A Home Away From Home
by Amille Bottom
photography courtesy of Pexels
Deck the halls and rock around the Christmas tree because the holidays are officially here! With Thanksgiving break in the past, the sun setting before 5 p.m. and finals rapidly approaching, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude. So, in the midst of the end-of-semester flurry, what’s the best way to brighten your mental horizon? Decorate for the holiday season! From Christmas and Hanukkah to New Year’s, read on for a list of affordable and dorm-safe ways to be festive!
Get Lit
One of the easiest ways to deck out a dorm room and make it feel less confining is by adding fun and bright lighting. Target offers a variety of affordable lighting options, including icicle lights, which add a touch of whimsical winter magic to any room for under $10! If you want something even more wintery, hang battery-operated fairy lights, like this snowflake strand, that come in a variety of holiday and winter-themed shapes and colors. The best things about these battery-operated lights are the fact that you can hang them anywhere (no outlet required) and reuse them year after year. Tape a few strands to your dorm room door, so that you can brighten up your whole floor and spread the holiday joy.
Head on Down to Tinseltown
Glitter, glitz and glam are the first things that come to mind when one pictures tinsel. Hang it over walls, windows and doors to achieve a dazzling holiday effect. For the ultimate shimmer, hang strands of tinsel, such as these 15-foot garlands, which are sold at Target for only $4, with lights! The warm glow of the lighting will reflect off of the tinsel and radiate light around the room. For more glamor, add a fringe backdrop over empty doorways; this would be especially perfect for New Year’s celebrations. The main perk of tinsel is that it can represent multiple holidays—simply customize your color combination to celebrate whatever you want!
Snooze in Style
Dorm rooms are infamous for having a lack of space. While it can be difficult to fit a Christmas tree and other bulky items into your room, you can always add more pillows to your bed! While pillows are a bit pricier, Target and Bed Bath & Beyond sell adorable designs for every holiday occasion that you can use for the rest of your college years. Various stores around Boston offer a wide array of Christmas and Hanukkah pillows that are sure to add a smile to your face each night.
Stock Up on Stockings
A simple way to add a personal touch to holiday decorating is to hang stockings. Personalize this decoration with a stocking specific to personality and name, either by purchasing one with initials or a certain design that matches your room aesthetic. While stockings, like pillows, are one of the pricier options, they can be used each holiday season. Living in a suite? Hang one for each roommate, then fill them as part of a Secret Santa gifting game! Living in a dorm room? Hang one on the door and fill it with holiday-themed candy so the whole floor can join in on the merriment!
Trim the Tree
While real Christmas trees aren’t allowed in dorm-room buildings, fake ones can add that last touch of holiday spirit. Target sells trees of all shapes and sizes, from ones over four feet to two-foot-tall tinsel trees! Once your tree has been purchased, have a tree trimming party! It’s a great reason to get together with friends; sip some hot cocoa, put on a Hallmark Christmas movie and deck the halls!
For that extra bit of Christmas feeling, purchase some pine-scented air freshener and enjoy the feeling of being in an enchanted forest.
Wonderful Windows
Finally, one of the ultimate space-saving (and cost-efficient) ways to decorate your room is through window decorations. Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart all sell window decals that add a festive feel to every view. From snowmen and snowflakes to Santa and his elves, winter is just a shopping-run away! Another great way to decorate windows is by putting stickers on them. Simply find a pack of holiday-themed stickers that spark your spirit, and turn up the festive fun! By adding these window decorations, you’ll enjoy those 4:45 p.m. sunsets infinitely more and won’t focus on the early darkness quite so much.
Happy holidays, Terriers!