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Seasonal decor...show and tell!

Runcarla

Veteran

I'm such a fan of seasonally inspired decor! This year I crafted my own planters and garland for out of doors. They went up at the start of the month. DH and DS#1 strung the lights. This weekend DH and DS#2 sourced a tree, and I just finished decorating it. We didn't have a tree in 2015 or 2016, so this is a return to a more traditional decor.

Please share pics of your holiday efforts!

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43 replies

Latest reply was from Emily K

bridgie

Veteran

I love, love your Christmas decorations. I love the peace and serenity in simple. The painting in #3 is outstanding.

Anonymous

Carla - I love this annual thread of yours and so appreciate that you remember to do it. This is a beautiful and positive little slice of holiday heaven.

This year , my house looks like 12 different people decorated it. First of all, I love winter and Christmas decor, and collect a lot of it. Secondly - being in the business I'm in, I have a ton of samples from the different manufacturers I represent, and just want to give every decoration it's fair shot Into my usually clean and fairly minimal decor style goes my collection of vintage Santas (this year , displayed on the bar cart) , my beloved collection of Patience Brewster pieces (always displayed along with my glassware in a lit display cabinet) , some samples I played around with and set up in my office, a black Christmas tree I found at a paint store and bought at cost, and a skinny fake tree I set up also in my office and decorated with a new colour scheme I fell in love with at a store I l love (lime, red, and white with red lights and faux greenery/berry pieces inserted throughout). Yes, it's a bit of a dog's breakfast, and it kind of got away from me this year. It gets absolutely all put away on the 26th because by that point I can't stand it anymore - ha! I don't much outside other than hang a big wreath on the mailbox and stick two small evergreens in my flower stands.

1 - front hall vignette - plain and simple and my usual decor style
2. my black tree Yes, it nearly killed my family, but they'll live. Trees are hard to photograph...
3. Patience Brewster pieces up close - hard to photograph because the cabinet is mirrored and lit.
4. minimal dining table decor (things under candles were there temporarily and I should have removed them)
5. dining room hutch vignette (I also collect Christmas cards - lol - and like to put out a few old favourites )
6. having fun with Woodland samples in my office
7. office tree - there is also a cat sleeping under it

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Anonymous

Carla - I always like your outdoor decor - and particularly the swag. Really nice. I love bowls of fresh greenery ,and that's one thing I miss having around here. Your simple and clean style makes me want to sweep my mess into the nearest garbage

JAileen

Veteran

Carla, Lisa, I love your decorations. Lisa, is that an alligator?

My tree and other things look almost the same as in past years, but I added a couple new things, and my new favorite discovery.

1. Second year of our fake tree, with "Bob Barker" photo bombing on the left
2. Scottie planter
3. Tiny fake tree
4. Small real tree
5. Small strings of teeny tiny lights I found at CVS. I love these!

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kerry

Veteran

Our Christmas decorating is a little less this year as I had a terrible flu for a week in November and then my husband got it two weeks later. We usually do outdoor lights and our old small condo tree in the front entrance as well ...

Our tree - Fraser fir- our favourite and still smells delicious 2 weeks later.

My daughter’s advent calendar - from an Etsy seller whose mobiles I thought were adorable - I reached out and asked if they’d (mother/daughter team) make us this calendar - a little back and forth on the design and voila a family treasure that helps make the season.

My breakfast bar - I just adore that little Christmas pyramid! I bought it last year and we could never get it to work. Then, as we were packing up, my husband found a little dab of glue, removed it and it worked! We have it spinning every evening.

Costco planter and tin Santa my mom bought me years and years ago. I still love it.

Throughout the year we have very little in the way of decor. I don’t like fussy interiors but at Christmas I relish in a bit of nostalgia and sentimentality!

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Anonymous

Janet - yes , he’s a big alligator and holds 3 green and white polka dot candles . Gift from my husband many years ago. I love that you have a few trees too - and I’m with you on loving mini lights .

deb

Veteran

This is always the best post! Carla, Janet, Kerry, and Lisa, your decor is fab. I went with a pinecone theme this year. No clue why, just did. The Smith & Hawken iron tree with my Hallmark ornaments from every year since 1980 was on the dining table. My grandson's love sitting at the table looking at the ornaments while they eat and do homework. Four year old Gavin and I made the wreath out of plant rings and limbs and greenery trimmings we found around the property where I live. He loves it. I found the amaryllis flower bent over this morning so I cut it off and put it in the vase.

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Runcarla

Veteran

OMG! All the trees are so fab!

Bridgie- the art is 'Virgin and Child' school of Verona - late 16th Century. I have it where I can see it from my chaise. The Music Room is my room and has all of my favourite things.

