Yep we REALLY cut back this year. Have the Front Porch Tour , 17 th year but we only did the porch and no extra lights on the trees or the wall. Took about 30 min. In the house I put my Mom's big ceramic tree on a table in the window...you know the kind...green with the little lights and it is lit from inside. Put out beautiful Weihnachts from Nuremburg Germany on the table in the foyer. That is it..nothing else. It was SO liberating. We did just what YOU want to do...went out and got a nice bottle of wine and had a lovely dinner by the fire...time spent ...about one hour....cost ...priceless in peace of mind.

Here is hoping you have a wonderful and restful holiday with your DH too. Pack the stuff back up...put it away....c

I'm so tired! I meant I'd take a TREE massively lit w/ lights! Good Grief!

Trailrunner - I may just do that! Tonight even!

I've really cut back. Last year, I felt overwhelmed in my own home. I like a minimal, unfussy style and my own Christmas style made me not want to spend time at home. In a fit last year of "I just can't take it anymore", I packed up every decoration before we left town on the 20th. I couldn't bear to think of coming home on the 27th to all *that*.

Using HGTV Rate My Space user JenniH as my inspiration, I've really pared down. Her colors are white and brown and she's only added green for winter. Just choosing one color instead of many does so much for me. My own home is taupe and white, so having fresh greenery is easy and calming. (She also has a dining room posted, but it's got a little bit more going on. You can click on her name to see it.)

Here is a link that might be useful: JenniH from RMS

This is the season when the non-Christians can sit back with a glass of eggnog and say ... "not MY holiday".

Yup, I cut back this year by wowing to go "no faux" (well, ok...to be honest I did put a faux "swag" on the mantle, but I stripped it of all the fake stuff)! We'll cut our tree this weekend, which is a family tradition. Only this year we will have ONE tree, not two! All the fou-fou stuff is pack to go to a Salvation Army store this weekend.

I'm not doing the banister with garland, no outside lights, just single window candles at each window, some table linens, some candles.....done!

We hosted a holiday brunch last Sunday instead of our usual cocktail party. SO much easier!

Simplify is my motto. Less IS more!

I've never gone over the top, but with a remodel that lasted through 2 holiday seasons I realized I could get by with even less. There's the artificial 4' tree in the dining room, the fresh tree in the keeping room, small collection of Santas and a wreath in the kitchen window, a lighted wreath in a bathroom window, a nativity scene on the hutch, and 3 metal angels scattered here and there. Outdoors a lighted wreath on the courtyard gate, a grapevine wreath with faux berries and gold ribbon on the front door, lighted garland on the parking apron picket fence and dh's contribution ... 3 lighted deer in the backyard where we get to see them all the time.

I hope Jant sees this and has her home decorated already but she's heading out of town and may already be gone. She always has the most wonderful holiday decor - simple, natural - that whole effortless thing she does.

I JUST did my mantel today - totally copied an inspiration pic I have. It needs some tweaking and fluffing with pine and boxwood stems but for the most part it's good to go. I stopped doing a tree years ago and haven't brought the holiday decor items out of the attic in years - they could be dust for all I know. And I don't miss it one bit. We light the candles for Hanukkah when we have our family party and call it decorated.

{{!gwi}}

dlm that is beautiful and I would totally leave that up for all year. Where did you see it ? where to get those pots,,,is it faux plants/greenery ? I am thinking Spring when I look at it...it is 25 here in AL tonight...BBRRRRRRR> c

dlm, that is so tasteful. Very nice.

I only do a simple tree in the living room and a simple wreath by the front door. I've never felt the need to do much more than that.
All of my Christmas decorations (except the tree stand) fit in one Rubbermaid tote.

I do have some pine branches saved to see if I can gently arrange something on the dining room light, but they've been lying on the porch for almost a week and no movement so far...

