For the past few years, I’ve kept my Christmas decor so simple. I’ve actually never been one to go crazy with decor or crafting, but every year I seem to crave more BEING and less DOING and more REUSING what I already have on hand.
In fact, to be honest, I actually hardly put any Christmas decor under the house any more. I use so little that needs to be stored, I generally just keep those few things on a shelf or a basket so it is easy to pull out the next year. Then I add some greenery and mix it up a bit and call it done.
I do love all the vintage ornaments and beautiful Christmas vignettes I’m seeing in blogland right now, they are so lovely and inspiring! I am just not in a season of wanting to collect things or bring more decor in my own house. And being mindful of our budget means I just don’t have excess for many collections or a lot of Christmas decorations. Plus, with two puppies in the house, everything is at risk to come unraveled or break!
One thing that struck me this year is how much I’ve been just reusing a few random things year after year. Like these cardboard letters! Maybe I’m getting boring and will need to spice it up next year hahah, perhaps I will, but I have enjoyed the simplicity and contentment of using what I already had.
These little cardboard letters from JoAnn’s Fabric have served me well. Last year I added Washi tape to spice them up a bit. This year I just substituted the O with a little boxwood wreath I got at West Elm. The year before they were just left natural …. ah, cardboard, heheh.
Next year maybe I’ll paint them, or add fun new Washi tape! Or, maybe I’ll retire them and move on to something new.
But no matter what, I think they are a good reminder that we can choose to find real JOY at Christmas, even if we are decorating with something as ordinary as cardboard letters!
{Actually by next year I can probably call these vintage cardboard letters since I’ve been using them so long. Maybe?}
Today is the last day of the five day Holiday Housewalk at Jen Rizzo’s.
Come tour my house Christmas here!
Have you been enjoying all the Christmas house tours?
(I can’t wait to show you my front porch and a fun project next week!
*The Joy to the World print is in the Jones Design Company’s Christmas collection!
i always find a lot of joy when I’m able to transform something old into something amazingly new :) http://www.etsy.com/shop/cesttino
It’s fun to see what everyone else does in their home. I’ve paired down what I use, but I still use more than you. It is the one holiday that I have a ton of deco for. However, I am craving more simplicity in decor.
I love your simple Christmas decorating. I find if I put out too much for Christmas, I feel like I’m suffocating after a few weeks. I love having seasonal touches around our home but for me, less is what I love. And my budget likes me to find new ways to use what I already have too!
This year I gave loads of Christmas tree decs to a local charity shop, boxed up in seethrough plastic boxes like little selection packs. Like you I have got to that stage in my life where less is more, and someone else can benefit and so can the charity. And there is no stress when you only have a little to do! Your “JOY” letters will go on and on, changing year by year and we will continue to look out for them every year too. xx
Wow! The decor here is simply Gorgeous. I love it!
I love your thoughts on this post. Quite a lot of stuff has found its way into my Christmas decor bins over the years. I don’t use nearly half of it anymore. I find that a few special (aka simple) things make me happiest. Plus its easier when putting things away at the end of the season! Loved the home tours; you were in good company.
I am so with you! Less is so more in my world.
I agree with less is more too. I use maybe half of the Christmas decorations than I used to. Maybe part of the reason for that is knowing I’ll have to put everything back away after New Years day!
Love what you did with the mantle – I really like the look of a lot of white with accent colors.
I love the simplicity of your Christmas mantle. So pretty!
I pinned your mantel with the plain JOY letters and had about a gazillion people repin it! It is so simplistically pretty … think those letters will be my only new purchase this Christmas since, like a lot of people, I am also trying to cut back on my decorating.
Cardboard is completely perfect for Christmas because brown is the true color of Christmas. In Bethlehem there was no tinsel or brightly colored tree. The stable was brown, the manger was brown, the straw was brown, the donkey was brown, the ground beneath their feet was brown. Even the faces were brown. The first Christmas was very brown, and very humble, like cardboard.
Merry Christmas!