We actually whipped up this fast and easy holiday decorating video before we finished our tree (which we shared last week), but because we’re sticklers for order around here, we thought tree-decorating-video-numero-dos made more sense following tree-decorating-video-numero-uno so we’re squeezing this baby in at the end. But good things come to those who wait, right? According that that cliché they do anyway. So without further ado, here’s a video* (with plenty of belly for those on bump watch) all about seasonally decorating every nook and cranny of your home on the cheap and in a snap. And the best part is that we used things we already had laying around (so we spent zero bucks this year on these holiday accessories). You can watch it below or over here on You Tube:
And for those of you at work who can’t exactly fire up the video, here’s a little summary of what we touched on. First we detailed how we tossed together our mantel decor using cheap-o stocking holders along with stockings that we customized with little DIY labels and then flanked with gleaming silver candlesticks topped with ornaments.
Sure a few glowing candles in those candlesticks would add gentle ambiance, but with a slew of candles burning in the fireplace it’s quick and easy to add color and holiday fun by topping them with shiny ornaments instead.
Here’s a detail shot of the stocking situation. Basically we hung our little neutral stockings from Tar-jay on our cheap-o $5 stocking holders (also from Tar-jay) and layered on a 20 cent sparkly green snowflake ornament (yup- also from Tar-jay) with a little tag that I made with each family member’s name on it (I snipped cardstock into a tag shape, punched a hole, knotted on a little loop of twine, and scribbled “John”, “Sherry” and “Burger” on the front. Easy, eh? And now Santa knows which one is which (without any spendy monogramming).
We also quickly switched out the normally ivory and cream pillows on our sofa for some green silk ones that we had in the third bedroom (we snagged them for $10 each at TJ Maxx a while back). They definitely tie into the tones on the mantel, the nearby console (which we’ll get to in a minute) and of course our citrus themed Christmas tree. And the silk material feels extra luxe with all the glittering ornaments in the room. Oh and tossing a throw with a bit of green and some playful fringe (also stolen from the third bedroom) and one of our home’s many traveling faux sheepskin rugs (from Ikea) over the back of the sofa added even more layered and plush texture. And we actually like how they don’t scream Christmas at all, but definitely work with the decor in the rest of the room.
We also should warn you that it’s not Christmas in our house unless we shove ornaments in practically every vessel that we own, so we started by filling each of our glass based lamps with silver ornaments for a super simple yet totally stunning result.
Oh and the tip here is that we store the 15 ornaments for this lamp in a large plastic ziplock bag labeled “lamp base #1” and the other 15 that we use for the second lamp in another large ziplock labeled “lamp base #2” so it’s practically autopilot decorating from year to year. Of course to switch things up you could stuff your glass based lamps with glittered or painted pinecones, faux snow balls or fake snow, black and white family pictures (vintage looking ones of children on sleds would be cute) or even fresh pine boughs clipped from outside.
And since we are not above decorating the faux animals around Casa Petersik for the holidays (we admit it’s weird, but kind of oddly festive too) we took a piece of ribbon from a gift we got last year and tied it around Mr. Dog’s neck. Presto, in about thirty seconds he was wearing his holiday best. You could also do this around any ceramic deer heads (and their antlers) that you might have on the wall or even around concrete lions that flank your driveway.
To further demonstrate that we don’t take ourselves too seriously over here, it’s an annual tradition to give our iron bull (who hails from a North Carolina flea market) some funny ornament earrings. Because isn’t it every bull’s dream to be decked out for the holidays? Olé!
Even the kitchen got in on the action. We just moved the fruit that we usually store in our faux clam shell (from Z Gallerie) over into an alternate bowl on the other side of the counter, which freed up our giant shell for- you guessed it- a whole bunch of ornaments. We warned you we’re pretty much all about stuffing ornaments everywhere and calling it a day. Anyway, we layered cheap shiny silver balls with smaller frosted ivory and gunmetal colored ones, which actually look like big gleaming pearls (which we think is quite appropriate for a clam shell). And not only does this display dress up any kitchen for ol’ Saint Nick, it can actually serve as a great centerpiece when you’re entertaining (check it out on our dining table two Christmases ago).
