Winter is the time to come inside from the cold, cozy with a book or even a particularly chilly evening, light a fire in the fireplace. In most homes, the fireplace is the focal point of the main living area. Not only does a fireplace or wood burning stove brighten up your living room, but it provides solace, comfort, and refuge from the cold to you and your loved ones. So this month we are taking a look at elegant country living, which is the place many of us would like to be, as the temperature starts to drop. Get your home ready for holiday parties by decorating the mantel with an elegant winter theme. Try clipping holiday cards from friends and family onto a piece of string and hanging it in front of your mantel with removable hooks. Reuse the apothecary jars that housed seashells in the summer and place a pillar candle in each one. Place fir tree branches along the top of your mantel along with pinecones for a classic winter look.