I completely understand what you are saying as this year I've felt I couldn't stand to do the over-the-top decor. Altho there's only DH and I we do have guests coming so I feel I have to do some decorating and I do enjoy playing with my house. I'm just tired of the overly glitzy style so am doing a more pared down look. I don't think most people really care what the decor is if the food and company is good. I always have a lot of "stuff" around and couldn't face putting it all away to make room for Christmas decorations then packing *them* all away in a few weeks and having to put back all my things. So I'm just embellishing my regular accessories and keeping mostly neutral colors with metallics added. I'm also doing a lot of "rustic and refined" that I've been seeing all over the net. So I'm using a lot of jute twine instead of fancy ribbon. I really like this look. This afternoon I put my old glass fishing balls on a tray with some pine cones and a couple of silver decorations and called it done. Have a lot of candles scattered around which always looks festive.

I really enjoy looking at blogs from Europe as most of the decorating there is so different - natural and simple and limited "glitz". Wouldn't take days and weeks to decorate in that style. Here are a couple random blogs from my bookmarks and you can just follow the blog rolls to find lots more if you are interested in this style. In the first there's a pic of an outdoor tree in a wheelbarrow that I copied this year.
http://camillaathome.blogspot.com/
http://heidi-anitha.blogspot.com/

While I think Martha is great and I'd love her to decorate my house this is the motto I'm following!

{{gwi:1466119}}

The pine cone wreath is one I made in the 80's and this year to refresh it I had DH spray paint it with several metallic colors altho it would have looked fine au naturel.

I find using artificial prelite trees, garlands and wreaths has helped me a lot. I bring several big containers from the basement and it's mostly done. I also do the same thing every year which helps. I do move things around but I don't mind.
The stress from shedding branches, sap and water was too much for me! Particularly the year I realized the pine boughs were oozing onto my furniture and the tree stand leaked water.

I spend a lot of money (for me) and time on winter containers each year and that gives me more joy than lots of outdoor lights.

Believe it or not, I cut down this year! I didn't put out my carolers with the houses village (now I feel guilty that they are still sitting in the basement when all their friends are upstairs.), all of my Christmas pillows, my indoor wreaths, and several of my outdoor window wreaths. I also didn't put the blue lights and ornaments on a large fig tree in my study.

Do you know where your favorite items are?

Just take those that you truly love out, and put them where you can see them. And it is a great time of the year to buy a beautiful plant- amaryllis is practically foolproof, grows before your eyes, and produces large gorgeous flowers that will cheer you up in the middle of the winter.

I always gave my kids their own little planter full of paper whites for their rooms. They both loved them.

And then get out the eggnog and relax.

Really. .... It's a good thing. :)

lazygardens - ROTFLMAO! So true, so true! All I had to do was take two wreaths (twig wreaths with other natural materials, Wheel of the Year and all that jazz) off their hook in the shed, blow off the dust with canned air, and hang them on the two exterior doors visible from the street. Tah-dah, five minutes and pass the eggnog.

Some of my friends do have Yule trees but we stopped having a tree in 1996 because the cat wrecked it and to be honest I have not missed it. When the cat went to the Summerlands it didn't really even cross our minds to go back to having one. Just too much hassle. In this house and the last one we haven't had anywhere reasonable to put one anyway; in the last house I had a fireplace mantel to put a few tchotchkes on and a fireplace for a Yule log, but no mantel or much of any horizontal tchotchke-displaying space in this one (I have decided this is a blessing in disguise, less stuff out to dust!) and no fireplace for Yule log. I have a medium-sized bin of ornaments that I've been hauling around forever and a couple of years ago I started giving them away for other people to enjoy. This bitty house's storage space is very precious, since neither the attic nor the cellar is suitable for storing anything nice, and there are just a couple of under-the-eaves closets to serve the whole house. (The joys of the old house... LOL)

Oh my...do you have a video camera set up at my house ttodd?! I just had this conversation with my husband last night!!

