Christmas is such a wonderful time of year, I can hardly wait to decorate for it!
The air is crisp and every where you go, people are excited with anticipation.
We’re consciously thinking about others and enjoying all the sights and sounds of the season.
Seeing all the glistening decorations around us gives us inspiration to begin to decorate and welcome in the festivities of the season.
Decorating Outside
Some people decorate the outside of their homes with lights on the rooftop and trees, some decorate with multiple inflatables and some keep things relatively simple.
When I moved to the south, and after seeing how many people go all out with decorating, I have been inspired to add wreaths to the exterior of most of my windows and a complementary one on my front door.
I hang the wreaths from a red ribbon that I loop around the wreath. I tie a bigger bow to the base in the matching ribbon with some extra hanging down for added flair. I attach either a paper clip or metal wire at the top to make it easier to loop onto the nail.
There’s a little nail at the top center of each window that is left there year round. I use a either a long dowel with a nail attached to loop them on by opening the window, or recently, my hubby has attached a nail to an extension pole that works great too.
You can get a huge roll of ribbon from Costco or Sam’s Club that will enable you to do this for a very reasonable cost.
Additionally, for my exterior decorations, I have purchased two projector lights called Star Shower that shine moving red and green lights on the outside of my home. A couple of long extension cords and I can say goodbye to all the stringing of lights. Yay! Add a timer and you’re all set. Easy peasy! They now make these with snowflakes and other festive shapes too.
I add evergreen branches to my front pots along with some bamboo stakes I’ve either painted white or red. Sometimes I add giant pinecones or artificial poinsettias to the pots too. I absolutely love this charming look. This year I added my stainless steel balls to the mix.
Picking A Style
Sometimes it’s fun to pick a new color or style of decor, sometimes we enjoy the tradition of using our same things and adding a new ornament or a new decorative accessory.
Stores are filled to the brim with every color combination you can imagine. Sometimes it’s hard to hold back from wanting more.
One nice thing about this much selection is it can cause us to think outside of the box. It can stretch our imagination or give us ideas about doing things differently. We learn from what we see and it inspires us to develop our creativity.
Back when I was young, I think everyone had large multi colored bulbs. Now look at all of the options. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to change the style we’re used to, not to mention the expense. Think of a champagne colored tree and decorations, or giant bulbs, who knew it was a thing? Different styles abound. This year, I noticed new light styles: microdots were my favorite! Tons of tiny little lights makes it glistening and magical.
When it comes to choosing a decorating style, you could choose a particular color, multi-colored, fancy, rustic, woodland, or casual. There are indeed so many options out there to choose from.
Some people collect ornaments that come out annually from places like Hallmark or Waterford crystal. I have a friend who has a Waterford crystal snowflake tree. Talk about a show stopper! It’s absolutely gorgeous!
Some people like more of a sentimental tree. Ornaments made by the kids, souvenirs collected on family vacations, ornaments received as gifts, or from their childhood.
This year, after several years of having an angel tree topper from my husband’s childhood in storage, I decided to pull it out. It was quite old and had been repaired numerous times. The current wings were made out of an old box, covered with aluminum foil and blue glitter.
I asked my hubby if he wanted to make some new wings for it and he jumped on it. He made the wings with balsa wood that he carved and used a dremel to add depth. He then painted them white and attached them with a screw.
Fun to have this special memory of his be a part of our tree this year.
Our tree has several family photos that I’ve printed out in black and white and added to a decorative frame ornament. I’ve also added some to a round plastic balls with fake snow to give it a snow globe look.
The things that bring back memories, hold a special place in our hearts, and are delightful to add to our trees.
My style of decorating is similar to other things that I do. I like to have things flow from the entry to all the little spaces throughout the rest of my home.
Some people like to decorate every room in their house, including the bathrooms. This is not my personal style, but if it’s your thing, I say go for it!
I’ll tell you what I do as if I’m walking in through the front door.
I usually decorate using either all white and silver, or I do one area in red, depending upon my mood for the year.
When I do it in red it is a more of a traditional style, although I love the Swedish style and a nutcracker style too.
If I’m feeling extra fancy, I will decorate in a glittery red style or a sparkly winter wonderland white.
Red Plaid Theme
If I do the red plaid, I tend to bring that theme into my piano room as well. I have a coordinating wool blanket and throw pillow to tie it all in.
I tend to add some santa hats to some things in the vicinity including my Chinese guard, Shimshu.
As well as a little angel light fixture we call Angele.
When I first decided to decorate in the plaid theme, I couldn’t find a runner in a pattern that I especially liked. I came across a tablecloth at a HomeGoods store and decided I could make that work.
I cut it lengthwise to make runners out of it by hemming the edges. I used them on my buffets and dining table as well as purchasing napkins to match.
