One of the reasons I wanted to host this Holiday Homes Tour was to force myself to do a decent job of decorating this year. What with the move coming up in about seven weeks and me packing up more boxes on a daily basis, it would be SO EASY to take a pass on decorating. But this is our tenth (and final) Christmas in this house and I want to do right by the home that we’ve loved for so long.
Way back in the 20th century, I used to be a Decorating Diva at Christmas. If it didn’t move, I slapped something decorative on it. Every table, shelf, and other horizontal surface had some little knick knack or something on it. Even the bathrooms had a little Santa or snowman figurine.
Then we had children and I spent a few years there trying to keep little girls from “looking” at decorations with their sticky little hands. So I started paring down the decorations. I realized that things were much easier if I didn’t have all that stuff to store for 11 months and then put out and dust for the last month of the year. I kept editing and reducing and now we only decorate a few places.
This coming weekend, all this comes down. Everything will get boxed up and, instead of going back into the attic, the boxes will be stacked in our rec room with all the others I’ve packed so far. Next year, I’ll have to figure out just where to place the Bigger Ass Tree and where to hang stockings since we won’t have a fireplace. I already know where the nutcrackers will be displayed. But the new Mod Jenworld will have so many interesting nooks and crannies that I might just have to rethink my position on minimalist decor.
Love it – especially the all coming down next weekend!
Even in it’s pared down state it still looks fantastic !
Merry Christmas!
Beautiful!! It’s so fun to see everyone’s varied style–thanks so much for doing this! Good luck with your move!
Looks great!!!
I love the Big Ass Tree – I’m feeling a little sad that I didn’t get a huge one this year. I’ll have to make up for it with a giant one in 2009!
We have a fireplace, with stockings, but I didn’t take pictures of it because it’s bufugly.
Merry Christmas and Happy Un-decorating!
Aw, I LOVE all your nutcrackers!
Very lovely! It must be bittersweet to spend your last Christmas at the house. The nutcrackers are fab! I pared down my mantle decorations due to the fact that many of them are dangly and Max loves dangly things.
Seeing your pix, I’m wishing now I’d taken my pix during the day, but I wanted the lit up effect. I suck at photography. Thanks for organizing this. I look forward to seeing what Christmas looks like at the Economod next year at Holiday Homes Tour 2009.
GAH – Now I want a Nutcracker collection too! They’re darling!
Looks awesome!
Also I love that I see my holiday card in the mix!
Beautiful! I can’t wait to see the new look in Jenworld next year!
Thanks for doing this, Jen! I forgot until I read your post but got mine done, finally. Better late than never?
Your house looks lovely!
Everything looks so nice – and I love that my holiday card is there in the mix!
I love your fireplace–I think it would be just the way to update my 70′s brick.
Decorating before moving? I’m very impressed.
Do you read June Cleaver Nirvana? I cracked up when I saw your sofa in her header.
Our decorating histories are frighteningly similar!
That’s some tree!
Love it, love it, love it:)
Although now I feel really lame for the bare minimum being done this year at my house….
Lovely.
You did the house proud decorating this year. I love the nutcrackers and evry time I look at it, the BAT seems even bigger! Merry Christmas!
I confess, I giggled when I saw Kaylen’s card on your board! I’m liking the nutcrackers…perhaps a item I will start collecting. I love the way they look together. Reminds me of my students in a weird, weird way!
Jen-Thanks for organizing us all!
I do love your Pirate Nutcracker.
Love all the holiday looks – looking forward to seeing it all again next year!
Happy Holidays and Good Luck on the move!
We do the nutcrackers on the mantel thing too. We are so same-same, huh?
Cool nutcrackers! I love all the holiday deco’s… and the chair is sweet.
Very impressed that you decorated while packing everything else up!
Wow! Check out all those cards! (I’m feeling better about being behind on cards – we’ve only received about 6 so far of the usual 3 dozen.)
I love your Nutcrackers. My mom collects them as well. They are one of those “symbols” of the holidays for me.
Happy Holidays!
Great work!
It all looks very festive – which is more than I can say for my place!
Love the nutcrackers, a fave of mine. And good to you for going the whole route for the tenth Christmas! Merry, merry to you all~