Festive Holiday Home

Welcome back everyone, we are finally to the weekend and I couldn't be more excited! Anyone else feel like the week after a holiday drags on? I have been looking forward to this weekend for a while now, it is my favorite date night of the year! My absolute favorite tradition that Aaron and I have created as a married couple is, each year we go to a Christmas play, ballet or musical. It is something my Christmas loving heart looks forward to all year and this year is no exception. Aaron is taking me to see the Santaland Diaries in Louisville and we are going to eat at the Spaghetti Factory, and then for the first time, we are going to get a hotel in the city and stay the night! Knox is also going to have a great weekend because he is having a sleepover with his nana and grandpa and they spoil him rotten! This tradition we have started is so near and dear to my heart and helps kick off an amazing holiday season. Another way I like to kick off the holiday season, is by making our home cozy and festive with Christmas decorations. There is something so magical about cuddling up next to each other under the glow of the lights from the Christmas tree, watching a Christmas movie and drinking some hot cocoa in your holiday mugs, that just makes your heart happy. Below I have listed a few of my favorite ways to decorate your home to bring the Holiday spirit without breaking the bank, so keep reading!

Decorate the Tree

Of course this first one is a no-brainer, but it could not be left out. One of the most important aspects of decorating your home for Christmas is decorating your tree! Some of my favorite memories as a child, are me and my sisters helping my parents decorate our tree and taking turns putting the tree topper on! The tree sets the tone for the rest of your home in my opinion, do you decorate your tree more rustic, whimsical, neutral, colorful, themed, classic, modern, glamorous, etc? The past 3 years I have decorated our tree in some form of all white with lots of glitter and glamour! This year I wanted to do something a little different, without having to buy all new ornaments. I had been shopping at TJ Maxx one day and came across these stunning copper ornaments and they inspired this years tree. I decided to keep with he neutral theme and use some of my white ornaments and then add pops of copper and wood elements for a more rustic feel. I absolutely love the way it turned out! I was able to use about 75% of my old ornaments and ribbon and only had to buy a few extra ornaments to incorporate this years theme. This way I saved a lot of money but was able to get a whole new look with my tree.  I found a lot of my new ornaments at Target this year, like these glitter pine cones, reindeer and wooden ones! Adding a few different ornaments and a unique new tree topper completely changed the aesthetic of my tree without hurting my wallet. If you are looking to change up your Christmas decor this year, try and incorporate the 75/25 rule. Shop your own stash of decorations to lay down a foundation and then fill in with some cool new pieces that add interest and make an old space feel new.

  

Pillows, Pillows and more Pillows 

If you have been reading my blog for a while this next step will come as no surprise to you, I am always talking about changing out throw pillows to spruce up a space. Changing up the pillows on your couch is a cost effective and easy way to incorporate the Christmas spirit in the heart of your home. Most people spend the majority of their time in the family room and kitchen, so these are usually the main areas I like to decorate for the holidays. I try to always remember the more I put up, the more I have to clean up and I am not a fan of lots of clutter, so this keeps me pretty minimal. If you keep your normal throw pillows pretty neutral, it is easy to add color and festive holiday pillows to your existing decor. I like grey and creams and stay close to that palate even with my Christmas pillows and then add pops of red. My favorite places to find inexpensive throw pillows are TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Amazon and Target. These plaid pillows and cream colored lumbar pillow are all from TJ Maxx this year.

Holiday Scented Candles

An easy and inexpensive way to get your home in the holiday spirit is to burn some holiday scented candles. I am always a huge fan of Bath and Body works candles and love the Pumpkin Pecan Waffles scent, it my absolute favorite. It has a very warm, bakery scent to it and is technically a fall scent but I love to burn it into the winter months too. If you are looking for more of a true Christmas scent then Fresh Balsam, Winter Candy Apple and Twisted Peppermint are all great! I also really love The Origami Rabbit's candles over at The Olive Branch Boutique in Wilmore, Kentucky., my best friend owns the boutique and she has done such an amazing job with it. They are all wax melts inspired by characters and have some super cute winter themed candles. If you are in the central Ky area you must check out the whole store and shop local, what a better way to give back during the holiday season! You can also check them out online if you are not from the Kentucky area! Another way to get your home smelling like Christmas is to burn some orange peel, apples, lemon, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, pine sprigs and really whatever else you want. If you google or Pinterest simmering spices you can get a ton of recipes for a more natural scent!

Christmas mantle

If you are like me and your home does not have a fire place ( our next home will have one for sure) that does not mean you still cant bring in some holiday warmth. You can put Christmas decorations on your entertainment center, entry table, side tables or even stairwell. We purchased a free floating mantle a few years ago for our living room and that is where we place our stockings. I kept our mantle pretty similar to last year because I love it and just replaced the vase that was there, with a felt tree I found at Tj Maxx. It was a $8 dollar addition and I love the way it turned out. Our stockings are from last year from the Hearth and Hand collection at Target and here are some similar stockings from their line. 

Fun Garland & Festive Outdoor Mats

My last tip for bringing in some holiday spirit into your home is by stringing up some fun garland around the house and adding a fun Christmas rug to your front porch. These are two easy and inexpensive items that pack a big punch when it comes to home decor. I a loving the wooden bead garland and yarn garland trends we are seeing everywhere. I strung this fun yarn garland from Target across our entertainment center to bring in some fun colors for Knox. I love the way it adds a pop of interest and it has fun little bells at each end! I am currently on the hunt the perfect Christmas mat for our front porch and I love this one and this one, and I love the price!

These are all simple ways to bring some holiday cheer into your home this season, and I hope you found these helpful and they gave you some inspiration for your own home. Also do not forget to shop your families old decorations, those are usually the most sentimental pieces! A few of my holiday items are hand-me-downs from my mom and my friend Emi decorated her whole entry way with a gorgeous Nativity scene passed down from her mother. It is a great way to bring your childhood memories into your own home! As fun as all of these items are do not think you have to buy a single item to truly feel the magic of Christmas. If you are enjoying the Holiday season with the people you love an embracing the true meaning of Christmas, then your heart already is full of Christmas cheer! Hope you all have an amazing weekend and thank you so much for stopping by!

Be Well,

Katelyn 

Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.