By ‘go neutral’, we aren’t referring to decorating your Christmas tree in shades of tan and gray, but rather decorating for the holidays without specifically calling out one or another of the traditional holiday themes and religious following.

In today’s culturally diverse world, it is indeed a challenge to decorate a public space such as an office lobby in a way that will not offend someone who doesn’t feel that their holiday has been recognized. A similiar challenge can exist in households that are multi-cultural and have parents of different religious backgrounds. Of course one could simply opt out of decorating during the holiday season. Baa Humbug!

Other ways to address the subject are to celebrate the season by celebrating nature’s beauty, or in the appropriate settings, decorating in an ultra modern fashion that breaks away from the traditional color schemes and themes.

Lights are one of the best ways to recognize the holiday season. When we see the sparkling white lights start to go up on the trees along populated shopping areas, it is a sure cue that the holidays are fast approaching. Stay with white lights versus red, green or blue to walk the neutral décor line.

If an evergreen tree is going up, decorate it with organic elements such as feathers, pomegranates, berries, apples, pears, pine cones, white birch branches, and faux animals such as birds. Colorful ribbon cascading down from the top of the tree is a good replacement for a traditional star or angel topper. Candles are also a fabulous way to decorate. Because live flames and dripping wax can be a safety hazard, we recommend candles that are lit with LED lights that are surprisingly realistic looking. To get the scents of the holidays, use live flowers wherever possible. Forget the Poinsettias and use festive options like Narcissus and Amaryllis plants. A large bowl of oranges studded with cloves is beautiful looking and great way to get a delicious scent wafting through the foyer of your home or an office reception area.

Some other non-traditional color scheme options could be silver, white and purple, or a sophisticated black, white and red scheme. Candy apple green and electric blue are sure to get attention and works well in contemporary settings. Snowmen and snowflakes are always fun, especially for environments where there are young children present. Silver and gold can also be used to evoke a feeling of elegance. Tiffany box blue with silver and white is another upscale color scheme to consider.

If you are decorating for a modern style setting, forget the fir, and go for the ‘bling’. Get a silver or pink tinfoil tree and decorate with purple, lime green, red and vibrant blues. Hang small faux trees upside down from the ceiling in groups of three or five. For a table centerpiece, fill a large black glass bowl with brightly colored ornaments of different sizes and shapes. Before guests arrive, implant a tall taper candle in the middle of the bowl (don’t forget to adhere the candle to the base of the bowl firmly!).

The key to holiday decorating in a non-denominational fashion is to forget ‘tradition’ and have fun with colors shapes and lights. There are no rules so don’t be afraid to break them.