Home With Tess: Holidays are warm reminders of who we are
Last Sunday, on Christmas morning, I thought about my grandmother.
She’s not around anymore, so the holidays, of course, bring about memories of her.
But as I looked around my home that I’d been working so long to prepare and perfect for the holiday season, I thought about her some more: her love for all holidays, her affinity for celebrating, and her impeccable taste in home decor. She was by no means well off, but she somehow crafted a high-end look in her apartment with different shades of blue (her favorite color), French provincial-style furniture and handmade toile curtains.
I think, then, about her mother — my great-grandmother — who I had the privilege of knowing in my childhood years. While I was young when she passed away, I can still remember her apartment so clearly, decorated in a mint green color that she somehow made feel warm and stylish. I recall her cushy yet tasteful couch and the collection of antique dolls and figurines she kept protected in a glass display case.
Later that day, I went to my parents’ house, where we celebrated my son’s first Christmas. While I visit relatively often, I’m always blown away when I walk through the doors. Large hand-crafted tables greet you from the kitchen, while long red curtains (made by my mother), an ornate rug and a stone fireplace my dad installed radiate from the family room. My mother has perfected the art of curation, displaying a combination of prints and original paintings so that no wall looks too sparse nor overwhelmed.
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Sometimes, it admittedly feels a bit silly poring over something as seemingly frivolous as home decor. I obsess about details as minute as cabinet pulls; I spend months (sometimes even years) thinking about which paint to choose for walls.
But this holiday was a warm reminder of why I am who I am. I come from generations of decorators who, too, pored over the details and created an image that resides in my mind long after they’ve gone.
I’m not counting on my son to carry on the decor obsession passed on from my mom’s side of the family (although I’d be thrilled if he did), but I do hope he will have fond memories of the home my husband and I have created together.
As we head into the new year, I hope you do what makes you happy. Home decorating, playing an instrument, skydiving — whatever it is, I’ve seen how joy can shine through when you do something you love and leave a profound impact on the generations to come.
Email your questions to Theresa "Tess" Bennett at homewithtess@gmail.com and keep up with Tess on Instagram @homewithtess
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Home With Tess: Holidays are warm reminders of who we are
