Hey, Friends! I’m so excited to be joining up with Organize Nashville and a bunch of my blogging friends to bring you our Simply Seasonal Holiday Blog Hop! We will all be sharing what we love about Christmas, our best tips for getting your home ready for the season, as well as glimpses into our holiday homes!
I look forward to Christmas all year long! It is always so exciting to go get a tree the weekend after Thanksgiving and pull out the Christmas decor! Here’s some of my holiday decorating tips… and a home tour along the way!
Look for Deals
For the past ten years or so, after Christmas, we scour the stores for Christmas decor on clearance. Almost all of our decor was purchased after Christmas on steep discounts. I also love to hit up the Target Dollar Spot when they first put out their Christmas items. I can’t tell you how many things I have gotten from there! Just in the picture below, there are five things–the silver candle holder, silver bottle brush tree, the ribbon on the mini tree, the mini tree, and the red votive holder. #obsessed
These stocking were a steal from Kohl’s after Christmas a couple years ago. They didn’t have many left and they all had an initial on them. Most of the initials were R’s, but that didn’t deter me from scooping them up! For the first couple years, I simply turned them the other way so you couldn’t see the initials. This year, I got fancy and ordered monogram patches from my favorite embroidery guru, ZigZagz Embroidery. I took off the old initial patches and attached the new ones! I love how they turned out!
Get Personal
I love to bring in personal decor in the way of family photos and artwork. It’s easy to change out the art and photos in your existing frames for the season! Isn’t this print from Pen and Paint so beautiful! As you may remember from my fall home tour, I love love love her artwork!
Get Crafty
One way to save money and get the exact look you want is to get crafty. I made the three middle trees four years ago and still love them so much! They were super easy and inexpensive to make! Over the years, I have added two more trees to my collection that I found on the cheap- one on after Christmas clearance at Walgreens and one from the Target Dollar Spot. Of course. 😉
This glittered reindeer wreath was a super easy craft, too!
Getting crafty doesn’t always mean breaking out the glue gun and doing a super involved project. Sometimes, it’s something simple like this little tree in a mug. I found the tree at the Target Dollar Spot, but I didn’t like the concrete base it came in. I simply twisted it until it snapped out of the base then plopped it into this mug I found on steep discount at Michaels. I finished it off with some Dollar Spot ribbon and bam! Cheap and easy little DIY!
I love this sign from Par la Grace! And, guess where the little truck came from? Ding ding ding! You’re right! The Target Dollar Spot! This is getting ridiculous!
Light it Up
Don’t underestimate the power of lights! I add battery operated twinkle lights to my fireplace garland, the garland on my stairs, and the outside wreath for a touch of magic. I just love the way they look! One of my favorite pieces of Christmas decor is my joy sign. I love seeing it all lit up and sparkly at night!
Create a Spot for the Kids
Every year, I pull out this basket and fill it with our Christmas books and the play nativity set. The kids love it and use it all season long! For some reason, it makes my kids want to curl up in my lap and read books all day long. Loooove!
I usually add a couple pieces of decor to the playroom as well. I always put the little Christmas diorama I made on the desk so it’s low enough for the kids to enjoy. This year I added this little Christmas truck by Par la Grace to the bookshelf and it looks perfect!
Get Sentimental
My last tip is to bring out the sentimental decor! I love using ornaments my kids made at school, plates with their hands and feet shaped into mistletoe and reindeer, ornaments our family has picked out to represent the year, and decor that has been passed down from my grandparents! These little snowmen were the very first Christmas decorations I ever purchased back when Jeremy and I were first engaged.
Hope you all enjoyed the tour and got some helpful tips along the way!
Be sure to hop on over to Love My Simple Home tomorrow to hear how she readies her home for the holidays. I’ve added a link to everyone else participating {and the day they post} so you can be sure to check out all the amazing blogs in this series!
Monday, December 5
Tuesday, December 6
Wednesday, December 7
Organize & Decorate Everything
Thursday, December 8
Friday, December 9
Maria/simplenaturedecor says
Your home is so organized and I know its not because you did this home tour, i can tell its always like this :)The holiday color really pop against the neutral colors of your walls. Great job. You have such a Beautiful and Happy home.
Maria
Amy @ My life from home says
So pretty! i love the pops of red. it looks like a fun and happy space for your family. Merry christmas!
Katherine says
Beautiful red, white, and green color combo and those monogramed stockings perfection!
Kristen says
Love your traditional and simple holiday decor. very pretty!
Lindsay Hopkins says
Everything is so beautiful! I love seeing Pen & paint in your home <3
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
Sue Purdy says
This is wonderful! I love everything you’ve done to decorate for Christmas. Your tree is perfect and I’m loving those monogrammed stockings. Its been great hopping with you and I hope you have a merry Christmas. Xoxo
Aurie Jenkins says
I am loving your home. Everything is so beautiful. I love how you worked everything together. The vintage charm and feel is absolutely perfect.
Vicki and Jennifer 2 Bees in a Pod says
Your holiday home is absolutely beautiful! The monogrammed stockings are perfection. Merry Christmas!
caroline says
i love your classic christmas decor. Those monogrammed stockings are beautiful as well!! Merry merry christmas!!
April r - uncookie cutter says
Lovely home! I love all the classic touches. Thanks for sharing with us, I’m pinning!
Meg @ Green With Decor says
Your house looks beautiful all decked out for Christmas!! I love how you have the shelves styled above the TV, and those trees you diy-ed are adorable! merry christmas!
Jeanette Chaney says
I love your monogrammed stockings and crafty trees. Actually, I enjoyed everything!
Creatively Homespun says
Your post is one of my favorites in the hop!! I loooove all the pops of red! gorgeous. Pinned and shared!
julie nichols says
I love everything about your home! Your handmade Christmas trees are so pretty. Merry Christmas!
Julie @ love my simple home
Michelle James says
Samantha, what a beautiful home tour! I am just like you and hit the stores the day after Christmas with gift cards in hand. it is amazing how much more you can buy after christmas! I love all your handmade items. so pretty.
Zan Turner says
You offered some great tips Samantha! I love the joy sign and your other decor. Everything look so simple yet so stunning!! BTW: that artwork from Pen & Paint is really lovely – checking out her page, too.
Lora says
Love your pops of red! I think we have the same greenery on our mantels 🙂
Katrin says
You have a beautiful, airy, bright and festive home Samantha!! I love the mantel, it’s stunning and i wish I had one just like that!!
littlebitsofhome.com says
You are the sweetest, thanks!!! That’s a big compliment coming from you–I love your style so much!
Sarah says
I love how classic and cheerful everything looks! Your wreath on your front door is just wonderful!
Emily says
Samantha, your home is beautiful as is all of your holiday decor! I absolutely love your stockings – and your tip for switching out the monograms is SO smart! I’ve never thought of that!
Lisa Silfwerbrand says
I love all of your beautiful project Samantha! The red, green and white look so pretty and vintagy! so pretty 😉 Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!