I asked one of my neighbors who has a lovely huge home if she would decorate her house so that it could be photographed for a local magazine I write for. She asked me to come look at everything before the photo shoot and when I got there she was standing there with a glass of wine looking completely frazzled. Her house looked beautiful with 5 fully decorated trees in various themes, her dining room table set with holiday dishes and "stuff" everywhere in her downstairs. It looked amazing and certainly well worthy of a magazine spread. She said she was completely done and thankful they were hosting 2 parties and a wedding there during the upcoming weeks and she even put on the party invitations that it was her "last" ever holiday party. Now keep in mind that these people were born to entertain, they are wonderful hosts and have the space and the set up to host great parties, so I kept thinking why on earth would it be their last?! Then I decorated my own house and had a light bulb moment, I felt her pain!

Since we've been renovating for so long I couldn't wait to break out the ornaments and decorations that hadn't seen the light of day for a few years. And I couldn't wait to put them all out into the perfect spots that I had so meticulously planned for in my reno plans, yes I'm just that nutty that I thought about stuff like that as we planned the remodel! Then after pulling all those tubs out and putting everything out, after 2 weeks of work, I looked at it all last night and said to my husband "I overdecorated and I HATE it!" He gave me the usual smile and said "you're tired, you've been working hard, wait and see what you think tomorrow".

I also love all the Swedish blogs, particularly camillaathome that luckygal suggested and I thought in my head that I would do something very simple and very natural this year but alas my need to "use" all the pretty things I own took over! We are having 100 people here on the 20th and part of me kept thinking "oh I should put that out, those people will be here and they gave that to us..." and on and on it went!

I didn't put something absolutely everywhere, but I just feel like I could have put out less and been much happier! I did send pictures to another GW'er friend, traci29, who I trust and respect her taste and opinion and asked her that same question "did I over decorate?!" and she was sweet and kind and said it all looked wonderful, but I still have an overwhelming urge to rip most of it down and pack it away to give to my own daughter in the next few years as she sets up her own place. Truth be told she probably won't want it and I should just donate about half of it!

Phew, sorry to have written a book, but it's as though you were reading my mind and it made me feel good to know I'm not the only one!!!

Kat :) *tired of decorating and very long...

When I put everything away in 2006 the last time I put up a tree. I picked out my very favorite things and gave away all the rest. Several boxes of stuff. I still ended up with three suitcases under our bed of Christmas.That included a three foot tree in the suitcase. Took about 1/4 of it out this year and am happy. Nativity picture on the other 2009 thread.Would have liked to see my favorite indents and maybe next year when the kitten is more grown up.

I do not think it took me over an hour if that to put the decorations I did up. Took me more time to move the things away to make room for those decorations on top of the cabinet. I suppose I spent an hour or so doing the lights on the front porch and I just love outdoor lights and used to do 6K to 10K of them. I have four strands icicle and a couple strands of 100 on the garlands.

I really do not want more stuff for our house. But I think I will keep an eye out for a large pretty glass bowl like punch bowl I can put my indents in next year to display them but not have to hang them.I know boring. So dated. LOL

We have no company to come see what I have done. So it is all for me. Hubby could care less and we do not do gifts. I am decorating to please me. Fretting about having to get it out and put it all back does not please me any more. I am happy with how it turned out this time.

I really love the simple decorations you all have shown. Swooning over the over the top decorations too.Admire all the energy that has gone into creating them. I just do not want to do them myself.

Chris

Ideally it should not be so much about the decor or varying the decor, but about family traditions. One of my friends always decorates her tree by herself (which looks lovely), but I always thought it sad she did not let her children help her. In our house, I assemble the tree, DH puts up the lights and then we let the kids decorate. When they are bored, we call it done. Several of our ornaments have special meanings and it was so sweet to hear my 8-year-old talking about the stories behind the special ornaments. We put on carols and turned on the FP and then sat in front of the tree to enjoy. I've also put up a nativity set, a wreath and three of the village pieces. I do it because my kids like it.

