Raise your hand if you feel like Thanksgiving just slammed smack into Christmas. Now, picture me over here raising my hand (way up high!) right along with you!
If I’m honest, it kind of has my head spinning just a bit. So, I say we all try something together.
Let’s pause for a moment…take a deep breath…go ahead…breathe in…hold it for a few seconds…now slowly exhale and let your shoulders relax as you let it out.
That felt good, didn’t it? I find myself doing this a lot in the month of December. Not only is it busy because of all of the normal Christmas activities but, for our family, it’s also basketball season and that means lots of driving and juggling schedules to get everyone where they need to go when they need to be there.
Which is why, when it came to decorating my home for Christmas, I was determined to spend as little time as possible decorating the various spaces.
Two words keep emerging for me as I putter around here and there adding touches of holiday cheer.
Simple and Lovely
Those words have become like a mantra for me.
Simple, because life is complicated enough without adding stressful seasonal decorating into the mix.
Can I get an Amen?
And lovely, because…well…there is just something about that word that so perfectly captures the feeling I’m going for in my home.
Not over the top, not extravagant, not something that looks like it belongs in a store catalog.
Just soft and welcoming and simple and…deep breath in and out again…lovely.
Heading into this season, I could feel a shift in my approach to decking my halls and it dawned on me that this is the first year in a very long time that I have not had the added pressure of participating in a lot of organized blogging home tours. This was entirely intentional on my part, by the way, and not as a result of anyone trying to exclude me.
Frankly, I just needed a break. I needed to not worry about having everything decorated and photo-ready by December 1.
I needed to just be able to enjoy the process without wondering if my Christmas decor was going to be Pinterest worthy.
I’m considering it an early Christmas present to myself.
So, let me ask you a question. What can you do today, this week, this month to shift your approach to this season? Maybe it’s spending less time worrying about finding the perfect gift and more time being present with the ones you love.
Maybe it’s channeling your inner Mr. Rogers and watching for ways you can bring joy to your neighborhood.
Maybe it’s even just doing something as simple as taking deep breaths in and letting them out slowly and doing that over and over again throughout the coming weeks.
How about we commit to doing these things together? I’m willing to try if you are!
Thanks for meeting me here today friends,
Simply beautiful and lovely-you nailed it! Thank you for the words of encouragement!
Thank you, Vanessa. I really needed that. You are a blessing. Thank you for allowing yourself to be used by God. What a joy you are! Hugs to you!
Perfect message to read today! Thank you
Thank you for stopping by Linda! 🙂
Thank you! I am so glad somebody said what every woman needs to hear this time of year. Lovely…the perfect word. What a stress free word. I can breathe. Your encouragement will be rewarded, I am sure if it.
Thank you for this inspiration….I am going to rethink and edit right now!
Can you please tell us your sources for the lovely, non-traditional satin ribbons you are using?
Hi Becky! The striped ribbon holding the wreath is from Amazon (just look under ticking stripe ribbon) and the creamy velvet ribbon is from Hobby Lobby. 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by!
Vanessa, Thankyou for expressing how so many of us are feeling. How can one less week make such a difference?? My philosophy after over 50 yrs of decorating,shopping,baking and hosting and going to parties ect is it will all get done and what doesn’t isn’t important.Christmas will come and will be just lovely. Relax and enjoy the season and it’s True reason. The birth of Jesus who came to earth to teach us to love one another. Merry Christmas.
I absolutely agree with your philosophy Kathy! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your wise, encouraging words. Blessings to you!
Love it. I’ve been trying to weed out simplify and your email popped up! So simple but so beautiful! Can you tell me what you used for your garland. Been trying to find something that isn’t so big and overwhelming. Love your blog. Merry Christmas 🎁
Well that sounds like perfect timing Susan! My garland is a mix of two different varieties. One is just a simple evergreen which I think is supposed to kind of look like juniper branches and then I layered a faux eucalyptus garland on top that I found at Hobby Lobby (not in the Christmas section). Thank you so much for stopping by and for your kind words! 🙂
Simple and beautiful…
Thanks for helping us remember what is important.
Thank you Margaret!
Your Christmas decor is indeed lovely! I left quite a few of my Christmas decorations in the boxes this year and left our main tree with just lights, ribbon and garland for several days before adding ornaments. Next year I may leave it that way all season! It was beautiful and simple. I’m intentionally leaving my calendar emptier this season, too. Thanks for your inspiration to keep things simpler!
I love leaving my tree with just lights for a few days too Tami! It’s always so serene. And I agree that we have to be intentional about not filling up our calendars this time of the year so that we just enjoy the peacefulness of the season. Thank you for stopping by!
Truly lovely! xoxo
Your decor IS simply lovely – calm and serene as the vibe you are feeling these days.
What i did this year is to not buy one single Christmas decor item. Last year I purged a bunch of boxes and – well I still decorate to the nines but I am a retired empty nester so I am easily able……but what I told everyone – and made my little sister pinky promise – is NO GIFTS this year, My husband and I agreed to not exchange gifts the first year we were married – just don’t need anything and if I do I get it myself.
I DO love when our girls make us things – but now my eldest just launched her new company and my youngest has a toddler and is filled with all things mommy……just no gifts. And I told everyone they get a card with cash and all our love and I am hosting Christmas Day dinner and we will play games and all is well with the world.
Now I have to get presents for my husband’s side of the family because I can’t tell them that – I tried a few years ago and made my MIL cry…..so……I should get on that I guess, haha. AH STRESS IS BACK. But I am trying. Glad you are, too.
Hugs.
I’m SO with you about the no gifts thing Michele!! It’s just good to pare down and focus on all of the things that truly matter. Much love to you friend!
Well said, Vanessa! I’m right there with you! As the saying goes, ‘Less is more!’ We need to remember why we celebrate Christmas now and every day! Thank you for your encouraging words! Merry Christmas!!