The holidays are going to look a little different this year!

OK…that’s an understatement.

COVID-19 has knocked us all for a loop in our personal and professional lives. At Little Bee of CT, we’re gearing up for the season of feasts, the season of joy and the season of togetherness. However, because of the current situation in our world, we’re going to celebrate this holiday season with immediate family only.

Are your extended families and friends also opting to stay home and stay safe, rather than traveling to family gatherings and parties? We’re betting that will be a YES for most of you.

It is certainly a hard decision to make no matter where you live.

How will this affect your holiday traditions?

Does this mean that the holidays are going to be cancelled? No. It does not! We won’t allow the pandemic to take the holiday season from us. And neither should you!

What this new normal means for us is that we can now slow the pace of our entertaining, opt for quality over quantity, and make the holidays even more special than we could have hoped. It’s time to pull out the fancy china and glassware. Set a sparkling table. (Complete with hand-rolled beeswax candles, naturally!) Create new traditions that in years to come will be happy cherished memories. Take cozy family portraits around the table or fireplace. With a small group of people, it can be both manageable and memorable.

Whether you have a working fireplace or not… a corner of your room, a table, a shelf, whatever you have available can be the setting for a brilliant focal point.   Surround a few beautiful candles with unique ornaments, greenery trimmed from shrubs, bowls of pinecones, scraps of birch bark, inexpensive sparkly sprigs from craft stores….the possibilities are ENDLESS… to create a beautiful vignette in your space.

And that is the PROBLEM, right?  So many ideas, which one to choose?! :)

We started with our fireplace.  Though it is large and beautiful, it is not used to burn wood – only candles!  We took on the challenge of not just creating one example of fireplace design, we created three unique designs, all using various re-purposed, borrowed, salvaged and inexpensive props.  (We sometimes like to overachieve!) Three very different feels, but each appealing to a wide range of tastes, and all delivering the coziness that I think we are all seeking this season. What do you think? Do you have a favorite?

Simple and Sparkly

Nature Inspired

Playful Vintage

We’ve also been thinking about how we will entertain this year.  In years past, we would host a Christmas Day celebration for 30+ adults and kids.  Complete with all the mayhem that goes with a large family gathering. This year, it will be for a party of five. Simple, elegant, and we are hoping… still very special.

I think we’re also feeling a bit more sentimental this year because we’ve been forced to slow down, move our work spaces into our homes, and step out of our normal routines. Spending this much time in our homes, and with each other, has made us really stop and look around at our space…what we call home. We want to make the holidays shine for so many reasons this year. Have you felt it also?

We’ve noticed that the use of vintage items is really appealing to us, now more than ever.  Somehow we have had a tiny bit more free time (we’re commuting a LOT less) and have been able to research the things we love, watch home decor videos, see what you all have been posting on your social channels, and we really have noticed a trend back to the nostalgic. A cherished holiday tablecloth, a few pieces of red depression glass, and colorful ornaments are reminding us of a simpler time. Setting our table with these pieces feels somehow true to our roots, and maybe we’ve missed some of that history in years past.

So, if we opt for a dinner celebration, the use of timeless tartan with evergreens really sets a specific mood, and could actually be used all winter long.  We really like the New England feel of the table set with multiple pillar candles woven through with greenery but love that it’s still a look that is easily transferrable into many home styles.

No matter what your style, rolled-beeswax candles will elevate your decor with a sophisticated ambiance. Please message us at info@littlebeeofct.com to share your story, and some photos! We will share our favorites on our social media pages.

In closing, there are many things we wish for you this holiday season (health, happiness), but most of all, we wish for you… peace.

Make sure to follow @littlebeeofct on Instagram and Facebook to see what we’re getting up to each week! And look for our next free giveaway, with a golden honey theme, which will be posted this week! And, boy is it a SWEET one!

Thank you for supporting Little Bee of CT and the busy beekeepers around the world!