I've never done anything too elaborate--we are lucky if we get lights up outdoors--and some years I do more and some less. The easiest year was when we were in an appt. during our remodel and I bought one of those 3-foot lighted trees and some ornaments. The tree was up in 5-mins. I do think you need to take some years like that and do it really simply and then you will enjoy those years when you have more time and energy to decorate more. If it doesn't bring you joy or bring you together as a family perhaps it's time to take a break and do something different this year--like drive around to see the neighbor's decorations.

"Cheers!" lazygardens. :clink:

After my remodel/add-on this year I was going to buy lots of Christmas decorations, but got lazy instead. I'm glad I didn't though, because now I'm really paying attention to decorations in other's homes, and I like simplicity.

The only thing I'll buy next year is a good garland for the mantel, and a couple of wreaths for outside. Less is more kind of thing.

I say that now but I always go nuts in January buying Christmas decor on sale! lol

That house from RMS is decorated beautifully! I love all the greenery and white lights. I use a good bit of that too.

We don't go overboard, but we do enjoy decorating for Christmas. We love sitting in the evenings with all the lights off, enjoying the sparkle of all the tiny white lights.

I admit to being very organized about it. I do a big cleaning before Thanksgiving, and then usually Thanksgiving weekend, or very soon afterwards, we decorate. That way we're finished with that and can enjoy it. I have always loved Christmas and enjoy having friends and family over in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Very informal, we like to be able to enjoy the meaning of the season and the time spent with loved ones. To do that, I have to organize and get it done. Shopping, decorations, cards, etc. are all finished by Thanksgiving or very soon afterwards.

Do what YOU (and your family) enjoy. Celebrate what Christmas means to your family without killing yourself.

tina

happymrsh

That room is gorgeous! Thank you for posting the link!

Can't wait to check out the rest of the suggested sites and blogs.

I have 3-4 of those large plastic boxes filled with Xmas stuff. Every year when I unpack it, I get rid of some of it. Either it melted (okay, even the faux, battery-operated candles melted in my attic this year -- what's up with that??) or looks shabby or I'm just 'over' whatever it was. This year I tossed a bunch of stuff. Of course, then I also buy a couple of new things... but in general, I have a lot less than most people. To me, it's all about the tree, which my kids help decorate so it is not a Martha Stewart creation for sure, and my collection of Santas, which I put all in one spot -- my kitchen shelves. Other than that, I have a garland on the mantel with a couple of candles, a Santa hat and some garland flung onto the faux moose head on the wall, and I'm set. The first floor of my house is all red, green, and gold year round, so I think it's easy for my house to feel ready for the holidays with minimal effort! Oh, another thing I do is walk around the house with a spool of ribbon and decorate some existing things -- so the little bronze cow figurine in the living room now has a red bow around his neck, etc.

I went very minimal this year compared to last (our 1st in our new house). I put up the big tree, 1 small tree, decorated the buffet, garland above the cabinets, a few accessories and called it done. I have three, yes three, large containers filled with Christmas decorations that I bought last year and had every single one of them out! Where did I put all the stuff!? I decorated black friday last year (same with this year) and the whole way up until Christmas. By the time Christmas day rolled around I was so sick of looking at everything. It was too much. It was like my eyes finally opened and everything was very visually cluttered. I spend the entire New Years Day packing it all up. I think I was just overly excited and couldn't really see how over done it was. ha Oh well.

Tina - Your advise is very good! Having everything done before hand gives more time to reflect on what Christmas is. Sad to say, I was so wrapped up in making everything pretty last year I failed to do so like I should have.

I think in the years to come I'll end up keeping it minimal. Growing up at home we always did a big tree and Dad would put the lights on, Mom did the garland and my sister and I always did the rest. We'd get so excited. I'm sure when we have kids my 6 ish hours to decorate the big tree will go in the toilet and pretty won't matter like it does now. My cats are preparing me for the furture slowly. :) You should see the bottom half of my tree now! Gizmo was so good last year. Not sure what happened.

