HOW TO: Decorating For Christmas.

By Pamela Agboga.

Seasons greetings. And how’s your Christmas budget? Even if you have no children to remind you, you still need to get the new outfits that you’ll wear for Christmas day and to enter the New Year. It is a serious matter, I tell you. When I was in secondary school a friend of mine told me her mother usually emptied her fridge and freezer by December 31 and cooked new food by January 1 of the New Year. Fear did not let me ask her if it was not last year’s ingredients she was using. Or did they catch the fish that day and dry it for the soup? WORD OF WISDOM: Sometimes, you need to look at the size of your conversation partner before committing a slappable offence.  Well, if you are like me you would like to decorate for Christmas. Makes more sense than slaving in the kitchen on New Year’s morning when there are knockouts and bangers to throw. Lets get some things down that will help you when decorating. 1. Decide your budget now: Do not wait until you get to the market with 20K for cooking and decorating, and then wander into the decoration section (sometimes, in special Lagos markets LIKE YABA, you might be dragged bodily into the section, that is no excuse. Once the boy lets go of your hand, turn and run back to the main line and go where you were going! ). If you don’t do that you will spend too much on decorating things that catch your eye and be short on money for other important things. 2. Look at your house and decide: Please do not go to the GRA in your town and look at their houses if you are an average tenant that wants to decorate. Homeowners are at liberty to decorate up to their mango and pawpaw trees. Tenants, have you paid your rent? Do you really want the landlord to remember his plan to increase rent by 20% at the next renewal date? Answer in your mind and plan your decorating accordingly (i.e. concentrate on INSIDE your flat). A wreath on the outside of your door is okay… if you don’t have light fingered neighbours. And please work with the colours in your house, Christmas colours are white red and green, you can use one, two or three colours, just let it blend and not stick out in your beautiful home. 3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: If you have old decorations get them out and inspect them thoroughly.  Lights in good condition can go on your tree, if the lights are faulty (particularly if made in China) consider letting them go. Electrical sparks still start fires. That has not changed. So if you need them, get new lights. Abroad, the children make tree ornaments, and they use them without blinking, so encourage your kids and save some money for more chicken.  If no kids, take it easy on the tree, few ornaments on a small tree is fine. 4. To some things old, add some things new: Get a tree, some lights on the tree, maybe around the house (up above the curtain hangers), bulbs for your tree, shiny trailing thingies- these are the basics.  REMEMBER TO KEEP THE CONTAINERS YOUR DECORATIONS CAME IN. Details on that later. 5. A baby for Christmas:  If you have little children, or they are coming over (Grandma and Grandpa, this is for you) elevate your ornaments and wiring.  And don’t make the tree too attractive (that was a joke, I’m laughing. Even a bare tree is attractive to a crawler/toddler). Just watch those rugrats. 6. Light ‘em up: As PHCN and  tanker drivers (for generating fuel)  permit. Leave lights on every night through the season. Turn out a few light bulbs in the area and enjoy the soft ambience of the night. Children sleep earlier too, if you play Christmas music. The soft ones.  Oh the memories! 7. Pack up and store properly: Well, some good things must come to an end. Get a nice box to store the valuables. You’ll need them again next year. Remember the containers your stuff came in? Well, they go right back in there at the New Year. Lights that came in the flat boxes should be replaced in each hole; trust me, that way you can use them for five more years.  Don’t shake your head. Michelle Obama repeats her dresses and she’s the wife of the American President, who the heck are you? So, in summary: Don’t go over your budget, do not buy what you do not need, use it well, and then pack it up neatly. Watch the kids around the stuff too, and have a safe and wonderful Christmas, with all the trimmings.