FRAZIER: Less can be more in Christmas decor

Published 4:00 am Saturday, December 4, 2021

Coco Channel once said less can be more.

Naturally, the French designer was talking about fashion, but I have decided to let her wise words apply to my Christmas decorating this year. Instead of dragging out my entire Santa collection and emptying all the boxes of decorations, I am going to be selective in what gets put on display.

I had been toying with this notion for a while since some of my little DIY projects I started a couple of months ago have taken me more time to finish than I expected.

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But after seeing my mom’s house decorated, I made a final decision.

She had interior designer Mary Kaylin Gray come in and decorate. I think Mary Kaylin is a genius when it comes to getting your house ready for the holidays.

A few years ago, when I was just swamped at work, I called to see if she would just come to decorate my front door.

Let me just say, when I got home from work and saw what she had done, tears came to my eyes. It was so beautiful.

She has done the same for mom — decorated her front door — but this year she did the inside of her house, too.

What was amazing is how she used mom’s decorations, just not all of them. Mom has tons of carolers, but this Christmas, they are taking the year off.

But not the elves, though. Mary Kaylin pulled them all out. Mom was shocked at how many of those little fairies she had.

In the past when they had been interspersed amongst the other décor, they just didn’t stand out. But this year, Santa would have no problem finding a helper at her house. There are elves hanging from the kitchen chandelier, tied to door wreaths, and perched on the Christmas tree.

Mary Kaylin even plopped one in a chair.

The elf effect, as you could say, was magical.

I came home a bit depressed since I have only begun the process of decorating. However, seeing mom’s home helped me come to a final decision: some of my Christmas decorations will stay packed away.

It was a tinge sad, to think all my baubles and bows will not be adorning my house. But I reminded myself, just because some decorations will remain tucked away doesn’t mean they will not get to shine next year.

I think Coco Channel would be proud of me.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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