The holidays are here! I love seeing all of the trees and twinkle lights popping up around our neighborhood. There is something really fun and nice about pulling out Christmas decorations each year around this time. It helps us welcome in the winter months and gives us that cozy feeling. I LOVED decorating the house for Christmas as a kid. It was always such a magical time of year and I've tried to carry that magic into adulthood as much as possible.
I like to keep things simple with decorations. I prefer minimal decor in a neutral palette (lots of white and wood), and Scandinavian-inspired, which you will see reflected in the items below. I also know that once we have a kid and we form even more holiday traditions within our own little family, things will get much more colorful and silly, which I am looking forward to! But for now, I'm enjoying the calm and simplicity.
I've listed some of my favorite holiday decor items that I've come across below. In each section I've included DIY options as well as some from my favorite places to shop for goodies. We don't actually own any of these things - our holiday decor is limited to a ziplock bag full of ornaments and two strands of string lights at the moment, but I look forward to filling our house with more holiday cheer over the years.
Ornaments
Ornaments have become our souvenir of choice when we travel. We don't like clutter or having too many small trinkets, so having ornaments as mementos to bring back from our trips has been absolutely perfect. We can pull them out every year and reflect on the wonderful memories from our travels. Whenever we get our first full-sized tree I am planning on making ornaments like the ones in the DIY section below to add to our collection.
To DIY
1. Wood Bead Ornaments // 2. Nature Ornaments // 3. Nature Bauble Ornament
To Buy
1. Beechwood Ornaments // 2. Bell Ornaments // 3. Felted Wool Ornaments (DIY example here) 4. Colored Glass Ornament // 5. Clear Glass Ornaments // 6. Scandinavian Straw Ornaments
Decor
As I said above, we like keeping things simple in terms of holiday decor at our house. I really like the idea of using natural materials that can be composted when you're done with them - like pine branches, orange slices, etc. Bringing nature indoors is especially important in winter when we are spending less time outside. I really look forward to making our own wreaths and garland, and even an advent calendar when we have a little one in the house.
To DIY
1. Holiday Wreath // 2. Forage Garland // 3. Bead Garland //
4. Pine Clipping Garland // 5. Advent Calendar (found on Etsy) // 6. Orange Garland
To Buy
1. Linen Stockings // 2. Wood Bead Garland I // 3. Wood Bead Garland II
4. Christmas Tree Stand // 5. Woven Tree Skirt // 6. Advent Calendar Box
7. Wood Trees I // 8. Wood Trees II // 9. Wood Trees III
Table Decor & Serveware
I love pulling out special, heirloom pieces for holiday dinners. These items don't necessarily have to only be used during the holidays, but I think it's extra special to use vintage or passed-down pieces during big or special gatherings. I love mixing in a few old serving pieces with our simple white dishes, glassware, and linens. Some of the items below are from Food52's vintage collection - they have gorgeous, curated vintage items, so if you don't have any family items that have been passed down I highly recommend looking here as well as Etsy and local antique/thrift stores.
To DIY
1. Leather Napkin Ties // 2. Place Setting Wreath
To Buy
1. Wood Candlesticks // 2. Glass Votives // 3. Vintage Bread Board
Gift Wrap & Presentation
I've come to love using kraft paper for all of my wrapping needs. I like it because it's neutral and can go with any holiday/celebration but can easily be dressed up. I like having both brown and white, and dressing it up with twine, ribbon, name tags, and greenery. You can even decorate it yourself with markers, pens, paint, etc. The possibilities are endless! I much prefer only having two rolls of wrapping paper instead of 50 different print options that take up space. Of course I also love Furoshiki, where you wrap gifts in reusable fabric. This could be a great way to repurpose old sheets, curtains, and even clothing.
1. Kraft paper, twine, greenery // 2. Kraft paper, ribbon, greenery // 3. Kraft paper, string, greenery
4. Furoshiki // 5. Rosemary Name Tags // 6. Rosemary Wreaths
This post is not sponsored or in partnership with any of the aforementioned brands, and there are no affiliate links included. All opinions are my own.