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Home Decor · December 12, 2024

Easy Ways to Add Christmas Cheer To Your Home

Welcome to my Holiday Home Decor Tour for 2024! Come in and discover easy ways you can add Christmas Cheer to your home this holiday season!

This post is part of a Merry and Bright Holiday Home Tours blog hop! Be sure to check out the other Holiday Houses! I’ll link them at the bottom of this post.

It’s that time of year when the hustle and bustle starts to really rob the joy from what should be a fun, laid back season of celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the World! Can’t just be me?

Between the chaos of my “part time” job and picking up an organizing client this fall, this momma needs a break. As intent as I was on really going all out this year with my holiday home decor, I’m feeling a little flat in the creativity department. My bank account is telling me it’s a little flat, too!

I joked with my Facebook followers that I was giving myself a deadline of December for having all the Holiday Home Decor finished. Unfortunately, I got hit by the sinus bug and spent Thanksgiving weekend, which should’ve been my most productive weekend of the holiday season, “resting.”

So my deadline extended an additional week and I finished adding all the Christmas Cheer I could on December 8th.

Come on in and see how I add Christmas Cheer to my house this year!

Welcome to my Holiday Home Decor Tour!

Add Christmas Cheer to the Exterior

One of the big things I did this year, somewhat on a whim, was pay someone to do lights on the outside of our home. Hence why my bank account is seriously flat! I’m still shocked that I agreed to the price. I also know that with the height of this house, we’d never do lights on our own. We can’t even change the bulbs for the floodlights on the side of our house!

The good thing is the outside lights were installed on about November 2nd. We’re getting our money’s worth. The bad thing is for a month I had Christmas lights and a giant wreath on the house, but had mums and pumpkins still hanging out on the front porch. Holiday decor purgatory!

Welcoming Entry Holiday Decor

Hanging garland on my stair rail has always been a source of frustration. I just could never get it quite right. My intent was to give it one more try this year. I even invested in a giant roll of velcro to use to attach the garland to the rail.

green wreaths hung on a white and light brown stair rail. Entry table with 2 green trees on a red table runner.

In my attempts to get inspired for take 3 of garland on the stair rail, I came across this post with wreaths hung on the stair rail and all my thoughts of hanging garland went out the window! These wreaths on the stair rail may be my favorite thing I’ve done this year!

green wreaths hung on a white and light brown stair rail. Entry table with 2 green trees on a red table runner.

So much so, I may have to purchase some eucalyptus or boxwood wreaths to hang on the stair rail year round! I just love the pop of green!

This entry table is such a convenient way to change up decor for various seasons. I love adding small Christmas trees, a red runner and other little Holiday Home Decor touches to this table to greet guests with a little Christmas Cheer!

Black sign with white cursive Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas on a red table runner with a lit candle and black metal house stacked on books.

Red and Green Christmas Cheer in the Great Room

Several years ago, I transitioned my main Christmas tree to traditional red, green and white, which meant all the other holiday decor in the same room had to transition, as well. Since the living room, dining room and kitchen are all basically open to each other, I was compelled to continue that color scheme throughout all three rooms.

I’m not mad about it, for sure, since red and green are two of my favorite colors!

Since we moved into this house in 2022, I’ve struggled with this brick fireplace mantle. First, it’s gigantic! Second, it’s brick! Last year, I bought the “viral” garland from Kirkland’s and quite honestly, I don’t love it. Womp! Womp! It’s just sort of flat. The only way I remotely like it is piled up with other picks and stems added to it.

I gave it one more chance this year, because I didn’t have any other options and remember, my bank account is pretty flat, so purchasing more was not an option. Also, at this point, the local stores are sold out of all of the good stuff! For this year, this arrangement will work. I’ll have to tweak it a little in the future.

I’m really not ready to talk about the big tree. I have two issues with decorating a tree. One – all these ornaments, picks, ribbon, etc add up. (Are you catching onto my money woes with Holiday decor?). Two – they just look messy! I said it!

Seriously, I watched some video on IG Stories where the woman said she spent over $1000 on the elements to decorate the tree. That didn’t even count the cost of the tree! I’m not willing to spend that kind of dough on Christmas tree decor. If you are, good on you. I just can’t bring myself to do it. I want 50% off of all the things!