As much as I love having the house decorated for Christmas in every room, I'm feeling the same way you are this year. What I have up already looks great, but there are half empty bins down the hallway to the garage, in the foyer and in the living room still. I'd love to stop right now and relax, but I can't. I've unfortunately conditioned my kids over the years to having all these decs and they'd be so disappointed if I didn't put them up. DD is almost 16y/o and pretty level-headed, but she turns into a MAJOR drama queeen every time I mention cutting back a bit on the decorating this year. I'm trying to finish up today while she's at school, putting the bins back out in the garage closet before she has a chance to look in them and see what I've left behind ;^D

But, I commend any of you who've made the leap because you've wanted to, and simplified your Christmas decorating!
Lynn

Oh no. We can't have our resident accessorizer losing her mojo ! :-)

I wish I can get to the point of over-decorating for Christmas. I'm such a minimalist when it comes to these things I have to remind me to be a bit more over-the-top for the kids' sake.

I don't buy a lot of store-bought decorations because I have no room to store them (not w/ all the CL furniture clogging up my garage). We decorate the mantel with yard greenery. I make a wreath. We decorate a (live) tree. That's about it.

The one thing I love to do at Christmas is to make homemade ornaments /w the kids. Last year we did ornament from shells & starfish. This year I'm sewing little hearts, birds & star from cream silk (scraps-leftover fabric). The kids get to decorate them w/ feather, beads, fabric paint, etc... They can also write the highlights of their year on the ornament, or maybe a wish, maybe draw a picture. I think it would be cute & fun activity to do. I like to make christmas decorating a family event -- good way to use child labor & less work for me. LOL :-D

2 Christmases ago I decorated 6 or 7 trees (not all of them at my house, but a lot were) and I'm still recuperating... that's my story and I'm sticking with it ;-)

Just the garland on the arches, banister and mantle this year, although I did decorated the ficus and the pear tree that always reside in the family room (10 min. each tops).

Pass the nog...

Christmas doesn't come until after my son's birthday, so I'm not fussed to do anything yet. I'll do a tree, and some table stuff, and use the Christmas china, and that's it.

hummm Is there a good way to make a diet nog??? Just had to ask. And I am so glad I am not the only one not doing a big deal decorating . Back to your regularly scheduled programing.

Chris

Bella - that sounds lovely!

I guess I'm just looking to add to what I already have out year round.

For instance all of my blue and white ginger jars that I mass on my buffet throughout the year. I'm tired of having to find a place to store them every year so that I can put up a Christmas display. I thought if I could just add greenery to them and fill in spaces w/ clementines and such then it can stay, look festive and that can serve as the 'anytime you want snacks' area that I try to set up for my kids to serve themselves w/ healthy stuff during Christmas instead of all the junk crap (they do get that too but in moderation throughout the season).

Maybe since I've re-painted and finished up decorating the downstairs in neutrals I think that it has a much more quiet and subtle sophisticated vibe and I want (and feel the need both physically and mentally) to have Christmas decorating flow as effortlessly.

ttodd--yes you can have christmas decor that goes naturally w/ what you already have.

For me christmas doesn't have to be gold & red & green. I tend to buy "seasonal" item that would cross seasons well. For example, I have white/offwhite/small urns that during the year would have my white orchids. During christmas I would put paperwhites in these pots instead of orchids. I have these glass candle holders (hurricanes?) that usually have white candles & shell/starfish. during Christmas I add some pine branches, pine cones around the candles in the same hurricanes.

My everyday front door wreath is a simple white (fake) boxwood one. During christmas I can just add some clip on birds, or ornaments on the wreath to make it more christmasy.

White large bowls or vases with moss balls looks good year round. So does mecury glass candle holders..

Those are just a few ideas..

I really admire many of the beautifully decorated homes I've seen here on this site. Would love to stop in for a cup of tea and some cookies and a nice chat.

But I would never decorate like that. I'm too lazy. And decoratively challenged. And too cheap to buy enough stuff to make a big impact.

What I like about decorating is adding color and lights to such a dark, drab time of year. It can make winter, my least favorite season, a little happier. I do a candle in every window. Sometimes a garland on my baker's rack. Most years, but not this one, a tabletop feather tree with Grinch ornaments.

