The kids and I decorated our Christmas tree tonight. We just couldn’t wait one. more. minute. In fact, I have been slowly adding Christmas touches to my house for the past few weeks. This is a time of year and a season that I enjoy and look forward to all year. For me it’s not about Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day (although I cherish those as well) but more about the whole season together and what it represents. Thankfulness, gratitude, love for our Savior and love for each other.
Making my house feel magical for my family during this special time of year brings me so much joy. I like to spread it out! Decorate when the mood strikes. Add a little here and a little there. I don’t like to feel rushed. The smell of fresh greenery and the lights of the Christmas tree add such a warmth and coziness to our home. I want to enjoy it for longer than the few weeks in between Thanksgiving and Christmas! The holiday lights remind me of how much I have to be grateful for. They remind me to slow down and cherish this time with my family.
I know a lot of people like to wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas. That’s great. Some years we have done that too. I believe you should do whatever feels right for your family. For our family it felt right to turn on some Christmas music and decorate our tree today. We were all in the mood and had a blast. :) There is no right or wrong when it comes to holiday decorating. We plan to fully celebrate Thanksgiving and feel gratitude for all we have next to the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree. Sounds magical to me!
If you are like our family and are already decorating or thinking about decorating for this special time of year, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite Christmas decor ideas I’ve found on-line. I hope these pictures give you a few ideas and inspire you as much as they do me!
I love fresh greenery. Aside from its intoxicating smell, I love the simplicity and elegance it adds. If you didn’t want to put it up and down your whole staircase, I love the idea of just placing some at the bottom of the stairs. Add a few ornaments and ribbon if you want to dress it up.
And I have always been a fan of using candy canes in Christmas decor. Another inexpensive way to add some holiday cheer!
You too?
Erin ~ I think it’s fantastic that you’re filling your home with holiday spirit already!!! I would love to do that as well – but we have a huge thanksgiving and some very traditional guests who would not appreciate it. So… I wait until after Thanksgiving then get started. But it always seems like such a short season!!!! Can’t wait to see yours as you add more and more :) Thanks for sharing! I’m very grateful to be able to read your blog and feel the spirit and inspiration :)
I noticed over the weekend on my social media that lots of people went ahead and put up their tree this weekend. I didn’t get our big tree up but I put up my 2 kid’s white trees in their rooms. It was my first year to do that and I got the trees and trimmings all at 80% off last year after Christmas. It was like opening a big box of presents to get all of that new stuff out! I think a lot of people are feeling the spirit this year early but Thanksgiving seems later this year too. We got snow last night here in middle TN so I am dying to put up our big tree now. Can’t wait to see all your decor!
We are starting at our house too! Love all these ideas! Thanks for sharing!
These are great ideas. –Hanna Lei
Thank you Andrea! Such a sweet comment. I’m grateful for kind readers like you! xo
It does seem like people are decorating earlier this year April! I did that too! Bought stuff on sale after last Christmas and it was so fun getting it all out. It’s so smart to do that if you can pull it off! Jealous of your snow! I wish we could have some just for December. :) Thanks April!
Yea! Thanks Jboo and Hanna!
I agree with you, Erin, decorate when you want! I like to wait until Thanksgiving night or the day after (just because I have so many fall decorations to enjoy) to bring out all my Christmas, but who cares if someone else is already decorating their house? :) It makes me laugh when people get so upset about someone decorating their own home a little earlier then they would. To each their own! Your home is beautiful and enjoy that pretty tree.
I love it. I can’t wait to get ours up! Would you mind sharing the dimensions of your tree? I’m on the hunt for a tall skinny one . :)
Hi Erin, your blog is super! I love your way of organizing,
and styling/decorating your house through the year and yes, it is time for getting started with Christmas decoration. ;-)) We picked up our xmas deco box last weekend and got started, too. We haven`t finished yet, but this slowly decorating is both, stressless and fun and it feels like longer lasting christmas time/holiday. Wish you and your family a happy christmas time. Liebe Grüße, Anke from Germany
Oh Erin, the tree looks beautiful. I don’t put up our tree till after Thanksgiving but I have lots and lots of twinkie lights all about. I have them on my mantle with fake autumn leaf garland, I have them on my ficus tree and on top of my book shelf. The shorter the days get the more strings of twinkie lights I add. Enjoy! and thank you again for sharing your beautiful joyful blog, Happy Thanksgiving! Elizabeth Backhaus, Scarborough, ME
I’ve had the itch to decorate, too. Unfortunately my stuff is in storage. We have been listening to music and watching Christmas movies. I say do it! There are worse things to do than decorate early.
Thank you Angelia! xo
I just ordered it from Balsam Hill Tiffany! I needed the same thing for our space – tall and skinny. It’s their 9 foot “Silverado Slim” and here is the link:
http://www.balsamhill.com/Silverado-Slim-by-Napa-Christmas-p/sdo-t.htm?1=1&CartID=0
We love it! Hope that helps. :)
Thank you Liebe! I agree! Starting early makes it stress free and enjoyable. So much fun. Happy Holidays to you in Germany! xo
Elizabeth – that sounds beautiful! I love the lights too! Thank you so much. Enjoy the holidays! xo
Nita – aren’t the movies and music fun!? I never get tired of them. :)
i love all the ideas you shared — wouldn’t have time to discover all those, myself, so thank you! happiest days ahead to you and yours, erin.
I go on a holiday house tour every year and the best decor tip I ever took from it was putting garland on the bottom of the stair rail on the outside. So much better, less chance of damage and scratching to the railing itself and if you have some clumsy folk in the house such as myself, it leaves the hand rail completely free to grip.
What a fun and inspiring post, Erin! I typically start decorating before Thanksgiving, and I’m definitely getting that itch. I’m hosting dinner here this year, so I’m hesitant to totally displace those turkeys and Pilgrims. I like your analogy of PB&J — may just have to add some baubles and glitz to my Thanksgiving displays!
We started a little bit of decorating,got bathrooms and kids trees up in their rooms.We get a real tree for living room so we wont have our tree until 1st or 2nd weekend in December.Might pull out some more decorations today though since were snowed in today (2+ feet of snow and travel bans here :() Want some? I’ll be happy to share :)Anyways love your tree it’s beautiful!
Brill ideas.:)
I find that here in the UK a lot of people don’t put their *decs ( up until about the 2nd or 3rd week of December – that’s far too late for me. *Decs are tree etc.
I’m going to start putting mine up next week. The first two things I put up (or on) are my Father Christmas loo seat covers.:)
Do you have chocolate advent calendars in the US? I bought mine in September.
It takes me about a week to put all my decs up. Even tho it’s only me here at home I still think it’s worth it.
Even tho I put my decs up early I also leave them up longer than most people, in fact I won’t take them down until about Jan 10th – I like being different.:)
Enjoy the Christmas season & Happy Thanksgiving to you & your readers for next week.X
I am SO ready to decorate for Christmas, and have been listening to christmas music daily! My husband on the other hand really wants me to wait until the day after Thanksgiving. I am very much looking forward to it! Your home is very beautiful. I love the way you decorate :)
Hi Erin, your blog is super! I love your way of organizing,Would you mind sharing the dimensions of your tree? please
Thank you so much Maria! I have no idea! If you ask me again this December when I have it set up I’ll measure it for you! xo