Question: With the holidays just around the corner, what Feng Shui advice do you have for harmonious, joyous and stress-free celebrations?

Answer: Using the ancient principles of Feng Shui is a natural, holistic and intuitive way to celebrate the upcoming holidays – a time that can be of great stress for everyone: physically, mentally and psychologically. Besides Thanksgiving and Christmas, people also celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Lunar New Year for Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese families. It is important to keep in mind that Feng Shui practitioners are not psychics, magicians or miracle workers. You need to be realistic in your expectations, aware of the limits of your patience, tolerence, time, energy, finances, romance, and other resources. Always set aside time for yourself during the day so that you can recharge your energy before it run out. The holiday season is an appropriate time to keep in mind the three major concepts of Feng Shui and the Bagua (Eight Directions) as you plan and implement your activities and decorations. You will do great in harmonizing your accessories, your home space and the people involved in your life at the hectic time of year. Coordinate your decorations to match the colors and elements associated with each direction, and let the positive chi enhance each of the related attributes: North: Silver, gold, yellow, black and water to enhance business success, career and communications; Northeast: white, orange, red, turquoise and earth to enhance knowledge, self-development, sex, and scholarly success; East: green, tan and wood to enhance harmony, family life, prosperity, creativity, energy, and health; Southeast: green, purple and wood to enhance wealth and material abundance, and family harmony; South: red, purple, green and fire to enhance fame, fortune, power, happiness and long life; Southwest: yellow, gold and earth to enhance care, love, marriage, motherhood and relationships; West: gold, silver, metallics and metal to enhance children, children's fame, and creativity, and romance; Northwest: silver, grey and metal to enhance helpful people, fatherhood, power, mature, and trade/travel. For example: Wood figurines, logs, holly and other plants, including your Christmas tree should be used in the wood directions of east (thunder) and southeast (wind). Candles for a menorah or kinara are appropriate in the south and northeast. Lights and red-colored decorations are good in the south, northeast and southwest. Metal decorations such as bells and musical instruments are best hung in the west, northwest and north. A punch bowl, coffee maker or other large beverage servers can be placed on the north, east or southeast part of your holiday food table. Earth decorations made of ceramic (such as doves of peace) or terra cotta should be placed in the southwest, northeast, west or northwest. Stimulate the positive flow of energy by placing pots of holiday plants or luminarias outdoors on your footpath if it runs directly from your front door out to the curb. Arrange them in a staggered pattern instead of lining them up exactly opposite each other. This zigzag formation creates a wave of energy instead of a straight, killing arrow energy channel aimed at your main entrance. Help keep the peace (your peace of mind as well as peace among your family members and guests) by using scented candles of pine, vanilla, cinnamon and cranberry as these stimulate the sense of well-being. Maintain harmony by balancing Yin and Yang – dark and light, active and passive decorations. Take care not to have too many decorations so that the eye, mind and spirit are overstimulated. If you have a natural tree, have light-colored decorations mixed in with the dark green of the foliage. If you have an artificial tree avoid decorating it in all-white or all gold and silver. Add color to balance it out. While blue and silver are the traditional colors associated with Hanukkah, soften the Yang of hard surfaces with Yin, using a variety of textures and other colors. The same balance must be considered when decorating for Kwanza because of the many symbolic colors used during this celebration. Remember: Feng Shui is a balanced system, we should focus on moderation and balance of things in stead of stimulating the system.

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