Christmas decorating should be about comfort, happiness
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Jessica Barton, owner of The Refined Table in downtown Cleveland, loves decorating for Christmas and sharing the season’s joy through how her store is decorated. She suggests starting with a good garland, like the one behind her on the mantle at her store. (Photo/Samantha Sinclair)
by Samantha Sinclair
White County News
Lights glitter in downtown Cleveland from one business before all the others this season. Jessica Barton, owner of The Refined Table, said he decorated her windows for the people sitting in traffic — she hoped it would bring joy to commute home on their way home from work.
Barton opened her business in 2020 in Colonial Plaza, and when the space opened up facing the square, she moved in.
She always wanted to open her own business, but did what she wanted to do. In 2010, she made opening a business a goal, and in 2019, she found her focus.
“I knew I love home decorating,” Barton said. “I love decorating.”
She had some setbacks — a health issue for her husband, then the pandemic started. They prayed hard about it, and decided continue to go for it.
She loves decorating and sharing ideas with others, but she definitely has a favorite time of year for decorating.
“Christmas is definitely our favorite,” Barton said.
This year, she’s changed her own strategy for decorating. She feels that sometimes we get so carried away with trying to put out everything and traditions that we lose sight of what’s really important.
“Christmas is what you want it to be… Christmas is about comfort,” she said. “Christmas is about what makes you feel good.”
She’s pulled family heirlooms and sentimental items for decorating her house — the important pieces — and has added a few new items to mix in with the important pieces.
“I do love mixing family heirlooms with the new,” she said.
Barton didn’t think everyone should change their strategy as she did, but she did have a few tips anyone can use.
- First, she thinks the pandemic changed the way people think about when to start their decorating. “People wanted to feel good,” Barton said. “My theory on it is, if it brings you joy and brings you happiness, by all means do it.”
- She said to start the decorating process with a good garland. “I love a good garland and building on top of that,” she said.
- She also loves mixing real with faux. In fact, she has a faux tree in her own home until they can get a real tree.
- When picking out a tree, she recommended checking the branches and making sure the needles are not already dry and falling out. She added that you can ask where the newest batch of trees are located, too.
- Once the tree is home, she recommends watering it every day.
- Christmas is just as much about the smells as it is about the sights. “I love making it smell like Christmas,” she said. “One way to do that is with great quality candles.”
- Guests can also benefit from some small decorating ideas. She suggested including water and snacks in the guest room, and having a charcuterie board piece filled in a gathering space. Both help keep guests out of the kitchen. She also suggested adding a signature cocktail to the gathering.