted nuts, and creamy caramel. The 2013 Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection was inspired by the nostalgic, spontaneous, snowy, moments that build up to the holidays. Creating memories with loved ones defines the season and the holiday lineup from Glade® is just as memorable.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Glade®. Of course, the opinions and text are all mine!
