This year I had visions of going all out with Christmas decor around the house and had plans of starting to put up my Christmas decor right after Halloween.
Abnormally early in my house.
My thought was, since 2020 was sucking, I might as well pour myself into my happy place of vintage Shiny Brites, Santa mugs and plastic blowmolds.
And then life got in the way, as it's so apt to do this year, and my decorating mojo slowed down.
Way down.
In the meantime, I was watching everyone on Instagram deck their halls in a style worthy of a 10 page spread in House Beautiful. All the gorgeousness was not making me feel inspired, it was making me feel "less than".
I got anxious scrolling through all the highly-decorated Christmas homes with not a candy cane out of place or a surface left unadorned.
And it started to make me feel bad.
And sad.
And Christmas decor should never ever make you feel that way!
So I took a step back and decided to just decorate my home with things I adored and made me happy and warm and fuzzy inside. And to step off Instagram.
Because decorating for the holidays is about celebrating the holiday and making your home comfortable and warm for your family. It's definitely not something to stress over.
So welcome to my 2020 Holiday Home Tour That's Really More Of A Few Vignettes That Make Me Very Happy Tour:
This is the first year with my blue sofa/sectional so I wasn't sure how I was going to make it work for Christmas.
But it turns out a dash of red plaid goes very well with bright blue. Who knew!
On the coffee table (which I probably should have dusted before taking photos) I simply replaced my fall flowers in my rustic birch bark vase with some faux greenery and added a vintage plastic deer.
If you ever run across these vintage plastic deer while out garage sale-ing or thrifting, grab them. I don't think I've ever paid over $1 a deer and they come in handy to tuck in different places at Christmastime.
The paint by number over the couch is actually a digital print of a vintage paint by number I purchased on Etsy from Elaine at To The Woodside.
She has a number of scanned versions of paint by numbers that you purchase and then can have printed at your local Staples or, in my case, Walgreens. And it's not just winter ones, she has a nice selection that can be used year round.
Maybe not as fun as collecting authentic vintage paint by numbers at the thrift stores, but it's a great way to get the look without traipsing all over in a pandemic.
OK, let's talk trees.
I've had a 9 ½ foot tree in the living room since we moved into this house 15 years ago. I felt the cathedral ceiling pretty much dictated a tall tree.
I was wrong.
It all started when neither my husband nor myself felt like lugging the huge tree out of the basement this year and then lugging out enough ornaments to decorate that beast.
So we decided to just pick up a 6 ½ foot live tree and be done with it. But in the end, I think I prefer the baby live one over the monstrous, labor intensive fake one anyhow.
It may not have a ton of ornaments and the tree topper sits a little wonky, but it's a tree. And it smells wonderful!
Next to the tree, I added some of my vintage Christmas decor to the hutch.
I just swapped out some of the year-round items with some of my most loved Christmas pieces.
Like the N-O-E-L candle holders my mother used every year.
And the little hand carved wooden Santa my sister made me probably 25 years ago.
I added one of my Vaillancourt chalkware Santas at the last minute.
No special story about this house, since I bought it last year at the grocery store.
But it's plaid and plaid makes me happy!
Oh look, there's another deer.
Lacey wanted to make an appearance this year, but she didn't want to look like she put too much effort into it, so she agreed to lay around in the entryway.
And trip anyone who wants to walk in the house.
More deer (I told you they came in handy), this time flocked ones.
The wreath holder is the repurposed yardstick frame I made this fall with the wreath/candle ring swapped out to a holiday one.
I found this mottled red poinsettia at the grocery store and simply plopped it in a green basket for a quick and easy pop of color.
Remember the paint by number print from the living room? This is just a smaller version for the kitchen dining area.
I had actually printed this one first and then realized I have no concept of scale and it was much too small for the living room. So I then had the larger one made for the living room and put this one here.
I felt the need to explain that, because I probably should have just bought another digital print and had something different here, but I had already driven to Walgreens twice that day.
My hot chocolate bar is still set up on the kitchen table. The only difference is I put the loose cookies away, so Lacey would stop trying to eat them.
And a home tour would not be complete without my dear deer friend.
This year I decided to string together some plastic ornaments with some twine and throw them over his antlers. Sort of looks like he was running though the house and got tangled up in the tree decorations.
If it were not for the fact that he doesn't have legs.
Below him on the turquoise buffet is just a bunch of random Santa and red items mixed in with some of my milk glass collection.
The pure white of the milk glass really makes the red POP!
So that's a wrap.
Thanks for visiting my "2020 Holiday Home Tour That's Really More Of A Few Vignettes That Make Me Very Happy Tour".
May your holidays be joyful and relaxing and a time to reflect on this year that hasn't been entirely a dumpster fire.
