Once Halloween is over, it is officially Christmas! Okay, okay.. Christmas started mid-October in the Nesting household. The holiday season is our favorite time of year and I just couldn’t wait to start to slowly deck these halls! Here’s the thing–Decorating for Christmas doesn’t mean you need to pull out the stockings and ornaments right away! It can be as simple as adding a cozy glow and some more wintery greens!
Window Garland- How much time do you spend at your kitchen sink? Hours! Adding a garland to this space is one of my favorite holiday touches. This year I decided to buy faux. I typically do real and it dries out quickly, is messy and I end up having to buy it every year. To me, this was worth the investment. I went with these faux cedar garlands. I got asked if I found budget friendly option, nothing yet that really that looks like cedar. But below are some garlands I have used in the past!
I used two 9′ garlands over our kitchen window that is 6′ wide. To get the garland to stay in place I tap small nails into the top of the window frame.
Last year I used this garland and added some dried pieces of eucalyptus to it! And let’s have a moment for our old charming kitchen!!
Two years I used this faux boxwood garland (I have two there). I still have it and plan I using it somewhere!
Lights– I LOVE using large bulb lights in my garlands and in trees. I layered these large bulb lights (I did a 25′ strand, and there was extra that I piled in the corner. I even did 25′ on the 5′ window and just layered it twice). Those bulbs say indoor safe, they get slightly warm to the touch, not hot like a regular lightbulb. Or there is this option that is not warm at all to the touch, but they have a cool glow, not as warm as I like.
You can see I even added the big blue lights to our tree for another layer of twinkle!!
The window over our banquette is 5′ wide and I did two 6′ garlands. A good rule of thumb is you need double the length of garland to your window size.
Master Bedroom Garland- The first place I added a few of the Cedar garlands was in our bedroom. Adding greenery with lights will help bring some cozy glow as the days get shorter and colder. I love adding a garland to the master bedroom! Our kids love to snuggle with us in our Christmassy Bedroom! See our whole winter bedroom here. (The lights I have there are older, these are similar size and get the free frame tv art here).
Christmas Tree in a Basket– I love how clean and contained a Christmas tree looks in a basket. It ads a natural element! When I added this Christmas tree to our kitchen, I stuffed it in this basket where I had my fiddle leaf fig tree and I had so many questions about how to do it!
This basket is an investment piece (and most really big baskets are) and while you don’t need to buy something as pricey as this, you will need to find a basket big enough to contain your tree. I just stuffed mine inside, it isn’t on the stand even, it just fit really snug to keep it steady.
BASKET ROUND UP
PRO TIP: What if your tree base doesn’t fit? My tree base has never fit! Over the years, readers have sent me a few ways they have secured their Christmas trees in a basket. Some have used an outdoor umbrella stand, others have cemented a pipe in a bucket to slide the tree into.
- Sag Harbor White Basket 20” diameter x 21” high $168
- Jute Large Basket 19″ diameter x 19″ high $39
- XL Basket 20″ diameter x 22.75″ high $129
- Coiled Large Basket 23″ diameter x 22″ high $179
- Large Olema Basket 26.5″ diameter x 27″ deep x 21″ high $228
- Merced Large Basket 24″ diameter x 20″ high $179
- Medium Basket with handles 17″ diameter x 15.5″ high $39
- Large Basket with handles 24″ diameter. x 16.5″ high $69
- XXL Basket 19.5″ diameter x 27″ high $289
Well that was a little taste of Christmas decor! More to come!!! Find all Christmas ideas here. And shop our home here.
Nice to see some older pictures. I loved your old kitchen…so warm and cozy.
I always try to wait until after Thanksgiving to put up my Christmas but looking at all of your wonderful lights and garland, I want to put up Christmas now. My husband loves Christmas and is always on board for Christmas decorations and music. Thanks for sharing all your amazing ideas.
yes lights just add so much, especially with the time change! Thank you!!
Hmmm love the tree!!! But have to admit is is kind of hard to deal with Christmas on November 3. I get that, as an industry that depends on folks buying stuff prior to the holiday, bloggers need to decorate and post their holiday pictures early. Wondering if you will now leave the tree and things up until January or will you put it away and then decorate again closer to the holiday? I ask becasue one of the main reasons we love our holiday decorations is because they are special and represent a special time of yearl, but if they are out for 1/4 of the year, are they really special anymore? Just curious how bloggers deal with this….
Blogger or not I have always put up my tree mid November ❤️ We LOVE them up for two months, no I will not be taking them down now, it is up to stay. With it getting darker earlier we love the glowing lights. I say do what makes you and your family happy! It sure is a magical time of year and the meaning of Christmas is not lost on me all year long.
You couldn’t have said this any better!
Blessings,
Alohagirl_11
Nailed it as always! So fun to see the new Nesting with Grace kitchen in all her Christmas glory! ❤️
thank you!!!
Loveeee your look in this post. So beautiful!
We all “need a little Christmas!” Love your lights, kitchen, painted piano, black wall in bedroom – thanks for bringing cheer to my “in box.”
MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT TO COME OVER AND DRINK HOT CHOCOLATE AND GAZE AT THE TREE. IT LOOKS SO COZY! IM INSPIRED : )
Love hoe cozy your kitchen looks especially with the added lights! Do you have a budget friendly tree that you could recommend? Thanks!