I’m okay with how this big tree turned out, but I would be okay if it were just plain. I love the shine of the lights. Let me also say, that I am not a fan of a giant, wide tree. I don’t want to have to rearrange my furniture to fit a tree in. I am, and always will be, team pencil tree, even if some teenage girl made some snide remark asking where the rest of the tree was. Absolute true story!

Add Christmas Cheer to the Dining Room

We are a game playing family and this table is the only table in our house! We don’t have a formal dining room. When it comes to decorating the table, whatever I do has to be easily moved on and off for game playing!

My cabinet behind the dining table had become a catchall for every piece of serve ware and white dish that wouldn’t fit in my kitchen cabinets or pantry. In the process of adding some red and green to the cabinet, I did a good bit of decluttering.

18 years ago when my husband joined the Army, I had this plan to buy a new military-ish nutcracker to mark every year. Unfortunately, that didn’t last very long. This is one of those things I’d need to buy in November, as soon as they hit the shelves. I’ve also not pulled them out of the bin for several years so my motivation to keep buying nutcrackers was low. This is the first time I’ve pulled them out in 4 or 5 years.

I’m pretty pleased with my decluttered display cabinets and the pops of red and green that I added for Christmas. It’s subtle, but effective!

Simple Holiday Home Decor in the Kitchen

I added these touches of holiday home decor to the kitchen at the very end of my decorating frenzy! In some moment of panic and not realizing I had a box full of wreaths, I purchased a few small candle rings to hang on my cabinets.

Then I opened that box of wreaths, discovering the 4 wreaths I needed for the kitchen and a wreath I made to hang on a mirror at our last house. Oops! Clearly I own way too much Christmas stuff! I did purge some as I opened boxes and I plan to purge additional pieces as I put them away.

I just love the wreaths on my cabinet doors and over my stove. There’s just something so simple, but lovely about the greenery of a wreath with a sweet bow.

My cup rack is one of the easiest places to add Christmasy colors. I’ve had these red mugs for several years now. I bought these green mugs over the summer from the dollar spot at Target. Just seemed right to add a few white ones in with a mixture of the reds and greens. Add greenery…and done!

Too Many Trees to Decorate

How many trees is too many trees? No denying it, though. a Christmas tree is the perfect and most iconic way to add Christmas cheer to any home!

I’ve done the 5 trees I currently have for the past 6 years or so. It began as a way to have a formal tree and a kids tree. Then it grew…The playroom gets a tree. My office gets a tree. My office gets a bigger tree so a bedroom gets a tree…If I loved decorating trees more, I could add a couple more.

But here’s the thing. I don’t love decorating a tree. It’s a hard confession, but it’s time consuming. All the fluffing. All the ribbon. The ornaments. The lights that may work one year and not work the next! That glow, though!

I drove past a local flower store after we moved to Auburn and they had the prettiest window display with all these green ornaments. That year I decided I needed an all green tree. Hence, the white tree with all green ornaments!

The tree that ended up in the girls’ bedroom once was the mishmosh, homemade ornament tree. This year, Harper decided she wanted something more than that. I let her have creative license with choosing ornaments and ribbon. I even let her decide how we would hang the ribbon. She chose curls!

Green Christmas tree decorated with black and white ribbon and ornaments.

My black and white office tree quite possibly is the reason I had such a hard time decorating any of my trees this year. There just seems to be something off. It needs something, but I’m not sure what. However, it’s growing on me! I do like the big swoops of ribbon – a very simple technique. Part of the issue is last year I moved from a pencil tree to a regular tree because the lights on my pencil tree went kaput. So my decor needs to grow with the tree. I wasn’t quite ready to make that investment. Remember flat bank account!

Now to my favorite tree…my blue and gold tree in my bedroom. This one was a challenge this year, too. Last year I had lots of wispy, sheer gold ribbon all over it. This year I wanted more color so I scoured Amazon for some blue ribbon. This blue velvety ribbon is absolutely stunning. I should probably order another role, just in case! Is it possible to have too much ribbon? She’s a beaut, Clark!

