Have you already started your Christmas decorating or are you waiting until after Thanksgiving (U.S. Residents)? How do you get in the mood for decorating? Do you have a favorite holiday movie you watch or Christmas album you recommend? Are you adding anything new to your decor this year or keeping it pretty similar to last year's spread?
My ideal decorating time would be a relaxed morning/afternoon that involved help from Sebastian, Frank Sinatra Christmas tunes, popcorn, hot chocolate, and watching Elf that evening. I'm adding a few new handmade items to the decor but sticking with my color palette and elements from last year. Can we say paper chains and bottle brush Christmas trees in every room? xoxo, Rachel
Thanks for the photo love! I think seeing all of the cute decorations shown on everyone's blogs helped put me in the mood. I usually don't decorate until after Thanksgiving but this year all the decorations are up (except for the real tree). I've added lots of handmade elements (some from the RVA class) plus a yarn wreath, pom-pom garland, and fabric trees. Oh, and a Pez tree, inspired by Elsie and a good use of my collection.
I recommend this album: http://www.hotelcafe.com/wintersongs/
Also love to watch A Christmas Story and The Grinch =)
Posted by: Amy Cluck | November 24, 2009 at 05:54 AM
i love bottle brush trees tooo!!!!
this year my husband and i are gonna watch scrooged and some christmas favorites from our childhood.
love the photos.....lots of inspiration!
=)
Posted by: kendra | November 24, 2009 at 07:10 AM
I am sticking with the same stuff, but hopefully will have time for a couple handmade decorations I have seen. We usually get our tree the weekend of thanksgiving and spend a day putting everything up.
I love all your inspiring photos.
Thanks for sharing, I know your life is busy right now. : )
Posted by: Kristin | November 24, 2009 at 10:52 AM
I'm using all my peacock/teal/green/feathers ornaments on the tree at the salon this year, and we have a white tree at my house now.... so I have to go out and get decorations yet! I'm hoping to do a pink/red theme... we'll see.
We have to have the Boney M christmas album playing, and eggnog of course. We usually don't watch a movie, though I'd like to. Elf is a good suggestion. It's the first movie Ryan and I ever watched together.
Posted by: hollysarah. | November 24, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Ooh love that mug tree! We put up decorations a couple of weeks earlier this year..I guess since my husband was home this year (he's in the military) and hasn't been in several years we just couldn't wait :D
Posted by: Kristy | November 24, 2009 at 10:57 AM
elf is such a great movie! i love zooey deschanel. another one of my favorite Christmas classics is "It's A Wonderful Life".
Posted by: Liz | November 24, 2009 at 12:43 PM
I think we are going to put our decorations up this week or possibly next.
I think I am getting into the holiday spirit so much this year because I am making a Christmas dinner for all my friends the weekend before Christmas (which is also my birthday)
I usually watch the cartoon How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or The Santa Claus
I've never seen Elf yet...maybe I should check it out!
I am adding quite a bit to my decor this year. I have already made a yarn wreath, have a banner to be put up, in the middle of working on a paper snowflake "curtain", and have many other projects to make during December for our advent calendar activities. (which I am in the middle of making right now) Last year we had blues and silvers-but this year I am wanting to add more colors into the mix.
Posted by: Tracey | November 24, 2009 at 01:28 PM
aw!!! thanks so much for including my polaroid ornament in this!!! :) all of the other projects are gorgeous and i'm completely honored!
<3katie
Posted by: katie | November 25, 2009 at 12:17 PM
i totally forgot to answer the questions...oops. we've had our tree up for a quite a while. which is odd, because i've never had my tree up before december 1st before.
my favorite holiday movie is elf. lol. it seems like everyone loves that movie. and my favorite christmas album [aka the only one i listen to] is sufjan stevens: songs for christmas.
we got all new [vintage] ornaments, and i'm making a ton of new stuff.
Posted by: katie | November 25, 2009 at 12:20 PM
My family has dutch ancestry so we celebrate Sinterklaas on December 5th. That day we decorate the house & a real tree, we enjoy egg nog & other seasonal treats that we've been waiting to enjoy (not necessarily dutch food only) we will put out our wooden shoes & the next day we'll find presents in them. As a child I particularly enjoyed having a day that we looked forward to, a special day to decorate & spend time together.
Posted by: Anna | November 25, 2009 at 02:24 PM
We put up our tree today!! Hoping to have it decorated before tomorrow! I'm doing a white and winter blue color theme this year! Hoping to make an ornament wreath within a few weeks if I can get the ornaments!
Posted by: Lindsay | November 25, 2009 at 03:13 PM
First visit to this funpacked colourful blog! Fantastic photos.I'll be hanging lots of stripey yummy candycane (reserves won't be a problem!)& pompom garlands on our tree.And we have a strange little elf guy that we've named Cahill that sits/hangs on top! We usually put up our real tree on 7th Dec here in Dublin City!
Rainey
Posted by: Rainey | November 27, 2009 at 09:34 AM
I've been making yarn wrapped Christmas wreathes for a couple of weeks now & have a few up. Hoping to get a tree this weekend :)
Loving the wooden Christmas tree! Cuteness!
Posted by: Johanna | November 27, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Love the festive "wool" hanging :)
Posted by: Rachel | November 27, 2009 at 07:15 PM
I think only the classic Christmas songs and/or The Grinch & the claymation Christmas movies are best to have going on in the background while decorating.
Pine scented candles and eggnog/hot cocoa are nice bonuses.
& I am changing things up this year. I recently bought a white artifical tree & thrifted an aluminum tree so I am using those and lots & lots of those & thrifted ornaments. !&! I plan on making a few things. --Previous years I stuck with the traditional red, green, and white stuff. Breaking out this year!
Posted by: Amber | December 02, 2009 at 06:24 PM
Thank you for sharing my photo! I LOVE your blog and find you VERY inspiring... kudos to all that you are doing and creating.
xo,
Kim
Posted by: Daisy Cottage | December 02, 2009 at 06:40 PM