Other Posts You May Enjoy:
Christmas Home Tour: Thrift Store Decor Style
Decorating The China Cabinet For Christmas
Mary
Loved your Holiday Home Tour, love your Christmas vignettes, thank you for showing us your home! Merry Christmas and a Happier New Year!!!! Mary
Tammy
I always love looking at your home whatever holiday it is. It is always beautiful. We definitely like the same kinds of things. I'm mad for plaid , vintage anything and McCoy pottery. I love deer as well. I don't seem to find them in the wild though, no pun intended. Merry Christmas, to you and your family. Stay safe.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
I love your Christmas decor , Pam! It is festive and cozy! Love the digital download idea! I am all about doing what feels cozy, too...most of our decorating this year is greens and flameless candles. But it feels so nice. And it is just for the two of us this year. I know what you mean about instagram. I can enjoy looking at the pretty rooms, but I'd go nuts with so much around me. I always remind myself...am I setting up a store display or cozying up our home? Merry Christmas, Pam! xo
Jonnie
I truly love that you did the things that make you happy for the Christmas season. This year we also went very minimal because we were on a trip for a week in early December, and that put us way behind. So a prelit tree with no ornaments, newly made vintage look stockings, Christmas table runners with a few tabletop pieces and that is it. The year has been so weird and the mood is as festive. But making your home happy for yourself is the best!!!!
Jonnie
Is NOT as festive!
Cheryl
Pam, thanks for making my day!!! I don't know which I enjoyed more, your tour or your commentary. You definitely brought joy to my day and a little laughter is a great stress reliever at this time of year as well. I will forever be on the lookout for vintage plastic deer!
Teri
Your decorated home looks just perfect! Love it. And the “off kilter” tree topper perfectly sums up the year.
Brenda Daradics
Thank you for sharing your cozy comfy home with us. I love all your decorating ideas. I also love the plaid look in alot of items around here and there.
Wishing you and yours a magically wonderful "Merry Christmas" and a very "Happy New Year too!"
Denise
Your Christmas decorations are very nice & you did a great job, love your tree. For living room is primitive & we lean towards that decor, family room ecliptic😊. We moved into this bigger house from a ranch, talk about doing things backwards. We loved this house when we came to open house, we have acres of woods surrounding us but at end of our loooong driveway houses galore & 5 min from city. Best part is wild life and quietness. Hope you, husband & furbaby have Merriest Christmas.
**love your Hoosier cabinet
Pam Kessler
Thank you! That little cabinet is my favorite garage sale find of all times.
Janet D
Your house is always so cute. We have a lot of the same items too! Now I have to find the Noel Candle holders. That brings back a memory from my parents. That's what it is all about. Our memories and making our house beautiful and cozy. Thanks.
Merry Christmas from Colorado!
Pam Kessler
Thank you! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Sandy
Your decor is very warm and charming. I love your stack of picnic
baskets. I have deer as well. I call them my herd and I can keep them out for the winter not just Christmas
Have a Merry Christmas and may God bless you in the New Year
Pam Kessler
We must be twins! I like to keep my greenery (any that that does not have glitter on it), some pinecones and the deer out until I start to pull out my spring decor!
Jo
Loved the tour. My grandma had flocked deer that were laying down. My father was going to dump them but in the St. Nick of time he remembered his thrifty but very sentimental daughter.
A blessed Christmas to you.
Pam Kessler
So glad he saved them from the dumpster for you! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Cidny Caretto
I love what you did for Christmas this year. It's all perfect! My very favorite thing is the globe with Santa, sleigh and reindeer! My husband was a geography major, so we have lots of globes. I never thought about decorating one. Merry Christmas to you and your Family!
Pam Kessler
I had that globe for a few years before I thought to put Santa on it. And then once I did, he HAS to go back to that spot every single year!
Peggy
I much prefer your much loved things displayed the way they are to the over the top, impossible to re-create, houses on blogs and I
Instagram. Much more realistic and pleasing.
Thank you-loved it!
Peggy
Pam Kessler
Thank you Peggy!
Diane
LOVE Pam! Thanks for helping me with my 'guilt' for just not being in the mood this year! Really enjoy all of your lovely pieces and how you display them! We have/had no snow, so was wishing for just a dusting. Did NOT mean the dang blizzard that is fast approaching, already underway in almost all of MN. Merry Christmas, with hot chocolate, plenty of blankets, and some German shepherds who love to cuddle!
Pam Kessler
Stay safe and warm inside! We're supposed to get 1" or so, but it's been a few years since we've had any snow at all on Christmas, so I'll take it!
Lee
Gorgeous. Loved looking at a real house. I have 2 plastic deer given to me by an 85 year old aunt who remembers them from her childhood.
Merry Christmas
Pam Kessler
How special! I always love the Christmas decorations from my childhood most of all. It's fun to find ones while I'm out thrifting, but the family ones mean so much more. Enjoy your Christmas!
J
Merry Christmas !
Pam Kessler
Merry Christmas to you and your family too!
Christine Irvine
Pam, I always love seeing your vintage items. And I have always loved paint by numbers, even before they were popular. And this past year I found five of them amongst my late father's things, that he did as a young man. They're really good. A few are of deer in the woods, and the other ones are of Jesus. I love displaying them.
I hope you and your loved ones have a very Merry and kitchy Christmas!
Christine
New Hampshire
Mary Ann Read
Merry Christmas!
This was my favorite Christmas Home tour I’ve ever been on! Christmas with a splash of whimsy ! Loved it great job
Happy Holidays
Mary Ann Read