Ready your home to cheer on Team USA at the Winter Olympics
Time to get your red, white and blue on as the 2018 Winter Olympics are taking place through Feb. 25 in PyeongChang.
But rather than take a trip a trip to South Korea, why not enjoy the Olympics in the comfort of your own home?
Curl up on your couch with some hot chocolate, a sandwich or chips and a dip to watch skiing, skating, sledding, hockey and don鈥檛 forget curling. But it can even more fun if you make your house festive by brightening it with some Olympic spirit.
The winter games are a great reason to decorate as you can choose a patriotic theme of red, white and blue to cheer on Team USA.
鈥淵ou can have it year round because so many people decorate with patriotic d茅cor every day,鈥� said Sheila Gabler, owner of Sheila鈥檚 Home in Uniontown. 鈥淲e always have red, white and blue.鈥�
Gabler said her store offers placemats, pillows and throws in red, white and blue. She talked about adding that extra touch with Nora Fleming Minis, which are decorative miniature sculptures that can be placed on serving plates, tissue holders or decorative vases, such as an Uncle Sam hat, and Corkcicle red, white and blue canteens that hold coffee, soup and water.
鈥淲e have tea towels that you can throw over an oven handle. We are big into home d茅cor with pillows, seat covers, lighting, wreaths and stars 鈥� you鈥檇 be surprised how many are decorated with patriotic themes,鈥� said Gabler.
If you are going with American d茅cor, there鈥檚 nothing like flags.
鈥淎lways put a flag outside your front door,鈥� said Charlotte Connors of Charlotte鈥檚 Custom Draperies and Home Fashions in Waynesburg, who mentioned she has a couple of historic flags that she usually pulls out for Independence Day.
Bill James, of Neubauer鈥檚 Market House in Uniontown, said you can carry the theme with candles and flowers in patriotic colors.
鈥淓ven a few stems of flowers 鈥� you don鈥檛 need a lot,鈥� said James. 鈥淎dd some flags, some ribbon.鈥�
Connors noted that colorful red, white and blue decorations, such as in pillow, table runners and wreaths, can do much to brighten your home.
鈥淓specially in the winter when it鈥檚 so gloomy after Christmas,鈥� Connors said.
But, of course, these are the Winter Olympics so go ahead and enjoy snow themes.
Stefanie McCulloch, owner of Broad Avenue Treasures in Belle Vernon, said, 鈥淲hen I take down my Christmas decorations, I keep up snowflakes and snowmen. I keep up the pine. It鈥檚 okay to have it up with white lights and blue lights.鈥�
James suggested, 鈥淵ou could get artificial snow and put it on a lantern 鈥� just a subtle hint of snow and snowflakes.鈥�
You can incorporate winter sports into your decorating as well.
McCulloch said, 鈥淚 have old wooden skis that you could put on your porch and crisscross with a wreath or put a sprig of green and pine cones with them. You could also hang a heart on it for Valentine鈥檚 Day.鈥�
McCulloch continued, 鈥淲e re-purposed old, wooden sleds and made them into shelving units. We have one on display now. You can have vintage ice skates on your door and put sprigs of green in them. Polish the blades so they don鈥檛 have rust on them.鈥�
You can also add touches of red, white and blue to these pieces, including lights, McCulloch said. Add a small flag to the skates you might put on display.
Decorating makes watching the Olympics exciting.
鈥淎bsolutely 鈥� you are representing your country at your home,鈥� said McCulloch.
That includes cheering on nine athletes from Pennsylvania: Summer Britcher, of Glen Rock, luge; Jamie Greubel Poser, of Newton, bobsled; Ryan Gunderson, of Bensalem, ice hockey; Chad Kolarik, of Abington, ice hockey; John-Henry Krueger, of Pittsburgh, speedskating; Brian O鈥橬eil of Yardley, ice hockey; Andrew Sherk of Fort Washington, luge; Jayson Terdiman of Berwick , luge; and Ryan Zapolski of Erie, ice hockey.
In addition, California University alumnus Matt Antoine, of Wisconsin, will compete as part of the men鈥檚 skeleton team.
And with over two weeks of sports, McCulloch said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a holiday season.鈥�
The Olympics are also great to watch with company so you might want to plan an Olympic-themed party around your favorite sports, such as ice skating, skiing or hockey.
Connors suggested using red, white and blue for your menu, maybe in colorful cookies or white popcorn.
You could add a red punch, use red, white and blue plates and/or napkins and place red, white and blue tablecloth or flowers.
If you prefer, incorporate the Olympic colors of blue, yellow, black, green and red into your decorations or party theme again with plates and napkins and even do-it-yourself crafts, such as making the Olympic rings.
While James likes subtle decorations, he said, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e having a party, you can have more, like Mylar balloons in those colors.鈥�
James also mentioned doing a winter party with ice molds and candles.
Don鈥檛 forget an Olympic theme allows you to use food from around the world as you plan your party menu and root for all the athletes.
And you can always make up your own Olympic events to play as you and your guests enjoy the party.
So when you鈥檙e not outside playing winter sports, enjoy the Winter Olympics in your own home.
Go USA!