Feng Shui Holiday Tips from our Experts!
Where did the year go? How did it happen so fast? Prepare for the impending season with our unique set of Feng Shui Holiday Tips – from the experts at the International Feng Shui Guild! Focus on meaning and bring balance to your lives and spaces this year!
It feels like the holiday season starts sooner and sooner every year. Which means the potential for chaos and over-scheduled lives also can start earlier. From Thanksgiving (Canada and US) and Hanukkah overlapping to Christmas, Kwanza, and New Years Eve, with Chinese New Year not far behind – there is something for everyone. Add in office and neighborhood parties, class plays, shopping, wrapping, cooking to name a few. And even if you don’t go big and crazy for the holidays, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of it all.
This year, how about bringing Feng Shui into the mix. Balance the chaos with calm, use the Five Elements in your décor, clear your clutter and clean your space (not just for holiday guests but for yourself as well), and exercise as much self care as you can muster. From several of our experts, try any or all of these tips…
“Give yourself freedom from ‘stuff.’ You have permission to toss the cards as soon as you open them and acknowledge the senders in your thoughts. (Doesn’t that feel better?) But if you want to display them, put them in the family gua. Toss them as soon as you put all your decorations away for the year. And the same thing for gifts. Remind yourself that it is the thought that counts. So, if you receive something that you don’t love, need, fit into, or even want – get it out of your house! DO NOT FEEL GUILTY! DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO STORE IT OR DISPLAY IT! Just say no to clutter!!!!!!!”
~~Karen Rauch Carter
“Beautify your side doors. If you regularly enter your home through a side door, give it a beauty treatment by planting lush plants or holiday lights nearby. Make your guests feel as if they are entering your “castle” no matter which door they enter.”
~~Debra Duneier
“Bring in the Earth Element. The earth element is a symbol of stability. People feel more grounded when the earth element is present in a space. Symbols of earth include earth tones, square shaped items, heavy items, ceramic, brick, or clay. The grounding energy of earth will assist you in staying calm in the midst of big changes.”
~~Ann Kucera
“Set the Holiday Dinner Table. A festive table set with shiny items such as silver serving pieces, sparkling crystal and china adds excitement to the holiday dinner. Using candles will emanate a natural energy and enhance the soothing effects of dimmed lights. Dress the holiday dinner table by striking the perfect balance between the fire element of red napkins for a festive mood and the calming elements of green and cream colored linens. Round or oval tables are best for Feng Shui friendly dining. In fact, circular shapes are symbolic of eternal unity and intimacy. If you do have a rectangular dining table, to ensure everyone gets along, set your table with a tablecloth to smooth the hard edges. Make sure your guests are not seated too close to the corners. This can cause a feeling of agitation, and if people feel uncomfortably confined, they will be more likely to argue.”
~~Michelle Luongo
Shift the spirit of the season. “As children grow and move away, living and thriving in their own lives, how we celebrate the holidays has shifted… There is a shift in the consciousness of our young people today. They are moving from the material world into a mindfulness and appreciation for living a more simple life aware of their relationship to the greater good…This is a move to the Spirit of the Season.
“This holiday season, celebrate Family. Enjoy a robust, home cooked meal infused with all kinds of love. Tell jokes around the fireplace (even electric), laugh and shar in the Spirit of the Season. Simplify decorations to a few on the mantel or a bay window and focus on the spirit and the meaning of the holidays. Balance remains intact and with it a deeper sense of appreciation for the home that is a house to our spirits.”
~~Bridget Saraka
“Thoughtfully consider holiday décor. Consider a new holiday color scheme. Choose muted colors for calmer holidays. Outdoor lights should reinforce the front door and pathway. Do not draw the eye to outlying bushes or hedges. Invest in decorative items such as tassels, silver bowls or attractive glassware which can be used to create year-round joy.”
~~Mary Swick
“Pay attention to yourself. For some people, the constant activity at this time of the year is positive and it helps to energize the yin of the winter months. For others, the pressure to go against the natural order of things creates serious imbalances and creates undue stress at this time of the year.
“If you find that you become stressed out at this time of the year, see if you can allow yourself the luxury of relaxation. Scale back your social commitments, reduce your compulsion to over decorate, over shop and over eat. Take the time to be alone, to meditate perhaps, or soak in a hot bath.
“If you love the constant activity that has been created around this yin time, go for it! Enjoy the parties, soak up the lights, and celebrate the season.”
~~Mia Staysko
“Display inspiration, intention, and beauty. The holidays are a time of joy and sharing. Consider decorating some of your bushes and trees in the front yard with ribbons. And on the ribbons you can write your desires, things like ‘I’m open to the joy of receiving more money for less work’ and ‘I’m looking forward to sharing my skills with a new company.'”
~~Donna Stellhorn
“Get outside. We need fresh air and sunlight, both of which are hard to come by at this time of the year. If you can’t go hiking, or don’t have a dog to walk, do your holiday shopping outdoors. Most cities and towns have neighborhoods with street access stores. Shop there rather than the mall, the merchandise is usually more interesting anyway!”
~~Nicolette Vajtay
