• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

November 26, 2018

Simple and Traditional Christmas Mantel

Many years ago, as my husband and I sat on the couch on a December evening flipping through the channels on the TV, we stumbled across the tail end of the Rick Steve’s European Christmas Special on PBS. We were immediately captivated and in those few minutes we felt like we were transported into another world. As soon as it was over I got online and ordered the DVD so that we could share it with our kids.

Watching it with them, not only did I just find it so fascinating learning about how Christmas is celebrated in various communities throughout Europe, I was also struck by something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on but that I knew spoke to my soul.

And, over the years, as we’ve watched it again and again, I finally realized just what it was that so captivated me.

Every single home was decorated so very simply, mostly with natural elements, and yet still so perfectly captured the spirit of Christmas.

And I wondered if maybe I’ve been doing it all wrong. You see, for several years now I’ve felt as though I was supposed to have loads of fresh and new and exciting and really, REALLY Christmas-y decor to share with you.

Or I’ve felt like I needed to have themed trees and a neutral, farmhouse-y look in order to fit in with the blogosphere.

But I think, deep down in my heart, I knew it wasn’t really ‘me’. What I wanted was something more simple, more traditional. Touches of the season throughout the house without it looking like Christmas exploded everywhere.

I didn’t want it to look ‘staged’ or like it came straight out of a catalog.

I wanted it to look real and warm and like we actually live here.

So, I didn’t pull out all of my plastic bins of holiday decor. In fact, I sold off two Christmas trees and other decor and donated bags and bags to the rescue mission.

And I’ve resisted buying any more ‘Christmas’ stuff as I’ve been out shopping.

Instead, I’ve focused on simply enhancing what is in each room all year round. No more clearing off entire surfaces so that I can replace every, single thing with something Christmas-y.

No more stressing about whether or not my decorations will be pin-worthy.

No more trying to have me and my home be something we’re not.

This year it was all about intentionally going into this season with less so that I can enjoy it more. 

So, here’s what you can expect from me this year.

You can expect to see paper angel ornaments and family treasures.

You can expect ideas for meaningful traditions and homemade gifts.

And you can expect me to talk a lot about how to have more peace in your heart and your home. 

I’m so thrilled to be joining some of my most favorite bloggers today for the Home for the Holidays tour! Not only will you find so many fantastic ideas to help you kick off the season but we have an AMAZING giveaway for you!

Monday

Maison de Cinq * My Soulful Home * French Garden House * Savvy Southern Style

 

Tuesday

Cynthia Weber Designs

 

So Much Better with Age

 

At the Picket Fence

 

Wednesday

Becky’s Farmhouse * Cedar Hill Farmhouse * Love of Home

Thursday

Little Farmstead * The How To Home * Our Southern Home * Celebrating Everyday Life

Friday

Housepitality Designs * UnSkinny Boppy * Stone Gable * Starfish Cottage Blog

 

GIVEAWAY INFO:
 The tour is sponsored by Bespoke Decor. Read on for an opportunity to enter for a chance to win a $200 gift card to Bespoke. Happy Holiday to you a bit early!
Bespoke Decor is filled with beautiful things for your home & lifestyle from one of a kind vintage to elegant linens. You are bound to find more than a few items you’ll love. Enter to win the chance at a $200 gift certificate by clicking HERE.
Entries for the Bespoke Decor giveaway must be in by December 1st. Our winner will be randomly selected and notified by email.

13 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Decorating, Good Ideas, Holidays

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « When You Can’t All Fit on the Couch Anymore
Next Post: Holiday Housewalk Christmas Tour 2018 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karen Kleinberg says

    November 27, 2018 at 4:31 AM

    Good morning Vanessa,

    I can’t agree with you more. I too started donating to family and friends a lot of our Christmas decorations that I collected after 40+ years of marriage, and it feels good to just put out what means the most to me and my husband. We have also watched that special you talked about with Rick Steve’s. His show almost makes you feel like you are there with him. Merry Christmas to you and your family and enjoy all that makes your heart glow this season and into the new year.