And there you have it – All the ways I add Christmas Cheer to my house to celebrate in 2024!

I hope you enjoyed this little tour and that you leave knowing that holiday home decor doesn’t have to be fussy or over the top. Your holiday home decor should be perfectly you!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Check Out The Other Merry and Bright Holiday Homes!

Kimberly – From Farmhouse to Florida – Brocante Style Holiday Home Decor

Cindy – Cloches and Lavender – Natural Christmas Decor Ideas for Any Home Style

Linda – Bushel and a Pickle – Christmas Time Is Full of Happiness and Cheer With Red and Green Decor

Rosemary – My Home and Travels – A Minimalist Christmas in Black and White

Carol – Bluesky at Home – Ideas for Bright and Colorful Christmas Decor

Donna – An Organized Season – Nutcracker and Simple Holiday Decor Ideas

In: Home Decor · Tagged: Holiday Decor

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna says

    December 12, 2024 at 7:58 AM

    Jen, I so enjoyed seeing your home all dressed up for the holidays! I don’t think you can have too many trees, and I can relate to that because my decorations evolved just like yours! We have 5 full-size trees, a half-tree, and four small trees up this year! I love the tip to put wreaths on your stairs and am pinning it now so I can remember to try that next year! I hope you and your family have a very happy holiday!

    Reply
    • Jen Wade says

      December 12, 2024 at 4:23 PM

      Thanks, Donna! The wreaths are definitely my favorite new addition this year. I actually need to do at least one more tree (sigh) because I have a bin of ornaments the kids have made in the past and other keepsakes that need a place to hang! Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  2. Linda Johnston says

    December 12, 2024 at 10:11 AM

    Jen, I enjoyed your post with photos and the commentary. We just didn’t have energy to go big with our decor So many bins we did’t even get out!
    I loved all your tree and the kitchen with the wreaths. Hope you have wonderful weekend that is merry and bright.

    Reply
    • Jen Wade says

      December 12, 2024 at 4:19 PM

      Thank you, Linda! I have to lower my expectations every year! It’s just hard to get it all done during a really busy season with our family. Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  3. Cindy says

    December 12, 2024 at 2:12 PM

    Hi Jen, love the wreaths hanging on your stairs. I wish I thought of that in our old house.

    So classy and elegant. Happy hopping!

    Reply
    • Jen Wade says

      December 12, 2024 at 4:18 PM

      Thanks Cindy! That’s one of my favorite things I did this year! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  4. Rosemary Palmer says

    December 13, 2024 at 6:24 AM

    I love your look, so pretty and elegant. Of course, I have to love the black and white tree since that’s me this year. I’m not a big ribbon person on trees, I don’t think I ever figured out the best way to do it.
    Merry Christmas.

    Reply
    • Jen Wade says

      December 13, 2024 at 7:30 PM

      Thanks, Rosemary! I knew you’d like my black and white tree! Ribbon is definitely trial and error and personal preference! Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  5. Carol@Blueskyathome says

    December 13, 2024 at 9:35 AM

    Jen, first of all, I love your sense of humor about decorating and your flat bank account. It’s a reminder that Christmas decorating can get expensive. Hence, the need to reuse and recycle. Your trees look amazing and I love the different color schemes you used. I’m definitely on board with that approach. Enjoy them all this Christmas season.

    Reply
    • Jen Wade says

      December 13, 2024 at 7:29 PM

      Thanks, Carol! Now that the boxes are all put away, I’m enjoying the glow of all the trees! Merry Christmas to you!

      Reply

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Practical Wall Hooks in a Hallway for Hanging Backpacks

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Welcome to the Yellow Cottage! I'm Jen and I hope you'll see I'm a lot like you. I crave a simple, chaos free life, but have 4 kids, a full time job and a husband who works and coaches high school XC and Track, and a 1 year old Cavapoo! As I get older, I'm learning to better embrace the chaos and holding onto a 'good enough' mentality. Let's learn to coordinate our chaos together!

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Merry Christmas, friends! Christmas morning look Merry Christmas, friends! 

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pinterest image Easy Holiday Decor Ideas and Inspiration. white background with green Christmas tree decorated with black and white ribbon and ornaments.