I've only done a big tree 5 out of the past 16 years. I did put one up this year since most of the family will be here. I only used unbreakable things and when I ran out I said "good enough" - just like Martha Stewart would say. It is rather lightly decorated but it suits me. I had 4 strands of LED lights. It could use more but I don't have them so it's not getting them. Good heavens those are bright. I'm afraid if I look directly into them I'll perform my own laser eye surgery. I have one pair of special effect glasses (makes all the lights look like snowflakes - really cool!)that I keep on the tree for viewing pleasure.

What's important is each person do what brings them the most joy. And thankfully, many of you post your pics so that the rest of us can admire it and live vicariously through your work.

I never do as much as some of my friends. The creche is up... and I need to finish my mantle. Outside I lit the fence and my rose tuteur. I may do one more shrub...a chamaecyparis "Hinoki"...if I get ambitious. Tree will come into the house next week. (We leave it up until Epiphany...so don't bring it in until a week before Christmas.)

And that's it. I've had virus on top of virus since I came down with H1N1 on Halloween. Sapped all my energy. I'm finally healthy...but not all that interested in decorating. I haven't even started baking.

Hi, I'm flowermum and I'm a Christmas-decorholic
: )

I want to STOP!

It seems the projects keep growing and growing. I have four large trees and several smaller trees throughout the house, in addition to all the garlands and other decorations.

I love the end result but it's all the work involved in getting to the end result that's becoming tedious. I too had bins and boxes everywhere until recently.

And it's the same with me for the kids' birthdays. I began decorating for their birthdays about ten years ago, and now I feel they'd be disappointed were I to stop. I know I don't have to do any of these things but I have to get to the place where I can give myself permission to say enough already.

I fully understand the true meaning of Christmas and I rejoice in that, and I know it's not about the decorating, but I do enjoy seeing everything decorated.

I'm going to try and stick to one tree next year.
Merry Christmas everyone!

My Christmas tree this year is the top of a small fake tree decorated with one string of white lights, white paper doves, and a bleached starfish for the top. I admire those who can and I love to look at the beautifully decorated homes, but I.....don't want to do it....anymore.

I used to decorate the entire house...couldn't have too many Christmas decorations. But I have scaled back over the last few years. I think it would be interesting to chart ages with how much people decorate. When I was younger more was better, but as time has marched on...less is better.

We just moved in to our current house mid-October. I've spent so much time trying to unpack and find a place for things that I can't think about deorating. We are going to take a little trip for Christmas and spend some time at a nice Inn. It is very relaxing not to have to think about decorating.

I am seriously going to cut down on my decorating next year...this year I just did vignettes here and there and DH put the lit garland on the stairs and did some things outside...it exhausts me before, during and after and I have so many other things to do that keep me busy....next year I'm going to really minimize and be happy about it.

I love that beautiful mantel that DLM posted with the fresh greens and white pottery...very fetching.

I think it would be interesting to chart ages with how much people decorate.

Sharon, I think you might be on to something. It's fun for a few years, then it becomes a chore.

I've had three years of no Christmas because DS was always so sick and in the new house, it seems to actually beg to be decorated for the holidays, so I'm feeling the urge to have Santa barf all over this place! It's been a challenge because we've only been here a month, and the decorations didn't show up (with movers) until Thursday...with company on Friday, so I've only gotten up three trees and one full mantel as well as part of two others. I expect we'll (we'll???? Who the heck is we? It's me and DS for a few more days and a 4 year old is NOT any help) be finished maybe mid week???? I'd be ahead but I can't seem to find the danged ornament hangers :(

I was disapointed to put up only a six footer in the parlor...I think next year we'll do a 12 to 14' tree in there (artificial so it can be up for quite some time) and then go with an 8' or so skinny fake in the dining room. DS has a small tree for his bedroom and one in his play room (which he helped decorate and is allowed to touch and tweek to his hearts content).

