Hello and happy Thanksgiving week! I’m eager to share my Christmas decorating plan after being inspired by my friend Ann of On Sutton Place, who posted her ideas recently. I don’t normally decorate before Thanksgiving — our family tradition is to wait until the weekend of Thanksgiving — but I do prepare a few projects in advance so I can share them here.
I’ve staged some holiday items for posts (like the DIY ornament I created for a blogging group) and I’ll reveal several more projects over the coming weeks. Even when I stage things for content, I still hold off on fully decorating because I want to enjoy a quiet, family-centered Thanksgiving. For now the decorating lives mostly in my head, and that planning is part of the fun. I hope these ideas spark inspiration for you and give a preview of the projects I’ll be sharing.
My approach remains budget-minded and practical: classic, achievable projects that make use of what we already own, add a few thoughtful new pieces, and incorporate found or thrifted items. That’s the hallmark of my style — simple, creative, and approachable. Here’s the plan for this year:
2015 Christmas Plan
- Declutter: Apply the KonMari approach to all the holiday boxes and keep only what sparks joy. That means letting go of things I no longer use, like the stockings I made years ago but haven’t used in a decade. A good purge makes room for the pieces I truly love.
- Buy one new decor item: green plaid. I already found a green plaid fabric at JoAnn’s and plan to use it across several elements: easy envelope-style pillow covers, a table runner, a mantel banner, ornaments, and wreath bows. One focused new purchase keeps the look cohesive.
- Incorporate natural finds: antlers and wood. I have a box of antlers from my stepdad that I’ll use in their natural state, paint a few gold, and include in crafts. We’ve also turned wood from our pile into slices for personalized ornaments and other decorations.
- Add gold accents: paint some pinecones gold and mix them with existing gold ornaments to lend warmth and sparkle without overwhelming the rustic elements.
- Mix in mercury glass: bringing out seasonal mercury glass adds a touch of vintage shimmer that pairs nicely with the gold and natural textures.
- Reuse favorite handmade items: I’ll bring back tried-and-true decorations like the wool pom-pom wreath and garland, the music-sheet wreath and ornaments, decoupaged coasters, and other book-page decor. These familiar pieces add personality and continuity to the season.
At first the idea of combining antlers and wood with mercury glass felt like a stretch, but when I played with the palette it began to feel cohesive — a glam-country mix that’s cozy and a little sophisticated. The overall aim is a calm, simple holiday that keeps the things you love while removing anything that feels burdensome.
My goal is a calm, simple holiday that honors what we love and removes what causes stress.
I plan to keep decorating, baking, and crafting at a manageable level so I can actually enjoy the season. That means simplifying some traditions I adore to reduce pressure and create more space for meaningful moments. What about you — are you planning to simplify this year or have you already settled on a plan? Share your approach in the comments if you like; I always love hearing how others are making the season their own.