Because we like to change things up on our console table for certain holidays (here’s what we did for Halloween and Thanksgiving), this season we simply popped a feather tree in the middle of a pretty green tray, added a cylinder full of green ornaments, and even used a bit of real live greenery to hammer home our green-is-the-new-black decorating riff.
And in case anyone’s wondering, the green feather tree is from Target last year (we picked two of them up on sale after Christmas for just $4 a pop)
Then we made our way into the den which also has a mantel that was desperately in need of some seasonal spin. We threw up a pretty neutral wreath with fun green accents (purchased by my sweet mother-in-law at Pottery Barn for my birthday back in March- it was super on sale since it was so far past the holidays). And yes, we could have removed the framed art that you see leaning behind it, but we didn’t mind the layered look since the mat was so large that the wreath doesn’t obscure the picture behind it.
Then it was as simple as dropping a few green glittery vase filler orbs (picked up a while back at TJ Maxx for $2) in each hurricane for a soft and symmetrical arrangement that feels cozy and welcoming- especially when we light the candles and fire up the gas fireplace.
Isn’t my birthday/Christmas wreath awesome? The white paper leaves had me at hello (along with the super sale price that didn’t put it out of birthday-list range). Gotta love those waaay after Christmas sales that just happen to fall over March birthdays…
So that wraps up our little holiday decorating roundup for Casa Petersik. And although a lot of the seasonal accent pieces that we introduced were pretty neutral (gleaming silver ornaments and candle sticks, tan stockings, an ivory wreath, etc) except for some fresh pops of green, our bright citrus-themed tree really amped everything else up and looks so festive and fun along with the rest of our holiday decor.
So good, in fact, that it inspired us to make a few last-minute switcheroos to inject even more color into our green and neutral decor (like the orange ornaments you now see on the mantel).
So from the bottom of our orange, lime and lemon loving hearts- we hope you all have a blast decorating your home for the holidays.
And while we’re on the subject, what kind of seasonal decor do you guys bring into your home beyond just decorating the tree? Do you have a family tradition to buy a fresh boy scout wreath for the front door? Do you set out lots of holiday treats like candy canes and caramel corn? Do you string up lights around your house’s entire exterior? Let’s talk about how you really set the scene for a stellar holiday season.
* Yes, in hindsight I realize that there are two “that’s what she said” moments in the video (for those who watch The Office). Both are totally unintentional.
Psst- Looking for more holiday decorating and entertaining ideas? Check out this post, this post, this post, this post, this post, this post, this post, this post and this post for more seasonal fun.
Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15!
Laura@JourneyChic says
I love your idea to top the candlesticks with ornaments – very unexpected and colorful! I like to fill a few short vases leftover from our wedding with ornaments (silver and gold for the living room, jewel tones in the half bath). I found that if you wait until December to buy decorations, everything is deeply discounted – I got loads of supplies at a local craft store last week for over 60% off!
christine says
Sherry, amazing job with the christmas decor! I looove the tree ornaments and the lamps filled w/ ornaments.. very creative idea! P.S. You look great!
April says
You guys inspired me this year to do a little more than just decorate my three trees. (Two of them are totally a recycle as my last job was going out of business and going to toss out perfectly good tinsle trees! I took them home.) Anyhow, I have a white platter/bowl thing I got at cb2 earlier this year and put one of my pillar candles from my wedding (almost four years ago) in the center, used silver bead garland that’s not really long enough for the big tree around the base of the pillar and added some of my black and white ornaments. I used my little silver and white ornaments for filler.
I also have a very flat platter that I put my 3 mercury glass candlestick holders, along with 4 little mercury votives (also from the wedding) and picked up silver beaded garland at target to add a little more sparkle. I still need white tapers but the total cost for both displays will be a whole $10! I’m pretty excited about it!
Thanks for showing how to repurpose stuff you already have! My husband is happy that I didn’t buy anything else. Now, if you have some tips from keeping a 2 year old out of everything I’ll have it made!
