The holiday’s are upon us. And, with that is the need to adorn our homes to ring in the season. When it comes to decorating for Christmas and the holidays, I have a few requirements. Of course, it must be elegant and festive (think my muse, Nancy Meyers). And, I want it to be relatively no fuss and easy. I do have some treasured Christmas decorations and it’s always fun to bring those out every year. The foundation, however, is fresh, natural and oh-so easy! You too can have an elegant home this holiday with these simple Christmas décor ideas.
Fresh Wreaths
One of the keys to my simple Christmas décor is having fresh wreaths in multiple locations around the house. (Generally, the front door is not one of them.) I place wreaths on the windows, on the walls, on the dining room table. I find wreathes to be ready-made holiday decorations and I use them liberally. And, this simple Christmas decor smells amazing!
I look for the “mixed” wreathes with multiple elements built in – Noble Fir, Cedar accents, pine cones, blue spruce, red berries, etc. I buy 7-8 of them and will find places to put them both inside and out.
Poinsettia’s
The other key to my holiday décor is poinsettia’s in both large (3 ft.) and small (1 ft.) placed around the house. I put the big ones strategically around the house for maximum impact. I’ll place two big ones in the living room; one in an empty corner of the dining room. Then I’ll place the smaller ones in different locations. These are small enough to go in a piece of blue pottery, or on top of a Chinese stool.
Together, the large and small poinsettia’s give a festive pop of color that juxtaposes against the green of the wreathes and other greens. Very impactful, yet simple Christmas decor.
Garland
I usually buy 1-2 rounds of garland. I don’t do a ton with greens — mainly using them for the fireplace mantle with a string of battery -powered fairy lights and a few ornament stuck in. Easy, breezy.
I will also wrap the pillars of the front porch (also with a string of lights intertwined) and use the extra in window boxes, etc.
First Stop for Simple Christmas Decor — Costco
If your timing is right, you will find most of what you need at Costco. They have wonderfully, fresh, high-quality wreathes, garland and poinsettia’s — and at a great price point. The only problem is they run out fast. Last year, I was too late and even after calling around to 3-4 Costco’s in my area could I find a few wreathes — a fraction of what I needed.
If you miss the Costco-window, you can also find high-quality product at Lowe’s, Home Depot and your local garden center or tree lot. However, it will probably be more expensive to complete your simple Christmas decor.
Fresh, Live Tree
If we’re not traveling over Christmas, we buy a fresh blue spruce tree. The blue spruce has a great color, amazing smell, short needles that stay fresh longer. At the Christmas tree lot I have them make a fresh cut, then when we get it home, we stick the base in a bucket of hot water for about an hour.
Keeping the tree watered will extend it’s life. Last year, we purchased this amazing funnel that hides in the branches and makes it SO easy to water the tree. No more laying on the floor, carefully pouring water around branches. Here’s a link to a similar one. It’s genius. It’s $17 that’s well worth it, trust me on this.
With these easy, simple Christmas decor ideas your home will smell and look great! The holidays can be stressful –but you can have a beautiful, festive home without any stress. Leaving you with energy to focus on the many other things the holiday’s throw at us.
WETSU! WETSU!
XO JT
