Nesting With Grace

by Brooke Christen

Our Cozy, Nostalgic Dining Room Tree

November 22, 2025

This year brought a fun little shift in our home. We moved our dining table into the family room and turned our former dining space into the sweetest, coziest little living room. But one thing wasn’t going to change, I was still putting Christmas trees in both rooms. The inspiration behind our dining room tree? Food! I’ll show you how we made this tree feel nostalgic, we DIY’d so many of the details, and it made the whole thing even sweeter!

For years I’ve hung dried oranges over our kitchen window, and I’ve always loved those scenes in Christmas movies where families make their own tree decorations. Popcorn strands, little cookies, all the homemade charm. Every Christmas I tell myself I’m going to try it. And this year, with our tree sitting right next to the table where so many of our memories happen, it finally felt like the perfect time to make it happen.

Sources HERE

The Tree Itself

Honestly? This might be the most magical tree I’ve ever had.
Dining Chair // Dining Slipcover Burgundy // Dining Slipcover Pattern // Rug

It’s tall, nine feet, and there are more warm, soft lights than anything tree I have, it really glows. I tucked in a few glowing orbs throughout the branches, and even before a single ornament went on, it looked like something out of a Christmas dream.

Gorgeous art from Lindsay Letters, the name alone is very tender, Love Came Down from Above (code NESTEARYL30 for 30% off all her art).

My Outfit Here

But you know me… I wasn’t going to leave it bare. So I added all our old-fashioned, kitchen-inspired touches. Dried oranges, popcorn garlands, and gingerbread-inspired ornaments. Each piece felt meaningful, intentional, and connected back to our home and the memories made around our table.
Dining Chair // Dining Slipcover Burgundy // Dining Slipcover Pattern // Rug
Dining Room Table Custom

DIY Popcorn Garland

One of my favorite parts was how involved the kids were, especially Ella. She worked so hard stringing our popcorn garlands. We kept it simple with a needle and thread, and as we watched movies together, she patiently threaded each fluffy little kernel. It took a handful of hours, but it was the sweetest (and honestly, most delicious) activity to do while hanging out as a family.
Basket Tree Skirt // Marble Bowl // Similar Candle Holder // Stripe Candle Tapers // Extra large Lazy Suzan // Love Came Down Art

Doing it on our tree felt like a sweet nod to that old-fashioned, nostalgic Christmas spirit. All of those little moments made the tree feel even more nostalgic.
Dessert Dish // Flatware // Napkins

DIY Gingerbread Ornaments

Another fun DIY were our gingerbread men! We found a top-rated gingerbread cookie recipe, picked out a darling cookie cutter, and got to baking. Wow, these were so delicious hot out of the oven, it was hard not to eat them all! Maybe make two batches, one batch made about two dozen cookies, and you’ll definitely want extras to snack on!

To turn them into tree ornaments, you’ll need a small hole at the top for threading ribbon. You can do this before baking, just know the hole will shrink as the cookies bake, or poke it after baking while still warm, which keeps the hole the same size. I left our gingerbread men out on the counter overnight, and they hardened perfectly. Favorite Baking Pan // Ruffle Pajamas // Rolling Pin

Ella decorated each cookie in the same cute design. For decorating, you have to use royal icing, regular buttercream frosting won’t harden. The end result? Even cuter than I had imagined, adding a perfect nostalgic, homemade touch to our cozy tree.

DIY Dried Orange Garland

Another simple, fragrant way to add a nostalgic, homemade touch to your tree is with a dried orange garland. They really are pretty easy, just a little time-consuming! Lola helped me make ours, you can get the details on how to make here.

Adding in New Ornaments and Finishing Touches

To complement our DIY projects, I added some darling new ornaments, sticking with our food-inspired theme. There are butter ornaments, and mini eggnog bottles with festive Christmas details, hung with big red velvet ribbon, so cute! Shiny glass strawberries covered in pretty glitter really catch the light, little jelly cookies and big, round gingham red-and-white ornaments add pops of color that remind me of peppermint candy. The chunky knit ornaments added a cozy, homespun touch too.

Tree Trimmings Here

A Cozy Christmas Hearth

On the mantle, I added my new Lindsay Letters art, Love Came Down, and it sets the sweetest tone for the season. I mixed in a handful of brass taper holders and tapers a candelabra with my favorite LED flicker tapers. They look so real and add the prettiest glow at night.

I also set out the holly plant Kevin gave me last year, can’t believe how well it lasted! And for the garland, I went all in, faux cedar garlands layered together for a really full, maximalist look, but I kept them undecorated so the greenery could shine on its own.

With the fire on and all the candlelight, I have a feeling this is going to be one of our favorite spots to sit, eat, and gather. It’s just so cozy. Dining Chair // Slip Cover // Printed Slipcover

I love this new brown striped cabinet. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was going to be a focal point. I use it to store all the essentials I want close at hand, serving pieces, extra linens, and those go-to items I always reach for when hosting.
Cordless Lamp // Gingerbread Vase // Stripe Vase // Gingerbread Icon Cup // Ginger Mini Loaf Pan // Flatware // Ginger Loaf Pan // Napkins // Garland // LightOrbs // Candle Carousels

This space is more than just decorations. It’s a collection of little moments, memories, and traditions. From Ella stringing popcorn, to Lola helping with the orange garland, to decorating gingerbread cookies together, every detail tells a story.

I hope our DIY projects show how you can make any tree your own and create fun, meaningful memories along the way. The holidays aren’t just about the perfect tree…they’re about the joy, laughter, and togetherness that come from making it your own.

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