Lisap - your black tree is TDF! I often default to silver, gold, crystal and natural greenery, but I have enjoyed red/purple and citrus green/gold. When DH and I were young married's we had a lot of bird ornaments. DH is a forester and wildlife biologist. Natural motifs go over well with him.

Jailene - I love your loaded tree. So full and beautifully decorated.

Gorgeous tree, Kerry. The Advent calendar will become a family heirloom I am sure.

Your wreath is so sweet, Deb. Gavin must be so proud, and you must be proud of him. Good of you to spend the time with him. That is how holiday memories are really made.

cindysmith

Veteran

So pretty! You did a great job. Everything is simple and elegant

I'm still in an RV, so a wee little tree is all I've got room for. I'm excited for our first Christmas in the new house: I'll have room for a tall tree, and Windows with sills for candle lights or garland, and an actual fireplace with mantle for stockings, and countertop space for an arrangement, and 8' tall doors that will be perfect for large wreaths...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

SO FESTIVE. I LOVE IT ALL. Thanks, Carla. Always a fun thread.

Carla, your natural planters and garlands are works of art. They look stunning with your hair.

Lisa p, your Brewster pieces are fabulously beautiful - (I want the alligator) - and I love the shelf decor in your office. Your decor matches your wardrobe. NICE.

JAileen, the Scottie planter is SUBLIME.

Kerry, the white decorations are awfully pretty. Fab advent calendar too.

Deb, traditional and refined. Really lovely.

I'll post ours in a minute.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

We live in a small urban house, Euro style. Our decoartions are simple but meaningful. Not very traditional but very sentimental. Sam wears his capsule of holiday bandanas at this time of year, and we host a range of small holiday parties. It's cozy at the Cox Castle.

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Meredith

Veteran

I love everyone’s decorations. My holiday decorations are traditional with a good dose of quirky and sentimental. And dachshunds.

-Our tree
-No tree is complete without oyster and pearl and zeppelin ornaments?
-Dachshunds!
-Our anniversary is near Christmas, so every year my husband gives me a Swarovski snowflake and I hang them all together
-If you look outside you can see luminaries in my yard and the neighbors’. Almost everyone in our community puts them out from Thanksgiving-New Year’s.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is such a great thread and I love everyone's decorations! So pretty and festive and unique to each person's style.

Our house was made for Christmas/ Hannkah decorations -- it is at its best at this time of year because our living room has red walls! Angie, you'll see I wasn't kidding when I said I go for warm colours in decor! (I actually love quiet neutrals also but that's not what this particular house called for.)

DD made the silly wreath in school at age 9 -- we've been using it since. The golden angels are about 45 years old! Made by a childhood neighbour and passed down to me by my mother. The ornaments on our tree are mostly my mother's too, though you can't really see them due to the lights -- it's a dark day here and I didn't adjust the lighting. Gives you more of a sense of how it really feels in here....

Coming back later to examine everyone's displays in more detail. For now, let me just say I feel warmly invited into all your homes! Great thread, Carla. And hope you are feeling a bit better!

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Anonymous

Wow! I love all of these displays! RunCarla, your swags and bouquet of branches are amazing! Angie, you Christmas tree is so cute! Suz., your front door wreath is so funny!

I really need to up my game on the exterior of the house.

You can get an idea of the level of chaos around my house exhibited in the tree and fireplace display. Our approach is to throw everything on the Christmas tree and tie everything together through the use of copious pine cones (on the manger, in the manger, on the snowman, etc.)

Of course everything makes noise too, lol!

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Carla, your green, gold, copper, and cream is so sophisticated and it fits right in with your clothing choices. Classic elegance. I like to imagine you in your ball skirt in those rooms!

Lisa, you are a pro! Everything so artfully arranged. Do those shelves hold different items when you remove the xmas stuff? Do you rotate displays? I would like to do this. But DH would go nuts. He hates changes of that kind. He freaks out if I consider moving the furniture or (gasp!) even laundering the slipcovers!

Janet, your tree is a towering beauty -- wow! Love the sweet Scotty, too.

Kerry, you also have a gorgeous tree and what a cute advent calendar. I love the evidence of people's kids and fur-babies.

Deb, everything is so fun and symmetrical on that mantel - -no wonder the grandchildren get a kick out of it!

Angie, I just love how you honour the sentimental at this time of year and hold a space in your heart for those you've loved and lost! All the decorations fit in seamlessly with your warm and inviting home. I love the decor of your place and always enjoy seeing glimpses. Pops of colour everywhere!

