Driving around at night and spotting a house or yard glowing with Christmas lights always guarantees one thing: a tiny two-year-old voice from the back seat shouting, “It’s Christmastime!” We laugh every single time. Before I know it I’ve gone from resisting the decorations to ripping everything out of storage and decking the halls in a matter of days. The house went from “waiting to be festive” to “ridiculously festive” almost overnight, and I’m here for it: it’s Christmastime.
I thought I’d take you on a little holiday tour of the house to show what it looks like this year. First up: the living room tree, which looks so cozy from the kitchen now that we opened up that wall during the renovation. Seeing the tree while I’m at the island is one of my favorite new perks.
From the kitchen the open sightline to the living room feels like such a win—especially because the old wall and wet bar used to block this view. The renovated space makes the tree feel like the heart of the home.
I’ll confess: sometimes I just sit at the island and grin at the tree like a goon. There’s something about twinkling lights and ornaments—especially when they’re a mix of handmade kid treasures, hand-me-downs from our childhood, and oddball pieces we’ve collected over the years. Our tree no longer follows a strict theme. It’s full of popsicle-stick reindeer, paper bells, ceramic burgers (yes), chihuahuas, initials, tiny red bikes, and a few grown-up homemade ornaments from early house-project days.
We also display little silhouette ornaments and tiny handprint ornaments the kids made when they were small—those sentimental pieces are some of my favorites. Most of these delicate items live on the built-ins so they’re out of reach but still very much on display.
Next to the fireplace I tucked a thrifted birdcage filled with faux presents that used to sit on the mantel. It’s a silly touch—we laugh every time we see gifts in “jail.” Stockings are simple this year: one for each kid (and a big gift bag for our dog, Burger). I also repurposed a strand of decorative elephants as tiny ornaments.
When the tree occupies its usual corner, the armchair gets shifted in front of the built-ins, creating a cozy reading nook. I’ve considered adding a second chair so one could stay there year-round, but for now I’m sticking with a single chair to avoid extra furniture shuffling each season.
The built-ins house many of my small holiday minis and childhood figurines. Because they’re tiny and fragile, placing them up high lets us enjoy them without constant worry. I also created little glass boxes filled with “snow” and small ceramic dogs and trees in past years—simple projects that add a lot of charm.
In the kitchen, a few white ceramic houses, ornaments in a bowl, and a framed tree image from a magazine bring subtle holiday cheer to the shelves. I kept the styling simple so the kitchen still feels functional and tidy while sparkling a little for the season.
On the stove and counters I added a couple of wood and bottle-brush trees, plus a red bottle-brush tree I found at Target. I also broke out festive napkins—little touches that make routine tasks feel celebratory.
In the foyer I kept things understated: a white feather tree and red rubber boots filled with faux evergreen sprigs. They used to sit on the porch but now greet us when we come through the front door, which makes me smile more often. Nearby, paper flowers I bought at a local craft fair add lasting texture without needing care—so far they’ve survived toddler curiosity intact.
We draped faux greenery down the banister this year. It’s a little effort—there are cable ties hidden under the ribbons—but once it’s up the stair view feels instantly festive and worth the work.
The kids each have their own small tree. Our daughter’s tree sits in a hand-painted basket and is decorated with felt ornaments she helped choose. The bonus room also gained a mini tree this year; it glows at the top of the stairs and looks especially sweet from outside the house since the driveway sits below that window.
Outside, we keep things simple. Red lanterns with lights on the steps and a few strands of garland add a warm glow to the entrance, and this year we hung Moravian star lights on the back porch. They’re one of my favorite decorations—classic, special, and quick to set up.
We finished decorating this weekend, and yes—we are 100% done and at least 110% excited. Think Will Ferrell in Elf-level enthusiasm. IT’S CHRISTMASTIME!
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