I did it!!
- I bought all my Christmas gifts {but maybe 4} before Thanksgiving!
- I wrapped all the gifts the week after Thanksgiving!
- I took my time decorating for Christmas and purged all the decorations that I didn’t use {ARC truck is coming on Wednesday!}
And I’m done!! All that is left is planning our Christmas meal and making treats for my cul-de-sac homies!
This is the first year in years that there hasn’t been any craziness felt. All the gifts that were bought were thought out and were not those last minute ones “just to give someone a gift” gift. The spirit has really been felt this year. My kids are at the age that they know exactly what this time is about and when we asked “who is watching you,” they each will list out ‘Jesus, God and {lastly} Santa Claus.’ My kids {and husband} are enjoying all there is to enjoy this time of year and so am I.
I plan to make this a tradition! Stress-free is for me!
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I had been saving the main part of the Christmas decor for today’s Tour of Christmas Homes brought to us from my friend, Nester {I can say that, I’ve met her in person a few times!! haha!} Hooked on Houses, Kelly’s Korner {a friend as well}, A Little Lovely and Thrifty Decor Chick – which I’m sure most of you are following. I’m normally too late to really jump on this train, so I was excited that it was going to happen for me this year!!!
I’ll preface these pictures with this – I’m all about ‘wacky & tacky’ and especially since I’ve had kids. I just don’t want you all to think Good Grief – she goes a little overboard! Because I do!
Some of this will be a repeat for some of you, but just in case there are any newbies . . . I went out this year and bought {alot} of the shatter-proof {non-breakable} ornaments this year. Em had a little bit too much fascination with the tree. Fourteen casualties all together. I’m still cracking up when my husband came home and asked me where was the tree because there were so many ornaments. I then new I was on the right track – haha!
I’ve actually accumulated alot of felt & plastic ornaments over the past few years – and that is what you see towards the bottom of the tree!
I’m proud of how the tree turned out, which is the reason I posted so many pictures! I’m shocked as to how great the kid-friendly ornaments look!!!
Pretend the blue ruffled pillow is up-right because that really bugs me.
Of course now, Em is over handling the ornaments. But the shatter-proof ones are definitely the way to go!
Actually, I bought so many of them, that I strung them on wire and made a garland for the garland on the mantel. And for all those that helped with my stocking dilemma – THANK YOU!!! I actually found the 2 I’ll order from 1 of the suggestions {I’ll do that today!}
my New Santa this year!
I still used those kid friendly ornaments on the banister. Instead of stringing a slew of them on wire, I attached between 4 and 7 in clusters and then zip-tied each one onto the garland. I thought it best to have a secure attachment since I new the railing would be touched all the time. And so far, it has worked!
I did set out a few houses of my North Pole village, but will post about that later. It was the first time in many years it made an appearance. I thought my kids were going to pass out when they saw it from all the excitement. And I’m sure I’ll want to kill myself when Em breaks a piece of it. BUT that is the chance you take when you have crazies in the house. And if truth be told, my eyes teared up when I took the first one out of the box! {cheezy, I know!}
Well, that is the main decorations. I’ll post the other stuff through out the weeks leading up to Christmas!
Here are a few more Christmas posts . . . .
And for the record – I’m hoping this leaves me more time to paint!
About Kim
I adore your cheerful colors! So fun & festive.
-Rene
The over the topness just looks so freaking fantabulous and makes me want to hit the clearance aisles after Christmas HARD for next year….your tree is so full of JOY!
WOW! all of the color looks great! good job!
love your tree! everything looks amazing. we have similar plastic and felt ornaments around the bottom of our tree – our 20 month old is all about the bling!
congrats on your shopping and wrapping. i will strive to be more like you next year
but wait.. what about the gifts from Santa?? are those under your tree too?? thats my problem.. and my ONLY stressor.. the gifts i bought are stuffed in my closet.. but if i wrap them.. i cant just ram them in there.. so i COULD wrap the ones from me and stuff.. but.. that still leaves a boatload of presents.. the majority in fact.. from Santa to everyone.. and btw.. I’m like really jealous of your tree, wrappings, and decorations.. uber cute!!!!!!