Amanda says
My favorite is the candlesticks with ornaments. So cool.
This Thrifted Life says
Everything is beautiful! I love how you guys stick ornaments just about everywhere–such an easy, festive decorating trick. And the dressed-up stockings are very cute.
Tiffany says
Love your fresh approach to Christmas decorating. Adore the bright pops of citrusy color. Here is a few shots of ours. We do garnet, gold and Old World santas.
http://cookie-chef.livejournal.com/479348.html#cutid1
Tracie@ Gurtler + Home says
I love the ornament earings on the cow head! That made me laugh out loud.
Kelly says
Your holiday decor looks so pretty! This year we went with just ribbon and bows on our christmas tree. We had to “baby proof” our tree for our one year old. Some days the ribbon stays on the tree and other days I find it on the floor and bows here and there. :O) I love the idea of the ornaments on the candle sticks and the little ornament on top of the stocking. I am going to try that! Thanks for sharing your holiday decor and great ideas! Sherry- Hope you and baby P are doing and feeling great! You look fantastic!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks to everyone saying that I look great. The funny thing is that I don’t feel huge at all, but when I pass by a mirror or see myself on video I’m always like “ahhh!” because I totally forget I have this big belly now. It’s the curse of being short and short-waisted (which runs in the family). My poor mom couldn’t even drive at the end of her pregnancy because her belly stuck out so far it hit the steering wheel and when she pushed back the seat enough to accommodate it her feet didn’t touch the pedals! Only time will tell how big I’ll be in May…
xo,
s
erin says
I love the citrus tree and I bet it smells amazing. Good thing you haven’t developed some strange pregnant lady aversion to oranges and lemons!
I was wondering where you got your stockings or if you can recommend a place to get pretty, inexpensive stockings like it? I have a white brick fireplace as well.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erin,
We picked those stockings up at Target a few years ago, but we’ve heard they have similar neutral looking ones this year as well. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Keeley says
Where is the green tray on your mantel from? I’m looking for a similar one (ideally round, but I’ll take what I can get!)
Keeley says
Oops, I meant console, not mantel
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Keeley,
That’s actually the bottom of a photo album box (snagged at Target a few years back) that looks so much like a tray that we use it as such. I know that probably doesn’t help you on your search but it’s the truth! You might want to try places like Home Goods, TJ Maxx or even Target and Crate & Barrel for something similar. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Heather H says
Looks great guys! I noticed you have the weighted stocking holders, as do I. I recently read on MSN that they are causing a LOT of injuries to toddlers with curious hands from falling on their heads and feet. So once your little one is on the move you may want to put them away until they are older.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Heather,
Thanks so much for the tip! We assume that a ton of things will change around Casa Petersik once baby is mobile enough to stand and pull things down, but thank goodness that’s still a ways away! Although we do look forward to new decorating ideas when our little bean is running around. That’s when we’ll really have to get creative!
xo,
s
Danielle@Newlyweds Paradise says
Such cute touches you have done. The awesome thing about you two is that you always use everything to its full potential.
Did you decorate the outside with lights, or am I spoiling a future post?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Danielle,
Other than sprucing up the porch with a few holiday touches (and lighting the tree inside, which can be seen from the street) we actually don’t do lights around our home’s exterior thanks to some pretty tricky electrical deficiencies on our house’s part. Someday we hope to rewire things so we can string up lights and decorate to our heart’s content. Maybe that’s a project before next Christmas (once we’re done with the bathroom and the nursery) since we’d also love to add path lighting and all that fun stuff. Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Sarah says
Great job as usual!! I love the ornaments “shoved” places – I think I may go home tonight and try to put some of my unused ornaments to good use.
Sherry – I always love your earrings. Have you ever been to the Hunger Site store? http://shop.thehungersite.com/store/site.do?siteId=220&origin=adpl..13413..1465 Great jewelry – artisan made, the price is right and the money goes to the people that need it most!!
You look fabulous!!
