Friday, December 9, 2011

Making the Season Bright

I spent some time this past week putting up my Christmas decorations. I shared my Christmas tree yesterday so I thought I'd share my mantle today.

It makes me happy to have a clean presentable house and some festive touches to help make the season bright. To be honest I was kind of dreading it--the hauling of boxes out of the attic, the mess, my children getting into everything. Besides, I know decorations aren't what Christmas is all about, but I like things to look pretty. When I got past that initial reticence, I was really glad that I took the effort.
I try not to spend a lot of money to decorate so my style is kind of make-it-do. Most of what I have purchased has been on clearance after Christmas and put away for future years--the stockings, stocking hangers, jingle bells and many of my ornaments, for example. I nestled broken ornaments into my greenery for some color and shine.
I clipped all the juniper for the mantle from some trees that grow behind our house. The added bonus to this is that is smells good. Next time I will wear gardening gloves though. That stuff can be prickly!
 
Do you like decorating for Christmas? What's your philosophy--homey? sophisticated? frugal? opulent? How do you dress up your home?

6 comments:

Heidi said...

Darling decor! We are casual hodge-podge. I haven't bought anything new for years. I am pining (a bit) for new stockings and a new tree skirt. Maybe after Christmas I'll find something spectacular...or have the time and energy to make something just right, with no deadline!

Predilections said...

Thank you!

I bet you'll find just what you want. Target after Christmas sales are great. Our tree skirt, stockings and stocking hangers all came from Target. We got the skirt and hangers way back when we lived in New York but I think the stockings are just four or five years old (and they match the tree skirt very well even though they weren't meant to go together). There is always new and beautiful stuff to admire and inspire, but I guess my philosophy is to choose something (or make something) that I truly love so that it will last for years to come. Sometimes it is hard for me to be patient until just the right thing comes along but in the end, it is usually worth waiting. :)

Linda said...

Gorgeous! You have such a beautiful design sense :)

We decorate as the season progresses--here a little, there a little. Whatever doesn't make it out of the boxes over the course of December, doesn't get put up this year. We have everything from bread dough and popsicle stick ornaments to elegant hand beaded and be-ribboned antique ornaments from my grandmother. We are eclectic LOL

Danielle Nolan said...

Absolutely lovely, just like everything you do! :)

Predilections said...

I think you are lovely. Truly.

Predilections said...

I love it! That sounds a little like our tree too. The glittery and antique glass ornaments are equally at home with the crocheted elf, the popsicle stick snowflake, the reindeer I made out of an egg carton in kindergarten. :)