When the weather outside is frightful (in Austin, that translates to, “colder than 60 degrees,” LOL), I love to transform our bedroom into the coziest retreat in the house where the entire family cuddles up first thing in the morning… and again when we’re all winding down at night. Especially with the craziness of holiday shopping, school activities, and parties at this time of year, there’s something really special about setting aside chill-out time at home with your nearest and dearest.
This year, instead of getting overwhelmed and wanting to pull the covers over my head, I’m preemptively planning lots of cozy nights in so we can all savor the season.
I set aside a weekend to transition our bedroom with a few festive, magical details — all it took was a little creativity and a Target run to stock up on chunky blankets, plaid pillows, and new Christmas mugs to add to my collection. Queue up The Grinch — we’re staying home for the holidays.
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Snooze with holiday spirit.
A layered look is key for staying toasty warm throughout the season. I add on as many different textures as possible: plaids, chunky knits, faux fur, and tassels for a holiday nest we all want to burrow into.
I love sleeping in white sheets, so I left those as-is and swapped our normal white duvet cover for a subtle-but-seasonal plaid comforter and matching shams. Adding throw pillows and a cozy quilt or blanket at the bottom of the bed ups the luxe factor.
Think beyond the front door.
Y’all know we love the white painting that usually hangs above the bed, but I’ve got to admit it leaves me feeling a little cold this time of year. We swapped it out for this statement-making wreath that announces the holidays have arrived. I seriously smile every time I walk in the door and see the “Joy” hanging above the bed.
If you’ve got a smaller space to work with, a typical-sized boxwood or berry wreath will add similar festivities above the bed, or try swagging a faux greenery garland along the top of the bed frame or even on the footboard for major winter wonderland vibes.
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Faux firs, big and small.
Bottlebrush trees are one of my favorite ways to bring a natural, woodsy feel to any room of the house — and since they’re faux, I can look forward to unpacking them again year after year. My kids also love making little woodland scenes with them, along with all the deer and squirrel figurines that we for some reason have mixed into our Christmas decoration boxes.
I like to do a cluster of 2 or 3 trees together on a bookshelf, console, or coffee table. And they work really well in just about any style of decor from traditional to modern.
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Serving up cozy.
A cute and functional tray is a must for family movie nights. I know, I’m not a fan of getting popcorn in my sheets either, and this tray (kind of) prevents it from happening. Well, not exactly, but it’s the holidays, lighten up! Top it with Christmas mugs (my favorite thing ever – I’ve got a collection) filled with hot cocoa and marshmallows, and you’ve pretty much got yourself the best winter’s night ever.
Our family’s current snack addiction is peanut butter and white chocolate-covered pretzels — that sweet salty combo is insane, and the only thing better is a canister of Rudolph’s Mix, which I don’t allow to enter our house until December 1st since I have zero self control when it’s in the pantry.
And how about breakfast in bed on a Saturday morning! There’s nothing that screams “weekend” more than easing into the day with an indulgent breakfast while everyone’s still in pajamas. I’ve found that during this busy time of year when afternoons and evenings are often spoken for with sports, activities, and social events, the morning can be a great time to connect with your people first thing.
Can we talk about these Cinnamon Roll waffles for a sec? Yes, you heard right, and they’re just as ridiculously good as they sound. Since our fam sometimes gets into friendly debates between cinny rolls or waffles for weekend breakfast, I decided to try making everyone happy with a hybrid version, served on this festive “Merry Christmas” serving tray from Target. Mission accomplished, and I’ll post the recipe later this week so y’all can give it a spin this season. Hint: it starts with this classic waffle mix that is literally as good as homemade.
Family pajamas for the win.
If you’re not in your PJ’s, did family movie night even happen? Our matching family pajamas didn’t make it to our house in time for this shoot, but let me just say that we’re loving them a little too much (as in, wearing every single night) and I’ll be sure to share the goodness on Instagram soon. Here’s hoping Adam will participate in that.
I also love these lounge-y looks we’re wearing, and I would definitely wear my pullover and joggers outside the bedroom for errand running or a neighborhood walk.
Target has so many cute sets of matching family pajamas this year, so go ahead and surprise your significant other (they might roll their eyes at first, but trust me: they’ll get on board once they experience firsthand how comfy cozy they are.) I really can’t think of a better way to celebrate cuddle season than burrowing under the covers with your flannels and your fir-scented candle burning nearby, can you?
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