To say my house is filled with the Christmas spirit is an understatement – literally and figuratively. It looks like Christmas threw up over my house, in the best way possible. For me, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year because it’s where our family Christmas traditions begin.
There is not a wall or corner left untouched or undecorated. From the front door to the backyard area, we’re all whisked away on a Christmas extravaganza.
Welcome to my home during Christmas. Let me take you on a tour: (in my “Hi Architectural Digest” voice).
The Entrance
The journey begins as you approach the front door. You are greeted by lights in our trees (that are magical at night) and a beautiful Christmas wreath on the door.
Once you step into the house, across the doorway is a special model of the nativity scene. There are Christmas hats, lights, red candles and tinsel sprinkled everywhere. My favourites are the Christmas hats hanging from the dining room chairs.
The Tree
It’s a tradition in my family to have a white Christmas tree. However, over the years, our white tree discoloured due to sunlight exposure. Naturally this year it was time to get a new tree.
For a refreshing change, the family decided to get a green tree. Little did we know, the tree would be taller than the actual ceiling. And, I couldn’t be more obsessed with it. Decorating it took a very long ladder because I am not the tallest person in the family and there was no way I was sitting out from this activity. But, with the red and gold details, it’s the best tree we ever had. I like to say I styled the tree.
The Living Room
This is the room where we spend a lot of time in during the festive season. It doubles as our TV room and it has a very cosy feel. The massive tree and family stockings live here and it’s the room where we spend Christmas Eve.
Tradition is that after church, family and friends would come over and at midnight we would share our secret Santa gifts.
This room is filled with little decorative Christmas ornaments and the touches of red pillows and a red accent wall add to the Christmas homely ambiance.
The Kitchen
When I say everything has a touch of Christmas – I mean everything has a touch of Christmas.
The cookie jar, cutlery holder, salt and pepper shakers and serviette holder are all Christmas-themed. All plates changes from white to red and gold serving dishes are season themed as well.
Even the succulents have Father Christmas holders as well – it’s actually adorable.
A Personal Touch
My mom loves adding personal touches to our Christmas decor. There are Christmas balls, stockings and little ornaments with our family names on it. She really goes all out to make this festive time extra special for my sisters and me.
Time allocation
Decorating the house can take anything from 1 – 3 weeks to complete fully. It is a full home makeover that possibly needs a project manager and interior design team, but nothing beats doing it with my family.
This home decor home makeover is my mom’s act of love, but I will add that my sisters and I do pitch in a little each night to help the magic come to life.
Storage throughout the year
All the decorations take up a lot of space but they are carefully stored for the years to come.
This collection has been built up over years, which means that it’s a very cost-effective and sustainable method of decorating. And, before you ask, no I don’t get tired of the same decor every year because every year is special.
Once it is complete, that’s when it really begins to look a lot like Christmas. Even my mom’s cat has a Christmas bib and yes, it has bells on it.
ALSO SEE:
From decor to wrapping: How to ‘do’ Christmas more sustainably
Featured Image: Amy Steenkamp