Sarah
YoungHouseLove says
Oooh I love me some earrings, especially artisan made (with prices that make me smile and a seriously fabulous mission). Thanks so much for the link! Off to check things out…
xo,
s
heather s. says
Looks great! I posted about my holiday decor today as well (great minds think alike). My favorite thing to use is…ornaments. Seriously it’s like we are twins. :)
Deb says
I totally yelled out “that’s what she said” when you put up the the big vase on your console table–I’m so immature!
Great video–it always helps to have a theme. Years ago we agreed on a cabin theme and it helps to focus my purchases. I also shop the day after Christmas–I have been scoping out all the stores to see which ones are worth going to for clearance. It’s so fun the following year to have new things to put out!
Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker says
It’s like Ornament Fest 2009! Looks great! I’d love to do more decorating like this, but — our cats make everything impossible. We still love them, though. Might have to get some of those awesome glass lamps so we can display pretty baubles and keep ’em contained next year.
Santa: Add that to my x-mas, list!
Jamie says
I never noticed until that video how much the horns on the mantle in the den look like a yemenite shofar. Are you guys secretly jewish?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shofar#Shape_and_material
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jamie,
They do look exactly like ’em! Funny! Maybe someone at Pottery Barn (where we got them) is Jewish- and they get a kick out of spreading the yemenity shofar love!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Love it – such fun and easy Xmas touches without looking cheesy. Very festive.
Ginny says
Ditto the above about the weighted stocking holders. We had a close call with one when our youngest was a toddler, and my friend’s child got hit in the forehead at her house. Not the look you want on the first Christmas pictures! We now have some simple cup holder hooks that screw into the bottom of the mantle. Beautiful decorations and great ideas as always!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ginny,
Thanks for the reinforcement! The cup hooks sound like a simple enough solution when bambinos are underfoot. Thanks for sharing!
xo,
s
hishouse;herhelp. says
i’ve always wanted one of those feather trees! those are fun! maybe i can find a bright pink one after xmas!
Rosi T says
I love this :). Moving into a small apartment right before Christmas, I don’t have much to work with but I do a small 10inch silver tree, a christmas “marching” band, some lights, and some odds and ends to work with. Even a bunch of blue ornaments, and some of those metal weights like you have but they spell the word JOY for the stockings. We don’t have a fireplace but we do have a kitchen bar where the marching band will sit and the stockings will hang. I really like green, so I try to make green part of everything that I do but since all I have is blue for this year it’ll work :). Our holiday tradition in my family is to make sugar cookies and decorate them :)
Becky says
Everything looks great! I love all your ideas that use things you already have! Where did you get the candlesticks that are on your mantel?
YoungHouseLove says
Becky- The candlesticks are from Linens N Things (so sad they’re no longer around) but we’ve seen similar versions at Target and places like TJ Maxx.
Rebecca- Why those are every issue of Domino of course! I’m so proud of that collection (especially since I’m such a minimalist so it’s nothing short of a miracle that I kept the very first one and continued that tradition every month).
xo,
s
Rebecca Foxworth says
In the bull-with-earrings photo, I’m curious as to what magazine’s back issues are piled up in a neat little stack. Hmmm?
Amy in PA says
This post completely backs up the Christmas decorating theory that changed my life: NO RED! I couldn’t make red decorations work with with my blue, white, tan & yellow color scheme, so I gave up on them and now go with silvers, greens & browns (lots of snowflakes & pine cones with the bonus of being able to keep them up after Christmas!!) So I gave away my red decorations & admire other people’s when I see them. It’s made holiday life so much easier!
jamie says
Also for those of you with little kids–You can also use the little command hooks that stick to the wall–I bought white to blend in with our mantle and stuck them underneath and just leave them their all year!
picture-
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBWYed9iASU/SyZ3TPpYuQI/AAAAAAAAF0o/XWlNnFFDEy4/s1600-h/100_6565.JPG
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh good tip Jamie, thanks!
