Pillowscapes

October 28, 2023

I have over 53 decorative pillows. In one house. They rotate seasonally with some sprinkled in the living room, the front room, and bedrooms, others in the basement for decoration, and others in the basement in storage. Seasons change and they retreat or debut. When the leaves turn crimson and orange, and drift from trees like large colorful snowflakes, out comes burnt orange velvet pillows, orange buffalo check, navy and gold which are later traded for tartan plaids and red Christmas pillows, followed by winterscape. When the days grow longer, the leaves reborn and the world is inchworm green, out comes yellow and white stripes, blue summer sky checks, hot pink and bright turquoise.

There may be more (there are) but some things you are better off not knowing like how many seasonal pillows you own. Yes Marie Kondo, it brings me tidings of great joy to own over 50 decorative pillows.

Christmas pillows take a large chunk of the stash. Once in my early 20s, a dream was born while casually flipping through a Pottery Barn catalog with winter-themed bedrooms complete with Christmas tartan sheets and matching decor woven throughout the room. I knew at that moment one day I would have coordinated Christmas bedrooms where the sheets matched the decor which matched the pillows, matched the season. Now every year on Black Friday while Americans are pouring into malls across this great land fulfilling their supersaver dreams buying smart TVs and tablets, and cashmere sweaters for 19.99, I am living my dream of coordinated bedroom decor. The regular flannel sheets are traded for flannel red and green plaids, grey with reindeer, and soft blues with ice skates and snow, matching pillows and bedroom decor to complete the room and my Pottery Barn dreams.

An unrealized dream is to own the Spode Thanksgiving china. My heart skips a beat every time I see it. I watch it go on sale every December but the practical side of me won’t allow it. After all, I don’t even host Thanksgiving so there is that. And fighting against gluttony, I already have 2 sets of Christmas china which comes out before Thanksgiving along with the Santa mug collection. I have over 32 crates of seasonal storage in my basement. By death cleaning standards I am abhorrent. By my standards, some have the NFL and the Final Four, I have pillows.

I watched the Netflix series on the Minimalists. If they toured my house they would grimace at the plethora of holiday decor. Or maybe they would be proud of me when I would tell them this past spring at Target I found soft blue felt bunny pillows. And I didn’t purchase them. Even though it is the only holiday without decorative pillows. I lifted with reverence and grace, spring pastels with pompoms and my heart soured. And recalling the bunnies that multiply like bunnies all over my house, with great restraint and strength I didn’t know I had, I lifted the pillows from my shopping cart and with trembling hands placed them back on the shelf. I walked away, my heart shattering into a million pieces. Only to have my sister offer me a large blue check Easter bunny pillow the following week. I know I manifested that pillow. And the dear Lord above knew what bunny pillows meant to me and wanted me to have it.

Just last week in Adli, with a will of steel and grit I didn’t purchase the glass retro Christmas trees. Even though for years I have admired them, and longed for them. It took all the determination I could muster to push through, to keep walking, to not give up or give in with my eyes straight ahead. I dared not turn for one last glance knowing I didn’t have the strength to resist such beauty.

I don’t know the genesis of my holiday decor obsession. Maybe it started with my doll house when I was a young girl. Or maybe it’s too many Martha Stewart magazines. Or maybe I feel your home is an extension of you, and life should be celebrated. And I want my family to feel peace, calm, and happiness when they enter.

My grandmother had seasonal drapes. I remember her dining room, where we would gather every Sunday for brunch after mass, all aunts and uncles and cousins, brothers and sisters gathered together, elbow to elbow about the table. During the spring and summer, she had light breezy drapes and in the fall they would be taken down, and replaced with rich heavy velvet ones caccooning us in dark earthy tones. I felt a thrill when she changed the drapes. The ceremony of a new season, a new start, a new holiday to celebrate. Maybe one day my children will see Byer’s Choice Carolers and know the magic of the season has arrived. Or catch out of the corner of their eye wooden nutcrackers lined at attention. And they will remember the yearly tradition of the Nutcracker with the Pennsylvania Ballet and our collection standing watch. They will see needlepoint Christmas stockings and feel a wave of nostalgia remembering Christmas morning and rushing down the stairs to see what treasures the man in the red suit left them. Or see ceramic bunnies and recall baskets filled with treats, candy, and love.

And so dear Marie Kondo, and Minimalists. I hear you. I get it. I love cleaning out a junk drawer and closet and feel the rush of satisfaction of reducing and donating unused items. But I draw the line at my pilgrims, my pumpkins and ceramic jack-o-lanterns, my turkeys, my shamrock pillow, and leprechauns. Life is for the living. Celebrate what is before you, bunny pillows and all.

written by Mary Kate O’Malley

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Category: Random and Fun
Tags: children, christmas, decor, decorating, decorations, Easter, family, fun, holiday, home goods, love, marie kondo, martha stewart, minimalists, mom blog, mom life, mommy blog, mommy life, netflix, parenting, pillows, shopping, st patricks day, teens, thanksgiving |