Page 66 - The Hunt Winter 2021

In Wilmington Friends School’s statement of philosophy and beliefs, one of the purposes of education is defined as to “help students to develop self-discipline, resilience, and motivation to sustain their joy as lifelong learners.” We offer an environment of confidence with humility, where good humor can lend greater dignity to work. Friends is a place where students and teachers want to be.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season!
Deck Your Halls
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each shade to protect the bulb and socket from snow and sleet. She recently added a solar-powered chandelier to her outdoor entertaining area.
“I can’t wait to see it in the snow,” she says.
Parks also sets big baskets of blankets out on the deck so guests can bundle up as they gather around a fire table and make s’mores.
MAKE ROOM TO MINGLE
When interior designer Mike Dodson of Wilmington, Delaware, plans a party, he looks for opportunities to free up room for guests to mingle. On chilly December nights, he encourages hosts to keep stocks of beer and wine on a deck or back porch, where it stays cold without the need for large coolers that require lots of ice and gobble up floor space.
“I like to place a signature service bar in a prominent spot. For one party, we brought in a machine than made ice snowballs, which we doused with limoncello for a fun signature cocktail,” he says.
For a holiday event in Trolley Square, he pulled together textured and natural elements—pine cones, burlap, wooden platters and evergreens—to create rustic vignettes illuminated by twinkling white lights and lots of candles.
Mother Nature didn’t provide a natural dusting of white, so Dodson used spray-on snow to frost a sled, skis and snow shovel stationed by the front door.
DECKING THE HALLS
Interior designer Kate FitzGerald-
Wilks of Timeless Design in Landenberg, Pennsylvania, suggests taking inspiration from your existing color scheme in decking the halls for your holiday party.
“Incorporating seasonal décor that supports your home rather than sticking with the traditional—and often clashing— red-and-green theme will lend an air of sophistication,” she says. “Shimmery metallics and twinkly fairy lights are great choices, as they are both eye-catching and festive. Bring in fresh greens for the mantel and tabletops for a natural, classic touch.”
FitzGerald-Wilks’ vision of the perfect tree is simple, elegant and cohesive.
“If you love the outdoors, large pine cones and feathers are great,” she says.
“If you love the beach, jewel-encrusted shells, beachy colors and sand dollars are great accents. Just keep in mind that these themes would be difficult to merge. Don’t leave out the sentimental pieces, but also remember that the more dissimilar pieces you try to incorporate, the less cohesive your tree becomes.” HC
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Joy!