xo,
s
Sunny's Life in Rehab says
A little tip for next year when you do your post-holiday shopping: if you’re planning to do a new color theme for the tree, choose unbreakable ornaments for the bottom half, and pick out some ribbon that matches. I tied my baubles to the tree with gauze-y bows when the children were little so they couldn’t be pulled off by plump little hands. I also tied the tree to the wall with fishing line after a mishap when my middle child decided to keep tugging on a very secure Raggedy Andy, and he pulled the entire tree over on himself!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the idea Sunny! You know we love shopping after Christmas for all those steals and deals!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Hi Sherry,
I love your tree especially and made some orange and lemon ornaments-they came out beautifully! I’ve noticed lots of people have asked about your ornament hooks and saw them again this year at Target, just in case anyone is looking for them!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jessica,
Thanks so much! It’s good to know they’re still there for anyone trying to hunt them down.
xo,
s
Lauren says
Love all the ideas! I’ve also used your “put ornaments in everything” idea around our house this year. One question…how do you display the holiday cards you receive? I’m always looking for new ideas!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
Here’s our favorite way (with DIY ornament magnets on the fridge): https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/12/ornamental-ideas/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
LauraC says
My mother always cuts some fresh cedar boughs for her mantle, and yesterday, I cut some for mine too. It makes all the difference in the world – great smell, homey, green color, and f-r-e-e-! We don’t have much up this year as we moved into a much larger house than we’ve had before and I’m not going to go spend a bunch of $$$ to decorate! But I’m (im)patiently waiting to go shopping the 26th and pick up some things that have caught my eye. We’d also like to get some outdoor light, now that we own a house, but again, we are going to wait till everythings on sale. Also, I’m kind of anti-red for my own decorations, but Christmas is the time to break it out and I enjoy it for 4-5 weeks! I love lots of color at Christmas, as opposed to my neutrals the rest of the year!
patti says
love everything! looks so pretty and understated and inviting!
marissa says
I love how you labeled and layered the stockings! I’ve been needing a cute way to differentiate whose stocking was whose, but hadn’t thought of anything yet. Very cute! Thanks for the idea :)
Kasey at Thrifty Little Blog says
Your home looks so beautiful! I love how there’s a little sparkle or holiday touch scattered throughout each space. That wreath over the picture is such a great idea!
denise @ little ant design says
Love it all! I’m especially loving how the orange pops with the green.
I’m not very red and green traditional when it comes to Christmas so we went with a green, white silver theme at our house (although after seeing your stuff I may throw in orange next year) You can checkout our reading inspired mantle decor here
http://littleantdesign.blogspot.com/2009/12/excuses-excuses.html
I appreciate the time you both spend putting together videos and posting pictures. I love all the design inspiration that you share.
Jessica says
I mentioned above that I saw your ornament hooks at Target this year…I meant to say *stocking* hooks. That’s what happens when I’m trying to read blogs and do other things at the same time!
Melissa says
All the decor looks great. I usually use ornaments all over the place like that as well but decided against it this year because of our 2 year old who needs to be into everything. haha! I do well enough to keep her off our glass ornaments on the tree. I think i’ll try to pick up some shatterproof ones for this purpose after Christmas this year.
Jillian says
Love the decorations, especially that giant green glass jug you put on the console table! I want to line a few of those along the top of my upper kitchen cabinets. Can you please tell me where you found it? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jillian,
We actually snagged that for just a few bucks at TJ Maxx so hopefully you can find something similar there (or at Marshall’s or Home Goods since they tend to have similar merch). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
OMG-YHL says
So pretty! You guys are always so clever with using what you have to decorate. I need to grab some simple monochromatic ornaments to decorate (even though I’m Jewish)!
And is it bad that I noticed those That’s what she said moments and am so excited you acknowledged them?
Melo says
Lovely! I can’t wait to snatch some Christmas goodies on sale this coming January (and February, and March…).
Kalee says
Gorgeous! I love the glass ornaments everywhere and the way it all flows without being overwhelming!