I'm Iggy....I'm 46 and santa is barfing with wild abandon throughout my entire home this year ;) And I love it....even if the decorations fill the entire music parlor from floor to mid shoulder height right now LOL

Sharon, I also think you're onto something. Same with Christmas cards. When I was much younger, I had a blast sending a zillion cards and decorating the house.

Now that the bones are a bit older and the energy level is somewhat down, kids are gone (but close by), the thrill of uber decorating & sending a lot of cards took hike.

Another here who has both scaled down and clarified my decorating for the holidays.

I realized a few years ago that 1) I don't even LIKE red and green(!) 2) living in subtropical Florida the entire classic theme of snowmen, reindeer, frosty whatever was completely irrelevant to our life 3) my passion in decorating and in life is to celebrate the natural beauty and grace of what *is* in this area, ie shells, driftwood, sand and the loveliness of what surrounds us.

So...I went through my boxes of stuff collected almost at random through the years and tossed/gave away all of it. Then over the course of several post-holiday sale seasons I zeroed in on what I truly wanted. My colors for decorating are now silver and white-period. I had always done my tree (natural, thankyouverymuch, I had enough of those fakes growing up :), with tropical and nautical ornaments so that was already in place. But I switched from multicolored blinking lights-my husband used to call them my "eat at Joe's Diner" holiday lighting. Now it's clear lights that read white, along with only white/light colored ornaments, silver and glass balls and that is it. No tinsel, no green or red ornaments. Well, a very few special sentimental things like picture ornaments of my kids when they were young. But otherwise, silver, white and tropical tree.

As for decorating, I several sparkly gift baskets with shells, one basket of pine cones with a pretty holiday bow on top, pillar candles with some white garlands, a basket spray painted white with glass ornaments heaped, a shell wreath at the front door and a hurricane candle with a garland on top of a silver runner on the dining room table. It's enough. As my daughter commented yesterday when I finished 'Mom, it looks so elegant and classy'.

I also splurged this year on a bunch of half-price Bath and Body Works aromatherapy diffusers with holiday scents. So now in the evening I sit in my peaceful LR, watching my beautiful tree, surrounded by my serene and minimal decorating and inhaling the gentle scent of cinnamon, vanilla and balsam--yes I put in all those scents around the living area.

And I love it!

Ann

hum It is interesting how age might fall into less decorating.

Another thought is visual clutter can exhaust a person. Even when it is pretty clutter as in lovely decorations. Like the garland I put on the kitchen mirror is starting to just bug me and I think I will just take it down today and not have anything there. I have a big bowl of apples and oranges we are eating on and they can decorate that spot.

This is a great liberating thread.

Chris

Ann I would love to see your natural and nautical themed house, please post pictures!

Chris, I agree that clutter can be exhausting. I also agree with everyone who has said that age does play a role to some degree. I just turned 46 on the 8th and our kids are 22 and almost 18, so we only have one at home and next year we'll have an empty nest when he leaves for college. When the kids were younger I loved having "stuff" all around and lots of things to look at, and so did they of course. But now, I just want simplicity and things I truly love around me, which of course means mostly family! I also think that even more than age it can be other changes that happen in life, like losing parents, in-laws, etc. that can change how we decorate. Now that both of my parents are gone I still enjoy the holidays tremendously, but it will never be the same as it was when we had a houseful of people over throughout the holiday season. Now my siblings tend to go their own way and only my sister who lives closest comes over with her family. So maybe that has an impact on how I decorate too.

This thread has been liberating and I have a whole stack of stuff on the DR table to be donated tomorrow. I also took down the faux magnolia, frosted fruit, and gold lights I put up on the china cabinet, it just weighed me down everytime I went in there. Instead I will have 3 small white poinsettias and fresh greens up there in time for our party next weekend. I also just stopped, and didn't put out another thing, so now I don't feel like I'm "over" decorated anymore!

Kat :)

Kat you are so right that family could play into the decorating thing. I am 60 and DH will be 70 in April. Our parents are gone. We never had children. I was adopted and have birth family ,I found when I was 32, across the nation but too far for visits.Even my Mom is a 22 hour drive each way when the roads are good and they are not now. I will not fly.To fly is still a 400 mile drive.