I sometimes add nutcrackers to the centerpiece and sometimes candles, berries, and the like.
Presents
I may take this a bit too far, but I also like my presents to match my tree. I know it’s kind of silly, but it really does tie everything in.
I ended up purchasing some coordinating ribbon from Michael’s so I could use it on my gifts and to add to different little accessories, like tying around my silver urns.
Back when I had all of my kids at home, they used to want to peek at the presents, so I had to implement some additional measures.
I would no longer write their names on their gifts. Instead I wrapped each kid’s gifts in a different color or pattern of ribbon. This way they did not know which presents were theirs until Christmas Eve.
Literally no name tags. I kept a little index card with a taped on piece of ribbon so I would remember whose were whose.
This worked out quite well for us and we would make a game out of it similar to musical chairs. I first let them try to guess which color they had for that year.
They would then trade with each other until they all had the correct present. Finally getting to open their first gift on Christmas Eve. It’s also fun to go around until they guess correctly, then they get to be the first to open a gift.
The ribbons on the packages always coordinated with the tree that they were under. Adding a little piece of greenery to the top packages made them extra festive.
Red Glittery Theme
When I decorate my slim dining room tree with the red decorations, I usually put on a beautiful thick red velvet ribbon, balls and some sparkly stems.
I coordinate them with my dining table which has a red runner and some things that tie everything together.
Usually on my buffet I have some tall red sparkly cone style trees that add to the festive look. I usually add some pine branches or berry stems to complete the effect.
Nutcrackers
I also have a collection of nutcrackers and sometimes, when I’m in the mood, I set them all up on the dining table, or I use the smaller ones on my place settings.
I have seen people set up a collection of nutcrackers or singing elves on either a mantle or above cabinets in the kitchen and they look terrific displayed en masse. These collections can create a big impression and make many memories for their family.
Winter Wonderland Theme
This is my current personal favorite, although through time, I’m sure my taste will change.
When you walk in the front door and can view my dining table and piano room, it cohesively brings you into a wintery scene.
I like a lot of sparkly things mixed with snow. Some of my favorites are a flocked tree, silver sparkly cones, and little white houses sitting in fake snow in clear urns. Apothecary jars and cloches work great for this too.
I like to have crystal decorations along with anything that picks up the light and sprinkles it about throughout the space.
I usually add a few fresh greens around my decanters too.
I carry this theme into my piano room, living room, kitchen area, my mantle, and my cocktail table. I coordinate all of these spaces to flow from room to room.
My Moose
In the past, I have added some dangling crystals from my moose’s antlers. This year, I really wanted to change things up a bit and add a real garland and silver bells, like a reindeer with sleigh bells.
I first draped the garland over his neck and curled the excess on the floor.
I purchased some cheap hooks from the dollar store to attach the bells.
I set several on my step ladder so I didn’t need to climb up and down as much.
I love how it turned out!
This brings me joy every time I look at it! Absolutely no regrets.
Probably something I will continue to do for many Christmases to come. A new favorite for sure!
Pine Branches
This is a tip that I have been using for at least the last 15 years. I usually ask at the local hardware store for a pile of branches that have been removed from the bottoms of Christmas trees. They usually have a box or bin that they throw them in and are willing to give them to me for free.
You will want to put them on plastic or paper for transport as they are messy, drop needles and can leave sap.
Once I get them home, I cut the branches to make them a more usable size for me.
I use them in a variety of areas in my home.
I add them to my wreaths to make them look more natural and real.
I like to add some branches to my tray that I keep on top of my cocktail table along with some mercury glass ornaments.
When I put a garland on my mantle, I like to add some of the fresh greens in with it too. I usually set up a nativity scene, my hubby painted white, there also.
On my little buffet in the kitchen area, I add some coordinating silver cone style trees along with some fresh greens.
This has changed over the last couple of years, as I’ve painted my stair railing and the buffet.
Sometimes on my kitchen table I decorate with a silver tea set, a wooden bowl with greens and mercury glass ornaments, or some cone style trees, depending on how I’m feeling.
I like all of these styles, they work well with my other decorations and add festivity to my home.
I typically add large wreaths with some battery operated fairy lights to my large windows.
I sometimes add them over a large mirror too.
I have collected several of these over time, to which I add additional greens.
This past year, I used modge podge that I painted on strategic spots, and sprinkled on a mix of epsom salt and fake snow to add a snowy style flocking to them. This added to the winter wonderland theme – a look that I love!
One of the favorite decorations I do is to add greens to my silver chandelier. I hang some silver pine cone ornaments and icicles from it too.
This is definitely a favorite for me. I absolutely love love love it! I think I will do this style of decorating forever! These little silicone lightbulbs have an extra tail that makes them look like a flame adding to the unique charm. Way fun!
