When it comes to decorating for Advent and Christmas, I’m of two minds. On the one hand, I live in a log cabin, which just begs for natural decorations and flowers forced inside. I’m also a garden writer, so, in winter, I surround myself with green and growing plants.
Otherwise, I might lose my ever-loving mind.
This year my mantel sports bottlebrush trees and silver platters along with small silver bowls and a simple green wreath. I’m also growing paperwhites and amaryllis. I planted white and green amaryllis to extend them after the holiday and into the new year.
On the other hand, I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s so I’m a fanatic for all things shiny and glittery. I even like those aluminum trees, but they don’t fit my house. If I had a mid-century modern home, you could bet I’d have one in one of the rooms.
I favor over-the-top Christmas decor, like vintage Shiny Brite ornaments, tinsel and sequined poinsettia branches placed on the limbs of the tree. White lights give it all a warm and cozy glow.
About that tinsel–my kids hate tinsel. They say it’s messy.
I say, “And, your point is?” After all, I’m the one who cleans it up.
What’s a red dirt girl with schizophrenic Christmas tastes to do? I can’t speak for anyone else, but I mix my natural decor with the glittery bits. I find inspiration for natural Christmas decorating from Scandinavian, Norwegian and Dutch Pinterest boards and blogs. Several of my own boards, including Christmas Flowers, Christmas Tablescapes, White Christmas and Log Cabin Christmas, reflect their style. My other Christmas boards are more sparkly.
Some of my favorite blogs that embrace my natural side are Garden Flow, Claus Dalby and Viebeke Design. Luckily, my glass ornaments work well with Polish and German blown glass ornaments. This year, my favorite blogs’ influences show in the red and white color scheme I have. I told my daughter, Megan, that I’m channeling Swedish and Norwegian Christmases. She said, “But, we’re not Swedish.”
Again, I ask, and her point is?
These same adult children told me yesterday they wouldn’t have Santa Claus for their children because he isn’t “real.” At that point, Bill looked them in the eye and said that Santa still visits Grandpa’s house, so they can get gifts from him here. The girls then laughed because none of our children even have children yet. The funny things your adult children say.
Isn’t Christmas about dreams and great love? The coming of the Christ Child certainly is. Surely a little dreaming and extravagance is also called for when celebrating such an overwhelming gift. That’s what I ponder as I hang another glass ornament on the tree. No, my tree isn’t Nordic–they are very simple and beautiful in their simplicity–but it is very, very pretty and makes me smile. Since I work from home, this is a very good thing.
I collect vintage Shiny Brite ornaments that I mix with other family favorites. My husband teases me saying I have a Shiny Brite addiction. Now that my kids are mostly grown, I can indulge my Christmas decorating fantasies. Little fingers and glass ornaments do not mix. Some years I do red and gold ornaments, but other Christmases, I might do something more 1960s. This year, as I wrote above, I’m focusing on Nordic style, and I’m enjoying it the most. I pull out old items from the attic and the bedrooms, and I take a long time to decorate, partly because we also celebrate Advent. I wait awhile to pull out the tree, and then keep it up until Epiphany unless I can’t stand the clutter. Most of the decor is red and white including the wrapping paper. The 1960s side of me added a bit of blue and hot pink to the mix too.
Red looks great in a log cabin, and since we already have some red accents in the great room, it was easy to add to more for Christmas.
I pulled out old silver platters for our fireplace mantel along with bottle trees in green, white and pink. To keep the bottle trees from getting smashed in their boxes, I wrap them in tissue paper each year. Since two of our kids have moved out, I have room in one of the bedroom closets for our more delicate things. That way, the heat of the attic doesn’t melt them.
Once Christmas is over, I’ll pull down most of the red and decorate the mantel with green, silver and white. I’ll add my hyacinths and paperwhites, and things will be clean for the new year. I know it’s a bit over the top, but I love Christmas.
What decorations are precious to you and your family? How do you celebrate the holidays?
Just now getting caught up on my blog reading! I love that you’re over the top in Christmas decorating! I am too and love it. Very charming house you have!
Like you, I live in a log cabin – my 4th – 2 in CO, 1 in MN & now on the OK farm I grew up on. As I miss the pine forests, my husband plants 100 pine seedlings each year – now going on 12 years. We cut a 7′ pine each year & decorate with ornaments collected during years of travel. A yellow lab with a swishing tail means the glass balls don’t usually go on the tree. I go with nature – lots of red & green, burlap, pine cones & bark baskets. Love your look!
I’m not a big Christmas decorator anymore. My years working retail spoiled the holiday for me. Now the kids rarely visit during the holidays, we have to go to them, so I don’t bother decorating. Many would say I’m Scrooge for my lack of holiday decor, but I found that it made my home feel cluttered. However, I do have a silly little windup music box, where a reindeer ice skates in circles, and it was a gift from my daughter many years ago. I’m going to be giving it back to her before long, because she always loved it. Your home looks beautiful with your special decor all around you. I’m so glad that others get more enjoyment from Christmas decorations than I do!