So I decorate for me. The garland is down and I already feel better about it not being there. Like you it was weighing me down. It was too heavy for the space.. I will be happy with my Faux mantle. LOL Top of the gun cabinet. Works for me. I am truly enjoying that much decorating. And maybe next year I will put up my little putz house scene. I also love to see it. Both bring pleasant Christmas memories for me. I might have to put it in my china cabinet or maybe in the Secretary ,That would be perfect.

I left an empty drawer for the things on the secretary shelves for when I wanted to change the look. But I never put anything in that drawer to change the look with so the little village would be perfect in there. I might even do it today because I do miss my little village. So one down maybe one up. Hehehehe I could leave it up through the winter as it is not absolutely just Christmas and behind glass it would not be a problem. I had nothing planned for the day that I have not already finished and it is snowing. Yep I think I will do that. And not over the top kind of thing.I did not do it before because of the kitten but behind glass it will be safe.

Chris

Also posted on the Small house board as it is fitting for our small house.

DONE. Did not take me long at all and I am glad I did it.

Well since it is snowing. I decided to do one more Christmas thing in the house. I was missing my little Putz House Village and Really wanted to see a few of my beloved indents.

When we moved in here I decided to try not to clutter our small house with all my collections at once. I left a drawer open in the bottom of the secretary to be able to change out my current display. Only I never put anything in that drawer to change it with. Well here was the opportunity do get my favorite Christmas things out and keep them safe from the kitten. also I think I will leave this display up for the winter as it is a winter scene and not just Christmas.

If I do it over another time I will try to do something about the light cords. I might even drill a hole in the back for them. I really like lights in the cabinet so there is something going to happen here for another time. Maybe Puck lights or??? Suggestions welcome.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I am done decorating.

Chris

What fun it was to read your responses!

If some of you read my post about getting a 2nd chance to decorate for Christmas you know that my 1st tree died. It was the one that looked like Christmas got drunk and had a party in shades or red, red and more red w/ big blouzy red garland.

DH got the replacement tree up Saturday and I decorated it yesterday. DS1 didn't want to help this time so I told him I was doing what I wanted then and no complaining. I did it in shades of soft green and brown w/ a few white birds. No topper yet - may not get one. DH put a kazillion lights on it and that's what stands out. It looks so much better w/ my decor and DH commented on that. We sat down w/ a glass of wine and he remarked about how perfect it was. It was so relaxing.

I packed away most of the knick knack Christmas stuff and instead set out mercury glass hurricanes and tea lights. Surrounded them w/ cut limbs from our tree and accented them w/ clementines. I thought it would be a great natural decoration that also served to feed my kids a healthy snack whenever they wanted w/o asking (they're clementine fiends).

I dug out my glass pear ornaments and I am going to hang them from my DR chandelier w/ green ribbon.

I'll decorate the kitchen cabinets, mantle and my drop down desk top w/ more leftover greenery.

When DS1 came to give his stamp of approval on the tree he said that he liked the way this one was decorated better.

At dinner our new toned down decorations brought up the topic of celebrating what we have and nature and how to be appreciative of what we take for granted everyday. DS1 surprised me w/ some of his thoughful comments about the season. Of course they came between gross boy stuff that had the boys on the floor in stitches, but it was good while it lasted!

I'm leaving his crazyily hung stockings hanging on clothes hangers on the staircase banister though.

Oh Yeah ttodd, So glad the new tree worked out for you and made you all feel better. I guess I missed your red tree pictures. I think it really is all about what you and family feels like doing. Like I added the little village to my secretary shelves. I really wanted to do that after thinking I was done. But I was missing seeing it for so many years. Next year I will do it different but for now it works for me.

Thank you for starting this post. I think it has done a lot of us good. To feel better about what we want to do.

And now I am missing the pictures of your new creations. Hint hint.

Chris