No tree, so Handan doesn’t have to move her tables and carts and shelves full of paints and supplies and frames and brushes and tools and fit them into another room for the season, only to drag them all back out on December 26 th. There are no wreaths to hang with numb hands while booted feet perch on the ice-rimed rungs of a rickety ladder.Īnd there is no 10-foot Christmas tree sprouting from our living room floor in the space where Handan normally crafts. There are no lights to wrestle with outside – searching for the stupid blown bulbs with frozen fingers while trying not to step on more bulbs or trip over the whole tangled mess. What would you rather stuff into your face on Thanksgiving? Dry turkey with half-congealed gravy, green bean casserole and ambrosia or a juicy steak seared over hot coals? That’s what I thought.Īs we head into Christmas, stress levels at The Navage Patch are at an all-time low. Instead of cooking for three days and then running around like a headless chicken on Thanksgiving Day, I was able to socialize, relax and be in the moment with my family. Thoughts of a grand and complicated turkey-based feast were quietly shelved in favor of simple steak and mashed potatoes. It was bliss.īy Thanksgiving, we were caught in the minimalist slipstream, and we liked it. Only the dogs’ barking marked the arrival of candy-grabbers on our front porch while we sat unaware, watching scary movies and eating popcorn.

But throughout, Handan and I sat by the fire and watched a movie. They got greedy anyway, despite our admonitions. We put out a bowl of candy and a sign warning the little ghouls and goblins not to get greedy. We tested its waters and took it easy on Halloween night. We were tired, and the minimalist current offered rest. It beckoned with a promise of less stress and more freedom.

We first felt its gentle tug back in October while Handan was scrambling to get her spooky projects completed after spending months preparing for Halloween. There’s a minimalist current flowing through the season. This DIY wooden Christmas tree looks great and is easy to make! A minimalist Christmas tree is a great way to save space (and energy!) this holiday season.

Minimalist christmas tree graphic hd