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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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January 23, 2020

Winter Decorating

A few years ago I decided to give myself an early Christmas present and it’s honestly one gift that I never get tired of receiving. As I begin to plan out my Christmas decorating, I intentionally think ahead to when it’s all going to have to be undecorated and I get really, really strategic. With every plastic storage bin that is opened, I’m thinking about how much work is going to take place on the other side of the season; how much will have to be undecorated.

Because, let’s face it, the undecorating part is the absolute worst, am I right?


What I’ve realized is that if I’m thoughtful about the process, I can give myself the gifts of time and less stress as I head back into our family’s regularly scheduled programming post-Christmas.

This year, after taking down my mantel decorations, I simply placed these four frosted trees on either side so that it would still reflect the winter season. Plus, they are pre-lit and I still get to enjoy some twinkling lights on these cold, dark days.

Thanks to my strategic thinking, my entryway looks almost identical to how it looked for Christmas.

The only thing I had to do was to remove the mercury glass ornaments I had hung on this little tree. Doesn’t it look so real?!

Cinnamon sticks in this transferware pitcher are a subtle nod to the winter season and they have actually been here since October so I think I’m killing it when it comes to doing as little as possible when it comes to seasonal decorating, don’t you? 😉

In my dining room, my buffet table decor required only the removal of a garland and lights to transition it from Christmas to Winter.

Similarly, my living room mantel got a super quick makeover when I removed the garland and lights.

The vintage corbels, candles and pinecones were there for the holiday season already and I simply added in a bit of greenery to soften it all.

And, of course, our hot cocoa station has stayed the same except for the removal of a wreath that was hanging on the mirror. Other than that, the only thing I’ve had to ‘update’ is the constant restocking of cocoa and marshmallows!

We’ve had a really long stretch of dark, rainy days that have made me so grateful for a home that still feels cozy and warm even as I’m longing for Spring.

There is just something about keeping out a few twinkling lights, the glow of candles (both real and battery powered) and soft blankets to snuggle in that help to offset what can often be a tough month to get through.

And how about you? Do you do any winter decorating in your home or do you take down your Christmas decor and put it all back to the way it is for the rest of the year? I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for meeting me here today friend,

12 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas, Seasonal, Winter Tagged With: winter, winter decorating

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Comments

  1. Kim Baker says

    January 23, 2020 at 12:19 PM

    Hi Vanessa! This is my first time leaving a comment! Just last year I started decorating for winter. Unlike you I take down almost all of my Christmas decorations and replace with winter things. And I am ok with that! In my kitchen I have snowmen with red accents. Very cheery! I have snowflakes, pinecones (natural and white!), winter angels and all different sorts of trees. I really got into trees last Christmas. I love bottle brush trees!!!!! I have a display at the top of my stairs with glittery silver, rose gold and bronze bottle brush trees. Not Christmas colors but still sparkly! JOY is one of my favorite words and I have that displayed in 3 separate vignettes. AND, our Christmas tree is still up and will be until the end of January, beginning of February! I love our Christmas tree!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 23, 2020 at 3:34 PM

      Hi Kim!! I’m SO excited that you left a comment!! I think your winter decorations sound absolutely beautiful! I love bottle brush trees too but had never incorporated them into my decor much until this year when I added them to a dining room table centerpiece. They really are so sweet! Sparkly for winter is the best for sure and I can’t think of a better word to have on display in your home than ‘JOY’. I love that your Christmas tree is still up too!!

      Thank you for commenting and for being apart of our community here! Much love, Vanessa

      Reply
    • Kathy Menold says

      January 23, 2020 at 4:44 PM

      I tried to think about Jan while decorating for Christmas this year. Lots of faux candles,fairy lights and simple greens with pinecones. Removed the garlands and wreaths on Epithany but the candles,fairy lights and pinecones with some fresh white flowers and lots of houseplants This decor will remain till March when hopefully spring will be arriving here in N.C.

      Reply
  2. Marilyn says

    January 23, 2020 at 1:01 PM

    Love it….pretty & cozy.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 23, 2020 at 3:26 PM

      Thank you Marilyn!

      Reply
  3. Carol says

    January 23, 2020 at 1:43 PM

    My husband is pretty much house bound so I u se lots of lights, Mercury glass and things that perk him up. He is slowly getting better now that we found that part of his problem was 2 medicines that made him pass out and have some bad falls. We are both in our 80’s and live in a true farm house with no neighbors. How long I don’t know. God is good and we hold on to that.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 23, 2020 at 3:26 PM

      Carol I am SO sorry about your husband’s health issues! He is blessed to have you taking care of him but that sounds like a lot to have on your shoulders. I will be praying that God will give you both strength and that you will have a community that will come around you and offer support. I think your decorations sound so lovely and cheerful! Much love to you, Vanessa

      Reply
  4. Debbie Zinser says

    January 23, 2020 at 2:03 PM

    I transitioned from Christmas to snow for winter, I have a white tree that I now have decorated with snowflakes and all white ornaments, beautiful. The mantel has snowflake lanterns and picks that look like snowballs, my hutch in the dining room is decorated with all kinds of snowflakes from beaded to wood! I’m loving the winter decorations and will soon transition to Valentine’s Day decorations, then St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, 4th of July….you get the idea! That white tree comes in handy…

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 23, 2020 at 3:28 PM

      Debbie your decorations sound just lovely! Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!

      Reply
  5. Jan says

    January 23, 2020 at 2:07 PM

    I love your ideas! I display my snowman collection on a chest bordered with red berry garland and star lights. I keep the display there through winter. It gives me such joy to see it every day!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 23, 2020 at 3:27 PM

      Your snowman collection sounds so festive and cheerful! I think having things like that to bring us joy is essential!