Hi Robin, I also worked for years in retail, and it just about did me in. Working the shopping season is such a difficult thing every year. I can understand why you don’t decorate since you go visit your kids elsewhere. I guess being the center house for everyone to gather makes decorating more exciting for me. I do enjoy it all. ~~Dee
Thank you for the visit, Dee Nash. I’m loving your Santa tea set, as well as the cute Polish teapot! Merry Christmas!
Hi Margie, I, too, love the Christmas tea set because my mom gave it to me for Christmas years ago when I couldn’t afford it.
Love your tree! It’s beautiful as is, but if you like tinsel, Make It So! Love the red and white throw–is it a boutis? My favorites! Our bedroom is blue and white but I bring red accents in for Christmas–love having just a few things in occupied bedrooms as well as other rooms. Love your voice in all your writing–a blessing! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Hi Alison, I think I’ll skip the tinsel this year since the tree is so new. Maybe next year? The throw isn’t a boutis. It’s one made of polyester and is furry. I love the colors. Thank you so much for visiting and commenting. You’re too kind about my writing.
Dee, we are kindred spirits when it comes to Christmas decor. I was nodding my head all the way through your post. I grew up with a mother who had an affinity to all things Scandinavian and therefore we have lots of wood/natural style ornaments, we are German and love all the glass blown ornaments. We have a lot of delft style trimmings from our time in The Netherlands and Belgium. Anyway, our tree is an eclectic mix of our travels and heritage and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Your tree and mantle are gorgeous. I hope you and your family enjoy your Christmas celebrations.
Karin, I loved reading your comment. I hope your family has the happiest of Christmases. We are also German. German and Irish, the two great American migrations.
I love how you mix it up Dee…we have a ceramic tree that is precious to my hubby so it has a special spot. And the ornaments I have collected go on our little tree now.
Donna, I love those ceramic trees. My mom made one once. They are such collector items now. Merry Christmas.
Your home is lovely! I adore the little teapot ornament.
Thank you Mary. Merry Christmas!
Everything looks beautiful! I love Shiny Bright, too. When Michael and I got married I bought a dozen and wished I had gotten all the antique dealer was selling. Your collection makes me smile.
Haha, Bill thinks I have too many, but what does he know?
So lovely and festive, dear Dee. Christmas Blessings!
Hi sweet Joey! Merry Christmas blessings to you too dear.
I am enjoying your post while I am eating lunch. Your narrative was super. Glad Santa comes ot Grandpa’s houae. Loving the silver platters on the mantle. Merry Christmas, Linda cme over from FB H&G group
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed a respite during lunch. We love Santa. Adult kids say the darnedest things.
I didn’t know there was a name for the old vintage glass ornaments – Shiny Bright! I have a few that I filled a lantern with & used as a centerpiece on my screened porch this year. I’ve found them a few at a time at thrifts shops over the years.
Last year, we chose not to put a tree up in our main living area because we had a new puppy. We loved the space so well that we did the same again this year & our focus is Christ’s birth in the main living area with our nativities displayed there.
I do have a large tree on my screened porch, a little cardinal tree on my kitchen bar in honor of my mother & a beautiful little white tree in my bathroom filled with religious ornaments.
Love your kids’ ideas about Santa 😉 but love grandpa’s response even more. We have firm ideas about parenting until babies actually come along.
Hey Jen, yup, Shiny Brite was a manufacturer of glass ornaments from the 1940s through the 1970s. You can date your ornaments, if you want, by looking at the cap on top. The most rare ones are from the 40s during the war when they used paper caps because metal was scarce due to WWII. I had to laugh about my kids and Santa. I kept thinking, oh you don’t know what you’ll do or not do until those kids come. I love your decorating style. I have two nativities in the living room, and a cross stitch one I made when I was nineteen. We also have that silver bell nativity in the kitchen. Thank you for stopping by and commenting. Merry almost Christmas!
Your home is beautiful Dee. It looks so welcoming.
Thank you Linda. By next year, I think I’ll get a red and white quilt to put on our bed and put a small tree in our bedroom–just a tabletop one. I think that would be nice. ~~Dee
I so enjoyed this post! Gorgeous decorations, thanks for sharing. I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, so I relate to the ‘shiny objects’ craving at Christmas.
I first heard a home referred to as mid-century modern on HGTV, and my first thought was, ‘dang, I must be old’.
Janice, I think I must be old too. I find that the older I get the more I like mid-century modern. Weird how we go back to our childhoods. Thank you so much for commenting!
The decorations are beautiful and just perfect. Love the tree and your new red & white throw. Enjoy this season and Santa is certainly real. Magic lives.
Amen to that Layanee!
Dee, I don’t think you are a bit over the top. You and I am sure your family love the way you honor the Christmas season. You are making lasting memories filled with love and attention.
My childhood was not a particularly happy one especially around Christmas. So I rebelled and went over the top for my family. I guess you can say at this point in my life it has simmered down to a more typical Christmas event. ha.. we love it tho. Love and Blessings to you and yours.
Hi Lisa, the Christmases of my youth weren’t very happy either. I’m sure that has something to do with my wanting Christmas to be as bling-y as possible. Happy Christmas to you too.
Geese, I don’t know which I like more – your gardens or your home.
Oh! Thank you so much Annie. I do enjoy playing around with things in our log cabin. Merry Christmas!