Christmas Decorations & Much Fun
One of the magical things about this time of year is the ability to create a brand-new space with all the Christmas decorations and colors that have been sitting in bins for the last 10 months or so.
I LOVE changing things around the house, but nothing compares to the cheer and light that comes with decorating the house for Christmas.
This is also the only holiday that I fully decorate the house for, while for all other holidays, I’ll only decorate a small area of the house or even just the dining table.
I confess, this takes a lot of my time, and I could complain how much work it is, but as I always say, “the kids are kids only once”, and I want them to have a great time and create sweet memories as a family.
Back in 2011, when we moved from Maryland to California, 3 of our Christmas decoration boxes “disappeared” during the move. God knows where they are!
It was disheartening to discover that our decorations were missing, not to mention the resulting financial loss. Then, in 2012, we spent Christmas in Rio, and we didn’t decorate the house. This year marks our first time “getting back in business” when Christmas arrives.
We have a Christmas decorating tradition in our family that we started when the boys were still very young. We decorate the house on the weekend after Thanksgiving, while eating yummy chocolate cake and celebrating my birthday!
I learned to let the tree go up – we use a fake Christmas tree – let the boys do their thing, and then later the elves go in and “organize”! (I know… I’m a little obsessed! Haha!)
It has spared us from endless arguments and has given them the joy of decorating their tree. 😉
While the boys decorate the tree, I start placing the other ornaments around the house.
The Christmas Tree
There are many reasons why I use a fake tree, but sparing my husband and me of the “can you please go buy a Christmas tree” every single year is at the top of my list.
This little Santa is so cute and happy! He’s one of the additions I had to make to replace the many items that were stolen.
These birds are one of my favorite things, and I’m so happy they “survived” the move to CA.
“Don’t have a mantel for your seasonal decorations? Don’t worry. Use your stairs or a console!”
My Fake Mantel
Well, I had to give up on decorating the mantel in this house, and here is why.
First, this house is soooo different from our other (five!) homes. The rooms are spread out, and in California’s “open plan” homes, you have fewer walls, which results in less space for your bookcases and storage. That led us to…
Install our TV that took center stage in our family room, right above our fireplace. So, I had to agree that there would be no mantel decoration in this house. At least for now. 😉
Decorate the side table in your dining area with something that can be easily removed when entertaining.
Christmas Tablescape
I enjoy arranging items and creating small vignettes on the dining table. Keep in mind that I have 3 young boys, and we like to keep it a little whimsical.
I love the bright red of these lanterns, and they “sing” Christmas as you enter our home!
A mix of IKEA lanterns and Target Christmas decorations keeps our dining table festive.
Sitting to Enjoy the Tree
I have these little rituals in daily life, and one of my favorites is to drink my coffee early in the morning while enjoying the view from the window.
Well, now the tree is on “my spot,” and because I’m up so early, now I get to enjoy my coffee while watching the Christmas tree’s lights. Everything is so quiet and so lovely.
I hope you enjoyed our Christmas decorations, and I look forward to seeing yours too!
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Have a fabulous holiday season!