Blair says
Nicely done, Youngsters! I must ask, though – when are we going to get a post about how you decorate OUTSIDE your house?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Blair,
Other than sprucing up the porch with a few holiday touches (and lighting the tree inside, which can be seen from the street) we actually don’t do lights around our home’s exterior thanks to some pretty tricky electrical deficiencies on our house’s part. Someday we hope to rewire things so we can string up lights and decorate to our heart’s content. Maybe that’s a project before next Christmas (once we’re done with the bathroom and the nursery) since we’d also love to add path lighting and all that fun stuff. Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Notesfromthegrove says
You guys always do such a fabulous job with your ideas and your videos. Love coming over here to absorb the fabulousness!
One thing I was thinking about–I heard a news broadcast about holiday injuries and how those heavy stocking holders have sent lots of little kiddos to the hospital (they have a tendency to reach up and pull them down). It would be cool to see some fun alternatives to those heavy holders for people with kids. It might even be fun for you guys to brainstorm seeing as how you have your OWN little one on the way!
MaryKath says
Your post today is so wonderful. I think it’s very good in two ways…. (1) Less CAN be more. Find something you love (bulbs!) and DO IT! And then call it good. (2) Work with colors you like and call it good! That way you can use accessories you already have and have to buy less. Your house looks great – fresh and festive!
Andrea says
Hi there – Need help. I looked up your “How To” on painting a brick fireplace. I need advice or “How To” on painting the frame/glass holder for the opening in the brick. We have the exact same one as you shown in the “How To” but could not locate the directions on painting that metal part with little handle doors. We are not sure if we need special paint, primer, etc, or how to remove it! I did menion you guys on my own blog a couple entries back when talking about Christmas decorating and our house.
Take Care – Andrea in MN
YoungHouseLove says
NotesFromTheGrove- Thanks for the tip! A few readers actually already mentioned some alternatives for when we have a mobile bambino (small cup hooks to hold stockings up or even those easy-remove Command hooks). We love both ideas and look forward to seeing all the ways our house changes for the bean as he or she grows!
Andrea- There are clamps on the interior of your fireplace that hold the screen in place so you can remove them and take your screen outside and spray paint it (taping off the glass parts). If you use your fireplace a lot you might want to use heat resistant spray paint (which you can find at home improvement stores). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Dana says
Two things: 1.) I love YHL. 2.) I love The Office.
Thanks for merging the two!
Nicola says
I recently found your blog through The Nest and I love everything I’ve read so far. You decorate so tastefully!
I just got married in August, and we don’t have much in our apartment besides very basic furniture yet, but you’ve given us lots of good ideas for next year.
My mom shows no restraint in her holiday decorating, so I love her house at Christmas too. She loves snowmen, and over the past fifteen years she has accumulated quite the collection: knick-knacks, figurines, stuffed animals, window and wall hangings, complete dinner services…you feel enveloped by the wintry decorations.
Maggie says
So Sherry, I did your orange trick. We have an orange tree outside our new home and I thought it would be the perfect way to utilize our hundreds of oranges. The only problem is that I thought they smelled weird after drying. Did your oranges smell weird? Maybe it is my variety of orange? Suggestions?
Your house looks great! Happy holidays and thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Maggie,
So strange! Ours smelled just like oranges, or like baked oranges- like an apple pie made from oranges. So sorry yours smelled weird, it’s probably a variety-of-orange thing like you said. As for suggestions, why not let them dry out further for a few days (like airing them out on a porch or in the garage) and then see if it dissipates. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Blair says
Just a follow up about my question… Our sweet Museum District home is also electrically-challenged on the exterior. There are no plugs to speak of! Inside isn’t much better with no plugs near windows for my beloved candle-in-the-window holiday decor. A solution that works for us is Plow & Hearth’s battery-operated solar candles. Their glow is more yellow/orange than white, which is a little annoying, but they turn on/off automatically. Perhaps you should check them out!
YoungHouseLove says
OOhhh thanks for the tip! We love candle-in-the-window decor!
xo,
s
Cecelia says
Love the pictures! LOVE the wreath in the den! Love the pop of the citrus colors with the cool white and silver.
So bright and fresh!