Meal Planning
Once you have all of your decorations up and are ready to embrace the season, now begins the menu planning.
I very much enjoy delicious food and I embrace both traditional menus as well as mixing things up with new recipes and ideas.
I come from both German and Swedish heritages and so in addition to a traditional Christmas meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, wild rice, and baked corn, I also like to bring in these other aspects too.
This past year I decided to do our Christmas Eve meal in a German style. I did some research and created a menu.
This event is called Weihnachten. I prepared traditional favorites and we all enjoyed it so much, I’ll plan to repeat it going forward.
I set the table nicely, made little menus translated in both English and German, and enjoyed traditional food and drinks. Our family appreciated it very much and it added a new element to our holiday pleasure.
Because I have a big family and they usually come for about a week, I like to do more of a stretched out Christmas. We will eat leftovers for part of that but I also like to do festive big meals for part of it too.
This year I’m planning to add in a Swedish meal too. I will likely do Swedish meatballs, lingonberries, rye crisp crackers with cheddar cheese, asparagus, and a nod to my dad with hasselback potatoes.
There’s a joke here. One time my dad was preparing a holiday meal and I asked him what I could bring. He said hasselback potatoes.
Well, if you’re not sure what they are, they have like 50 slices that are super thin across a single potato so they’re held together by just the base. Then you soak them in cold water to help them separate a bit. Then baste them with oil, butter, and seasonings and rebaste them half way through the bake time. Anyway, in my opinion, they are a pain in the neck to make, especially if you have a bunch of little kids under foot.
My joke to him was now I know why they call these Hasselback Potatoes. Because they are such a hassle to make haha! They actually get their name from a tavern in Sweden called Hasselbacken. Anyway I think it would be fun to have them as a tribute to my dad.
Here’s a look at my Swedish Menu. I’m excited to implement this into my holiday festivities too!
Gatherings and Fun
Another thing we did this past year which was a lot of fun, and I plan to duplicate going forward is, we all wrote little funny things on a piece of paper and took turns drawing the folded up slips.
They were things that you had to do, like wear a hat and talk like a southerner. You didn’t tell anyone what you were doing, but you came to the dinner table in the appropriate attire according to your little piece of paper, and did whatever it said on there.
Some of the things were family member specific, like chew like a particular kid. It was pretty funny and we all had a good time with it. Each person was able to write a few ideas down so you never knew which one you were going to draw.
Another fun activity that a friend of mine hosted is a daytime ladies ugly sweater/cookie exchange/white elephant gift exchange party. It was a blast!
First, we’d all eat lunch, which she usually had catered. We’d have champagne and mimosas and enjoy each other’s company.
Then we’d vote on the best ugly Christmas sweater outfit. There were always a few over achievers in the group which made it extra fun! I remember some that lit up and one friend came dressed as the lamp with one leg from the movie ‘A Christmas Story.’
We’d then do a white elephant gift exchange which usually consisted of a few crazy gifts and Starbucks gift cards. I remember one of the items being a cookbook called “50 Ways to Eat Cock.” We all had a good laugh.
Everyone brought about 4 dozen cookies and we would set them up on the dining room table and walk around and grab 3 or 4 to put on our tray. It was indeed a terrific time!
Making Memories
Christmas is all about making memories. It’s really about having a wonderful time with your family and friends. It’s about enjoying one another’s company and delighting in making them happy. It’s about doing things together that someday you’ll look back on and reminisce.
Some people do not love Christmas and it’s a hard time of year for them. Whatever the reason, I think it’s still good to be sensitive to one another. This should be a time when you think about others and their feelings and have care.
Christmas should not just be all about marketing and retail and spending beyond our means. It should be about embracing the gifts of life, love, joy, and each other.
Back in the day, people had fun celebrating the holiday season by simpler things like having cocoa with marshmallows, making a garland for the tree by stringing popcorn and cranberries, or putting cloves in oranges to make pomanders.
One can still do any or all of these things. You can have a simple Christmas or an elaborate holiday season.
I have collected many things over the years, so I have a large assortment of decorations.
Since I already own them and I enjoy setting them up, my Christmas decorations are far from simple. I plan ahead, knowing it will take me several hours of setting up as well as taking down and putting away.
If you organize things as you put them away, it will make it go a lot easier the following year. If you take things down and throw them all in a box willy nilly, It will make things much slower the following year.
I usually label my things by color or what room I typically use them in. I have a red box and a white box of decorations. It makes things organized for future setting up and putting away.
It’s nice to take everything down too. I like to begin January clean, simple and fresh. A time for reflection and renewal. Just the way it should be, at least to me.
Enjoy your holiday season!
I hope I have shared some new inspiration or ideas and that you are excited to decorate and embrace everything this season has to offer. Cheers!
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