Feng Shui Your Home for the Holidays

By: Karen Rauch Carter: iVillage
The holidays are the time of year you can temporarily add all kinds of chi-enhancing items to your home. Start by introducing yourself to the bagua (the feng shui road map) so you know where all of the key places in your home are.

Next, decide what your priorities are. For instance, do you want to have a harmonious family gathering this year? Add wood, such as a wreath or a Christmas tree, to the "family" area - the left, center of your home or room.

Do you want to improve your health or someone's health in your family? Add fire or sparkling objects, such as stars, twinkling lights or ornaments to the "heath" area - the center of your home or room. Or are you interested in getting more help from people around you? Add angels to the "helpful people" area - the left, front area of your home or room.

Here are nine different ways you can make a difference in your life - just by adding your favorite holiday decorations. Just decide which area (or two!) needs the most help:

Need to enhance your career? Add items that represent water to the front, center area of your home, such as:

    • Snowmen

    • Snowflakes

Want to bring your family closer together? Add items that represent wood to the left, center area of your home, such as:

    • Christmas tree

    • Hanukkah bush

    • Inherited decorations

    • Holly

Want people to think highly of you? Add items that represent fire to the back, center area of your home, such as:

    • Reindeer

    • Candles

    • Stars

    • Lights

    • Poinsettias

    • Menorah

    • Holly

Want to improve your health? Add items that represent earth to the center area of your home, such as:

    • A fresh centerpiece with real earth

    • Poinsettias

    • Fresh bowl of fruit or fruit basket

Want to get your creative juices flowing, or having problems with children (conceiving, or with children you already have)? Add items that represent metal to the center, right area of your home, such as:

    • Ornaments

    • Games

    • Dreidel

    • Instruments

    • Train set

    • Bowls of ornaments

    • Dolls

    • Carolers

    • Sleds

Want to increase your wealth? Add items that represent money to the back, left area of your home, such as:

    • Gifts (especially the ones you receive)

    • Chocolate Hanukkah gelt (money)

Need more help in your life from the people around you? Add items that represent people helping you to the front, right area of your home, such as:

    • Santa

    • Angles

    • Gifts (especially the ones you are giving)

Looking to increase your wisdom? Add items that represent skills or knowledge to the front, left area of your home, such as:

    • Wise Men of the Nativity set

    • Religious figures

Want to improve your romantic relationships? Add items that represent love or sweetness to the back, left area of your home, such as:

    • Chocolates and other sweets!