      Reply
  6. Jeanine says

    January 23, 2020 at 5:57 PM

    First time leaving a comment, but I have enjoyed your blog for awhile now. I also love your book and bought one for myself and my sister! I just started leaving out some winter decor this year because, like you, I couldn’t bear to take it all down when January is usually so dark and depressing. I think it’s definitely made me feel better and January has seemed to pass faster. I left a lit tree that has bare white branches on my front porch along with lights in my windows, which definitely makes me happy when I come home after dark. I used a boxwood type garland on the mantle this year instead of cedar, so I left that up with fairy lights strung in it. I also got a salt lamp and left out lots of candles and blankets. I like your idea of a hot chocolate bar!

    Reply

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Why do I start decorating before Thanksgiving? Bec Why do I start decorating before Thanksgiving? Because it’s the Saturday after and my house is almost completely ready to start the season! So I’m sitting with my coffee and just soaking it all up knowing that now I can focus on shopping, hosting and preparing our hearts for the start of Advent. The only thing left to do is get our fresh tree for the front room and then the decorating is done. 

Starting early is a gift I give to myself and I’m always grateful for it! 🌲

#simplechristmas #traditionalchristmas
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest fo “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours dear friends! 🍂
Christmas has arrived in the family room where I k Christmas has arrived in the family room where I keep things simple but festive! We’ll get a fresh tree after Thanksgiving which will go in our front room bay window but this slim faux tree with its colorful ornaments tides us over for now. Which room in your home gets the Christmas treatment first? Or do you just start doing a little at a time in each room? 🎄

*pillow covers are from @jshhomeessentials
I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST.THAT.GOOD! 

And I have a confession ...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
How do I want people to feel when they walk throug How do I want people to feel when they walk through my front door? That’s always at the top of my mind when I’m decorating my entry for each season, particularly at Christmastime. 

✨I want them to feel like my home is greeting them with a smile.

✨I want them to feel like this is a place where care has been given to details (but not to the point of being too stuffy or too busy or too overwhelming). 

✨I want them to feel like there is peace here.

✨I want them to feel like they are welcome…because they are. 

My home is a reflection of my heart and my heart is a reflection of the ONE for whom I live and try to honor and praise all of my days, but especially at Christmas.

How do you want people to feel when they come into your home? 

#christmasentry #simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
This is not a criticism of those who are sharing t This is not a criticism of those who are sharing their great new Christmas finds but rather an encouragement to those of you who are feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all and trying to resist the temptation to purchase more items than you really need.

Several years ago I felt a conviction in my heart about how much time and money I was spending on trying to create a new look every Christmas. I was not being a good steward of my resources and I was far too easily swayed by the peer pressure in this area. And a funny thing happened when I smashed this idol that had taken up residence in my heart. I suddenly found renewed joy in decorating for the season. By keeping things simple and maybe only buying something like a new spool of velvet ribbon, I actually realized that I could be far more creative reusing and repurposing what I already had.

In the coming weeks your news feeds will be filled with temptations for MORE. Maybe, this year, you too can find the joy in LESS. 🌲

#simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
It’s that time of the year again! Time for me to It’s that time of the year again! Time for me to set up the hot coca station! ⛄️🧣☕️It’s always a favorite spot in the house and I leave it up all winter long.

Do you have a hot cocoa or coffee station at your house? Here’s a look back at years past if you’re needing a little bit of inspiration!
#hotcocoa #hotcocoabar
I don’t know exactly why this is, but my home se I don’t know exactly why this is, but my home seems to rise up to welcome Autumn like no other season. Maybe it’s the warm, subtle tones. Maybe it’s the way the sunlight streams in at a different angle this time of the year. Maybe it’s the leaves doing their fall dance. Maybe it’s just that this is when everything begins to  feel a bit more cozy.

Whatever it is, I’m savoring every last bit of it as we enjoy the most beautiful final days of Autumn here in the Willamette Valley. The rain is forecasted to return later this week and I’m planning to move onto twinkling lights and evergreen boughs but, for now, here’s a little last look at Autumn in my home. 🍂

When will you begin to transition your home from Autumn to Winter?
I laughed out loud yesterday as I was listening to I laughed out loud yesterday as I was listening to a podcast. Not because something funny was said but because the timing of the statement was perfect. The guest on that episode was offering encouragement to pastors about how to stay true to God’s Word during these tumultous times and then encouraged the rest of us to be thinking of how we can show love and care towards our church pastors. He said, “maybe even have them over for dinner!” And that’s when I laughed out loud because we were hosting our pastor and his family for dinner THAT VERY NIGHT!

After the heartache of leaving the church we had attended for over 20 years, it was such a joy to have this incredible shepherd and his wife and daughter in our home. We’ve witnessed them tirelessly, sacrifically giving so much to their congregation and the community at large and we loved that we were able to give them the opportunity to receive. They are some of the warmest, kindest people you’ll ever meet.  The meal was simple (roasted chicken and vegetables recipe from @jocooks), the dessert was made the night before and it really required so little from us in terms of effort.

Friends, take care of those who are in the trenches of preaching/teaching right now as it is not an easy time to be in that role. Bake them a loaf of bread, drop off a gift card to a restaurant or maybe even have them over for dinner (but don’t use that time to complain or critique 😉). 

I truly hope that it blessed them as much as it did us! 🍂
Simple, soft, slow. That’s been my mantra for th Simple, soft, slow. That’s been my mantra for the past few years when it comes to decorating for Christmas. And as I begin to think about how I’ll welcome the new season to my home this year, it doesn’t fill me with the same anxiety as it used to. If I stick to my mantra then I know I won’t get overwhelmed and I’ll actually be able to just enjoy the true beauty and meaning of it all.

Here’s some inspiration from years past in my home! 🌲
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