I personally feel like it’s still a little early to be decorating for Christmas in the PNW (we still have so many beautiful autumn leaves on deciduous trees, it’s been perfectly chilly ~but not cold~, plus, it’s been rainy and soggy which doesn’t feel especially festive).
That said, I FULLY respect the choice to decorate whenever makes the most sense for you. Most people say that decorating starts after the Thanksgiving meal has been cleared / on Black Friday, but I think that when the holiday spirit strikes you have to listen! 🤣
I’ve already started listening to Christmas music on Spotify and shopping for holiday decor (gotta grab it before it sells out!!). If you’re also shopping for holiday decor I wanted to share the finds I am most excited about!!!
THE OVERALL AESTHETIC
I’m really feeling burgundy as my accent color this year and it seems like I’m in the majority because there’s been a LOT of inspiration also featuring the color for the holidays. I’m envisioning it in rich textures (like velvet & satin) and paired with shimmery gold / brass tones. I will also be incorporating natural materials to help balance the “polish” of the more luxe elements.
I’m also really loving bows, but I’m feeling like maybe since they’ve recently been trending in the mainstream decor scene they’re feeling a bit overdone now? I’ve always been a bow lover so I’m not afraid to intersperse them into my holiday decor, but I won’t be putting them everywhere.
*The images in the above collage were sourced on Pinterest and are not my own*
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GREENERY
Having winter greenery in the house brings me so much joy, so that’s an “always” element every year. Not just our tree (we always get a fresh tree from Newcastle Fruit & Produce because the fragrance and real tree scent / vibes just cannot be beat!), but also smaller trees, branches, wreaths and garland spread throughout the house. They bring me so much joy!
Our faux greenery is so beautiful and realistic! I’m so impressed by the quality of CG Hunter’s products. I was introduced to the brand last year when they partnered with one of my absolute favorite wedding planners for a holiday collection and I quickly fell in love with the whole aesthetic. I couldn’t get everything I wanted when the collection launched, but thankfully many items were restocked this year so I took the opportunity to purchase all of the items I missed out on last year. They’re going to be forever decor pieces for me and I think they’re 10000% worth the investment — I truly love them all.
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TABLESCAPE
I love to mix up the tablescape / table settings on our dining room table and thankfully the pieces I have are very versatile so they can be used in a variety of ways.
I typically keep the “base” of my table the same. The runner, woven chargers, and candlestick holders are “evergreen” pieces that I think work with every season and holiday in our home’s aesthetic.
I grabbed these Rustic Bark Trees two years ago and I just adore them. In 2023 Target brought back another version of these Threshold x Studio McGee trees, but, sadly, I haven’t seen them return this year. You may be still able to find them secondhand somewhere like Poshmark, or there’s always the option to DIY your own!
I don’t have seasonal plates for every holiday, but we received this set as a gift and they’re exactly what I would have chosen if I had considered buying a set. I love them so much! I personally like to mix-and-match them with our everyday plates because I think they work really well together, but of course they’re also very beautiful when used on their own.
Because the print on the plates can be a bit busy, I like to keep the napkin situation very simple by using just an off-white set of linens. You can simply tie them in a large knot, fold them into a “pocket” to arrange silverware in, or tie them with a ribbon / slip them into festive napkin rings! I love these rhinestone bows because they still look pretty on the table into the new year and for the rest of winter without feeling too “Christmas-y”.
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MISCELLANEOUS DECOR
These are all additional festive elements that I have sprinkled throughout the house that add just a little extra holiday magic to each space!
Pinecones
(in cloche)
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GIFT WRAPPING
I typically only use butcher paper for gift wrapping these days and just switch up the ribbon option, but since we will be having family photos taken at our home this year so I thought I should add a bit of interest with a patterned wrapping paper.
I found this beautiful plaid print on Zazzle and had low expectations when I ordered a roll, but it ended up being great! Such a nice thick paper and the print was lovely. That said, it’s also worth noting: I only had enough paper to wrap two gifts so if you also purchase wrapping paper from Zazzle take this into consideration with your order.
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TREE TRIMMING
Since we will be having our holiday family photos taken at our house this year I started out only decorating our tree with my “filler” ornaments (the ones I usually intersperse with our special family ornaments) to keep it simple and classic. I love the way it turned out, but I can’t wait to add our beloved family ornaments after our photo session!
As I mentioned in the “Overall Aesthetic” section above, I like mixing more natural materials with items that have a more luxe effect (like sparkly or shiny finishes) to help balance things out. I don’t want the look to be too refined or too rustic, so it’s a perfect blend of items.
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TREE CARE
This aspect of tree-trimming isn’t the most glamorous, but I don’t believe in gatekeeping helpful information so I’m going to share our favorite gear for managing a fresh cut Christmas tree.
This tree base is pricey, but absolutely incredible and makes it fast and easy to set up any evergreen tree. It’s super heavy duty and really simplifies the process of getting your tree into the tree stand. I think it’s an overall brilliant design, but one feature that I love especially is the water gauge so you can tell how much water is in the base and therefore how much more it needs.
We also use a foam pad underneath it to catch any water spills to prevent damage to our floors.
One of my favorite Christmas tree hacks is this ultra long funnel that makes filling the base sooo much easier! No more crawling on the floor to reach under the tree to try to pour water around the tree trunk.
👉🏼 Some fresh-cut tree care tips
[photo by @bluerosephotography — before I got the rest of the beaded garland up on the tree 🤭]
I’m really excited to see how it all comes together this year!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie