Hey everyone, welcome back to my home. Despite the holidays not looking quite the same this year, it’s actually a very special Christmas for my family and I. It’s our first holiday season in our new home. Like most people this year I started in November but not only because well … 2020, but because we always do! Despite it being taboo to some.

The truth is there are lot of reasons I start decorating as soon as Halloween is over. If you’re a Minnesotan like myself, then you know November is a winter wonderland. The pumpkins are frosted over, and all that’s left of the once colorful leaves are just crinkled balls on the ground. I like my home to be cohesive with the weather so usually right around the first snow fall after Halloween is when I start to slowly bring out the Christmas decorations.

In the weeks leading up to November I like to start by pulling out the more subtle winter décor. The greenery is the most difficult to get up and CLEAN so we typically start there. I am not going to lie – mine is ancient and has been passed down over the years. I would like to retire some of it soon but I am impressed with how well it’s kept over the years so I continue to make it work. The greenery and white lights are really the veins of my Christmas décor. The tree is obviously the heart but the greenery is what ties it all together.

Pro Tip #1

Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can find great deals on greenery at your local thrift store. If it’s a little vintage looking try bringing it back to life with some fluffing or even some flocking. You can do a real flock or you can use white spray paint to give it that frosted look.

Pro Tip #2

If you live in the Midwest you may be lucky enough to have an evergreen nearby. Special thanks to my mom and grandma for giving me this idea. I started borrowing branches from our grand tree out back. Don’t worry – this will not hurt your tree. I started with our urns in the front creating my own filler and brought a few branches inside using them to create a garland effect by layering them over one another.

This year I did a little something different- mixing in dried oranges for the first time. I added them to our greenery you can find my DIY HERE. This added color and I even went ahead and added it to my Thanksgiving tablescape to tie in with the greenery. Granted we didn’t host thanksgiving this year – I still made our table pretty. Just consider me committed. You can see it here.

Candles are also major. Honestly, they are a part of every season’s décor in our home. They are timeless and enchanting and they really make a statement no mater what time of year, but especially in the winter. They bring warmth even when they aren’t lit which, let’s be honest, they never are! Especially the ones above the mantle.

PRO Tip #3

If you feel like your unused candles appear lanky and awkward, you can cut them down using a knife and cutting board. Light the candles for just a minute or two so that they appear as though they have been used.

When the left overs are put away and black Friday is upon us – that is when the real fun begins for me. While everyone else is filling their carts and scoring deals, I am in full Christmas decorating mode and you KNOW the whole family is wearing their Christmas pajamas. Like my fall decorating traditions – There’s candles, Christmas music playing, a festive movie on the television turned down low. And wine… lots of red wine. The tree comes out, the stockings are hung. And everything Christmas sees daylight again. It’s when the fun decorating begins.

Being this was our first year in our new home – it’s been a little bit of a culture shock going from a 2-bed townhome to a 5 bed multi-level. Of course, not in a bad way. I am just not used to so much space needing to be covered. I’ve dreamed of having multiple trees in my home and this year Jake surprised me with a new flocked pre-lit tree which I have on display in our front room off of the entry way. This is what all of us moms out there call our “pretty tree” AKA the tree that the kids and husbands have no say over. Am I mean?

Our second tree is down in the family room and it’s a very special one to me. This tree is over 25 years old and was passed down to us from my parents. When friends come over they can hardly believe its age. It’s really kept up its integrity that well. I let Dash have free will with this tree and he really did a fantastic job.

Pro Tip #4

For a stored tree there are lots of easy techniques you can implement when setting it up to make it look more realistic. Always FLUFF each branch individually. This takes a lot of time but you won’t be disappointed with your results. I like to use the up, up, down technique. When hanging lights try to hang them section by section as you are building each layer of your tree. I like to do layer, lights, layer, lights, layer, lights. This helps hide the wires and makes it appear like the lights are shining through your tree rather than shining on top.

Pro Tip #5

I know they say less is more but when it comes to your tree I like to think differently. The more the MERRIER! In years passed I have even gone as far as going outside to find branches to stuff in my tree. I like to add dimension by using different sized bulbs and add volume using ribbon. My favorite technique consists of taking your favorite ribbon and cutting It into 12-14” increments and gently placing them so that they create a soft loop then letting them just kind of fall down the tree making it look as though the ribbon is coming in and out of the branches.

These ceramic houses also have a significant meaning to me, and this year is actually my first year with them. All have been passed down either by my mother or grandmother. They are kind of a family tradition on my mom’s side and are one of those Christmas details that have been a part of our holidays for as long as I can remember.

When Dash saw the Christmas Car Lot display and ceramic Harley Davidson sign he HAD to have them in his bedroom. I also had these adorable blue and pink ornaments from my daughter Delilah’s gender reveal party last holiday so hung those on each of the kids’ trees.

Thanks so much for coming by and letting me share my home with you again. We have lots of spring projects in mind so stay tuned for that. Happy Decorating.

XO Cass

Shop My Home