Meredith, another glorious tree and such a pretty crystal stand -- it must be lovely to see the light shine on those ornaments.

Smittie, that mantel is a cuteness overload!! So much fun.

Anonymous

Suz - hahaha! I change the furniture, the accessories, the pillows, everything -many times throughout the year. Your husband would go nuts !! (I even move the bed around in our bedroom which is fun when R comes home from work late at night and comes up to bed not knowing what's going on). Those shelves in my office usually hold plants and catalogues ......zzzzzzzzz. Just taking a holiday break while I transition work seasons.

Smittie - laughing at everything making noise. I can't say I miss those years Love your mantel and tree - so nice and easy-classic.

Suz - your interior (with the red walls) reminds me of Sarah MacLachlan's house, which , like yours , was made for the holiday season. Love your tree, and your wreath is now a classic

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suz, I LOVE your vintage angels. Sooo special and fun. Your fireplace looks very cozy. Your adorable wreath is irreplaceable (made me laugh!), and your poinsettias complement your home decor beautifully. (Thanks for the awfully kind words).

Smittie, your strategy works well. Go Team Pine Cone. Very classic and fab.

Lisa p, you crack me up. Never a dull decor moment in your home.

Meredith, I love your anniversary crystal snowflake "tree". And I need a pearl ornament.

Carla, I hope you're feeling better. Sending healing thoughts and much love. xo

Anonymous

Angie - every year that I see your tree, ,I want it more. Honestly, with all the exposure I have to holiday decor pieces, I have yet to see this. I want it.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Lisa p, it IS a special tree. Metal and modern, yet awfully classic. It wasn't for sale. A florist had it made for a shop display, and I asked her to sell it to me 14 years ago. I was very persistent - she couldn't refuse.

Anonymous

Coming back to say...
Meredith- I love your feathers. It adds an angelic air!
Kerry- your reindeer are cute!
Deb- That’s a great wreath.
Jaileen- I think I have the same tiny fake tree. We are Tiny Fake Tree Twins.
Lisa- your alligator guy is hilarious! It’s nice that you have the matching candlesticks.

Anonymous

That's a neat story, Angie. I love that. I bought my new black tree off of a display in a paint store - it wasn't for sale

Smittie - I love my alligator and would be absolutely devastated if anything happens to him - or his candles . He spurred on a collection !

MsMary

Veteran

We're not doing a tree this year because we are going out of town for Christmas, but we (me, DH, DS) decked ourselves with lights yesterday for a party!

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Mary - that is classic! Don't have a tree? BE the tree!!

deb

Veteran

Mary, I love your light display.

Anonymous

Free parking ? $4 wine?? Lit up necklaces? I'm in for that kind of party !

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Here's my tree! It's a second attempt as my doggie seems to have been allergic to the first tree and we had to undecorate it and put it out for curb-check This is a tiny sub-set of my ornaments--the ones having a colorful woodland theme that I thought would complement a small tinsel tree. I added funky candy canes and origami butterflies for more color.

I have a fun story to share, though! Growing up (when I was about 5 years old) we had a set of ornaments--two little teak mice with leather ears and tail that had safety pin backs. One season, my mom set them on the side of an ash tray and they were accidentally thrown out when a guest emptied the dish. I've been nostalgic for those mice--I loved them! Anyway, I've been looking on eBay and Etsy for a modernist silver Christmas brooch and one search turned-up a set of two of these mice! Yea!!!! I bought them right away. The mice I bought seem original, but have blue rhinestone eyes instead of jet beads. I'm going to try to restore the eyes to original. But I can't believe I found the same mice! I am going to be so happy to have them on my tree.

ETA: The lovely tatted snowflakes are made by my mom. I have about 300 of them--all different--and they are a signature element of my holiday decor. Also--added a photo of the newly found mice ornaments.

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JAileen

Veteran

OMG, Emily, you have 300 tatted snowflakes??? Those are the best!!! I have probably a dozen knitted snowflakes, and am trying to learn to crochet to make snowflakes. But tatted snowflakes are the best and most beautiful of all. Lucky duck!

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, JAileen! They really are special. I also have an aunt who makes me a special cut paper snowflake every year. I have a couple of dozen of those. The white snowflake ornaments (both paper and tatted) are the last ones I put on the tree every year and they look like a magical frosting on top of everything else.

BTW--tatting is super easy (not to take anything away from my mom, who is a real artist with her handiwork)--you just keep thread on a bobbin and make a bunch of half-hitches. The most tedious and awful part of the job is starching them with old fashioned gluey paste starch and laboriously pinning them out flat and taught.

Meredith

Veteran

Emily K: I adore your mice! What a sweet find.

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