A Winter Wonderland Christmas Home Tour

Happy Holidays everyone it is December 1st, time for A Winter Wonderland Christmas Home Tour.

Happy Holidays everyone hope you all are having a wonderful season so far, I know I am. As December 1st has quickly settled in, I wanted to release my Winter Wonderland Christmas Home Tour. Since most people have probably already decorated at this point, this is really just for sheer entertainment and maybe to inspire you on how I pre-purchased all of this decor last year for 90% off  at end of season to have a completely new look this year. For the first time ever I decided to add a garland around my front door in addition to the window wreaths we always do on the front windows. I changed all the ribbon this year to a festive ivory and red stripe ribbon that I purchased last year at Tractor Supply for 90% off. I picked up 6 bolt with 90 yards each, so I had plenty to work with no matter what the plan was going to be. It was perfect to run completely around the entire door and looks just like old fashion ribbon candy, don’t you think? Buying decor up while on sale is a great tip for holiday decorating. All the pros will tell you that we plan over a year out for the following year.  Unfortunately, sometimes we can get thrown a curve ball, we hate that, and I got a few of those last year with a few requests for “a theme” that was not slated to be on scheduled program. While I wrestled with the request last year and eventually obliged, I decided that I would not be doing that again, sorry. Besides after 3 years of the fuzzy green guy going outside in the elements he is not looking his best anymore so I doubt that he is ever going to make another appearance on my porch and will probably be donated this season. This year is all about Walking in A Winter Wonderland. As you enter into our home you will see one of our newest finds from antiquing, this beautiful church pew from the bishop’s section number 148. It is in such amazing shape, and I was so excited to find this beautiful piece for my entry way. I had a friend that told me 143 stood for I love you; so I think 148 stands for I love everyone. Just added a simple North Pole Post pillow and some faux poinsettias, since they are highly toxic to all pets. My fur babies are more like goats and eat everything, so no need to chance it with anything other plastic and silk plants at this point. See my know your toxic pet plant post for more information.The Books & Bourbon Library is directly across from the foyer so if you drink too much you go to time out on the church pew, lol. This is my masculine snowman tree or UGA tree, whatever you see when you look at it, I guess. It is adorned with black, white, silver and red ornaments and just a few hints of snowflakes since I have an icy, winter wonderland theme going on this year. I carried the same decor over onto the mantle and lined up a few mercury glass luminaries with the same snowflakes in front of the fireplace. These little snowflake ornaments are very affordable, you can find them everywhere: Dollar Store, Target, Walmart, and Hobby Lobby, which is where I snagged mine last year at 90% off and just stocked them back for this year. To be honest at 30 cents a box, I can throw them away when I am done and not even look back. I also added these into the massive staircase garland you see as you round the corner, which is also another good reason to not pay a ton for these ornaments. When you need a lot of one thing to create a look and you change your style every year, like I do, you find ways to make your theme tie together on a budget. My garland however is not something you would toss away every year, it is a very expensive investment piece. Heavy duty filled with mixed greens, real pine cones and berries and is the exact length for my staircase. I simply change out the lights and ornaments every year to give it a new look. See my Christmas Past years here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 Everyone loves to see the great room Christmas tree, since it a 12 foot tree, then add on a 2 foot star and place it in a 2 foot riser box, for a stunning 16 foot tree against these picturesque windows. Now it does not have quite the same view as it did last year, since we lost around 27 trees behind our home during the tornado this last July. It used to be a full green wood line, which is HOA property along the bank of the creek, however only 4 of our personal trees in our back yard were lost. We still have a very different view than we once did, in fact we can now see the creek, so I guess it is waterfront?In both, the tree and the mantle I carried the winter icy theme with clear icicles, again purchased last year for pennies on the dollar. Along with this pretty red berry garland from Michael’s, which was only $5 a piece regular $49.99, so you know I loaded my cart up that day. The gold eucalyptus I purchased a Hobby Lobby half off but still it makes the tree with the 90% off snowballs, and chandelier crystals. The dining room I kept very simple this year and I wanted to pay homage to one my dearest friends that just recently passed away. Pat Ogburn, she actually gave me this beautiful set of Spode Christmas plates earlier this year, so as I put them out, I felt like she was right there with me. Pat was always collecting Lenox China and Nutcrackers for me during her retail stent at various establishments and getting all the “good stuff” for her girls. We had the best bunch gal pals, from Margarita nights and dishing the dirt on what that “illicit white goop was on Donna’s pants”… let me give you a hint it was not cheese dip!  Oh yeah, I said it, because Pat would have said it; Cheers to you my friend, there will never be another one like you! I WILL MISS YOU DEARLYFor the tree in our room, I used an icy pinecone theme this year with a combo of red, burgundy and copper ribbons. The ornaments are in shades of green, copper and red with multicolored lights which were only used upstairs in the bedrooms. This woodland guest room got all of the breakable ornaments this year that I picked up for a steal from Front Gate last year on clearance. These sets, which are normally $500 for a set of 100, I picked up for $25 a set and I bought 2 sets, which will do an entire tree easily. Pretty burgundy and hunter green velvet ribbon along with champagne caviar garland made this tree very regal. These are some really beautiful handmade glass ornaments and since all the kittens are still young, 3 under 3 as we call them and actually two just turned 1 year old this month, we decided to keep these out of reach for now until they are trained up a bit better.The rest of the woodland room got a holiday quilt set, winter wreath and my traditional handmade tree skirt and runner that I made for our very first Christmas. Again, one of those things that you keep behind a closed door while the kittens are young. The final tree in the twin room is a small blue and green tree. It has blue and green lights, and all the ornaments are navy and hunter green, with blue ribbon and gold pine garland, along with a golden feather topper. Piper loves anything blue, so this is her favorite and favorite room now that it has had a makeover into the blue and gray tones for winter. I have to say I really love the new look in this room with all the new gray and blue tones.Of course we could not forget a little tree for our girls, we always do a pet tree, and this year we picked them up a little advent calendar of treats which should be fun to open every day, starting today. I will say we spend a lot of time redecorating this tree, since it gets undecorated regularly, but it keeps them out of the big trees, so that is a win for us; and when you have 3 under 3 anything is a win.  I hope you have enjoyed this years little home tour, and your holiday season is Merry and Bright! While I have kept this year very simple, sometimes I think it is gift to be simple and not over do it. I know in years past I have gone over the top and done very extreme themes and decorating but this year just felt like a more simplistic year to me. However, if you feel like perusing a few great ideas from of our Christmas Past feel free to check some of these:

Best White Elephant Gifts

Vintage Cigar & Citrus Bourbon Library Tree

Making a Yule Log Candle Centerpiece

Christmas Wassail

Easy Entertaining Tips for the Holidays

The Festival of Trees Blog Hop

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