We get each kid 3 gifts. And this year, each child got each sibling a small gift. As for Santa’s stuff – He gets each child 1 ‘bigger’ gift. That is hidden and never wrapped. AND it will just be set out at Christmas Eve after the kids go to sleep – we take it out of the package and set it all up!!! I’m stoked and too excited!
OH MY LORD!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOUR TREE TOPPER!!!! Your decorations are all beautiful; no surprise here. I wish I had your imagination. Your house is alive with happy!
Our colors and styles are similar! Adorable and very festive!
I love LOVE love the tree! Incredible! Please feel free to visit my blog. Merry Christmas!
Love your tree, soooo fun!
I love, love, love your banister!!!!!
What a FUN tree! Love the color scheme! Merry Christmas!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your tree! Also, could you drive down to Huntsville & wrap my gifts as cute as yours??
Seriously, you do a great job with wrapping & cute bows! I hate wrapping so I try to do it as quickly as possible but maybe this year I can make them cute like yours.
Your post put me in the Christmas spirit!
Ho, ho, ho!! It’s all so beautiful.
Cute, cute tree! I love all the colors and how fun it is. Great job.
Debbie
Ok LOVE the tree this year AND the garland! Awesome!! Can’t wait to see it all in person!
LOVE the JOY and HAPPINESS in your heart!!! Must have that to have that tree, etc – anytime you need to escape to NJ feel free – decorate my tree any time – I will just leave it up all year! Blessings of Joy and Peace to you – thank you!
Hey Kim, I love the size and shape of your tree. I am looking for one just like that for my bonus room. Where did you get it?
Jennifer, I got this one about 6 years ago at Hobby Lobby. Originally it was pre-lit, but they started dying away a slow and painful death. This was the first year that we finally got all the lights clipped off and just re-wired it ourselves. I love this size too!!! I have more furniture than room and this size fits nicely in a tight space.
your tree and decor just brought such a big smile to my face! i love, love, love every colorful bit-especially that tree topper!
OMG! Fabulous tree! I love it all
I am a bit wacky and tacky myself. I was stunned when I saw the picture of the full tree! AMAZEBALLS!!!
Kim…I LOVE it! Love the banister and the tree toppers. Where did you get those adorable circles? They are my fave. They are adorable. I need you to come to Louisiana and decorate for me next year! lol
Don’t think you could squeeze another ornament on that tree! Looks great though! My cat would have a field day climbing through there!
Wow, this place just screams Christmas! I think I have never seen so many ornament on a tree but it looks very cool (awesome gifts’ wrapping, by the way)! Good job! And I just love how you used the leftover ornaments – I have, for instance, recently seen a couple of Christmas wrenches made of those and those were fabulous as well. Creativity is the key!
Wow, this place just screams Christmas! I think I have never seen so many ornament on a tree but it looks very cool (awesome gifts’ wrapping, by the way)! Good job! And I just love how you used the leftover ornaments – I have, for instance, recently seen a couple of Christmas wrenches made of those and those were fabulous as well. Creativity is the key!
I have always had trouble with my star bc I use an artificial tree and I swear the twirly star base is the worst idea ever! I have used zip ties and other things. Maybe it’s just my tree but I think you’ve inspired me to create my own topper. I was wondering where you got the colored curly sticks at the top of your tree? I have seen them before, can’t remember where but I’m sure they are not too hard to find. But I’ve never seen them colored….or did YOU paint them? I can definitely see that!
Wow, this place just screams Christmas! I think I have never seen so many ornament on a tree but it looks very cool (awesome gifts’ wrapping, by the way)! Good job! And I just love how you used the leftover ornaments – I have, for instance, recently seen a couple of Christmas wrenches made of those and those were fabulous as well. Creativity is the key!
love your decor! your tree & garland put a smile on my face.
Season’s greetings from Utah!