    Reply
  2. Cynthia Weber says

    November 27, 2018 at 6:18 AM

    Vanessa… you are so right!! I absolutely love your Holiday touches and the fact that your lovely home is being enhanced by the Christmas spirit while still remaining the family home that brings everyone together comfortably. You have created beautiful balance and I so admire that!!!
    xoxo
    Cynthia

    Reply
  3. Shirley @Housepitality Design s says

    November 27, 2018 at 8:12 AM

    It is all so beautiful Vanessa…and I can relate to the Christmas decor….I have given away trees and more…your home is truly a reflection of the love that lives there!!! Merry Christmas Vanessa!!

    Reply
  4. linda says

    November 27, 2018 at 8:50 AM

    We love Christmas markets. I still miss going to them for wurst, gluwine and a little shopping. We have lived in Germany, Hong Kong and China. I love all the decorations we have from those places and other stateside place too. The past couple of yeaars we have been tossing nad passing. When I considered tossing the Nurenburg Christkindle tree topper my husband and kids gasped! Some things just are here to stay.

    Reply
  5. Patty says

    November 27, 2018 at 11:19 AM

    Love your beautiful Christmas decor & I couldn’t agree with you more! Such a wonderful post👏🏻👍🏻❤️

    Reply
  6. Jamie says

    November 27, 2018 at 11:40 AM

    Your Christmas mantel decor is so beautiful and elegant, Vanessa. I love being on this tour with you!
    Hugs, Jamie

    Reply
  7. Kim says

    November 27, 2018 at 12:08 PM

    Amen, amen and amen! I’m not overdoing it either. I thought I was only going to put up one tree, but then creativity took over so I do have three. One is small though. I hate when homes are over decorated and look like you should be shopping in it instead of relaxing in it. You go girl!

    Reply
  8. penny meade says

    November 27, 2018 at 2:29 PM

    Vanessa, thank you for sharing your beautiful blog, keeping Christmas decor simple “speaks to my soul.” Thoughtfully, Penny

    Reply
  9. Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse says

    November 27, 2018 at 5:47 PM

    Vanessa, I just watched that special again too! It is so true, in Europe we decorate a little bit more simply, with natural things. Although I live in the states now, I still carry that tradition, of adding greens, pinecones, and citrus fruits throughout the house. When our kids were really small, I did accumulate bins of decorations too, but like you, I gave away a good portion of those.

    Now I focus on embellishing what we have here at FrenchGardenHouse in a fresh way, but I do decorate a large tree. Your post is so beautiful, and written from the heart. I wish you a beautiful joyful Christmas, celebrating with all the people you love! It’s a joy to be on this tour with you. xo Lidy

    Reply
  10. Sheila says

    November 27, 2018 at 6:02 PM

    I love your traditional and simple decor so much Vanessa! And while I did do a “theme” this year (for the first time, actually) I did get rid of tons a few years ago and make it a point not to have Christmas on every surface! I couldn’t agree more that sometimes simple is the best. And now you have me intrigued since I love Europe so much – I’m going to look for that video and see if I can rent it or stream it!

    So glad to be “hopping” with you again sweet friend:)

    Sheila
    xo

    Reply
  11. kelly Wilkniss says

    November 28, 2018 at 6:08 PM

    YES YES YES Vanessa!! Absolutely spot on & absolutely beautiful !!

    Reply
  12. Home Arise says

    December 23, 2018 at 12:09 PM

    I totally get you! Simple and traditional is the best way to go. Best of all, it never gets old. Whenever I read blog posts that showcase a ton of Christmas decor, a part of me can’t help but wonder how much it must have cost (I am a very frugal person) and how much time it must have taken. I think the holidays are all about spending time with your family and friends. That’s the most important part.

    Reply
  13. Milly Egan says

    May 21, 2019 at 1:02 PM

    Just discovered your blog today and this was my opening read, I love it. So calm, warm and inviting. I love how effective the Christmas palette is that you have created in keeping with your decor, beautifully done Vanessa

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Take the Quiz

Stay updated!

Get all the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Lessons From Growing Out My Bangs March 12, 2021
  • Painted Staircase Handrail Makeover March 4, 2021
  • A New French Country Dining Table February 3, 2021
  • Open Now December 17, 2020
  • Tradition and a Christmas Home Tour December 9, 2020

Get all the latest straight to your inbox

Footer

Instagram

I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 At The Picket Fence