Okay guys, I’m super excited because this is the first year that we’ve really shared the start-to-finish, behind-the-scenes process of how I decorate my house for the holidays. For me, the best day of the entire season is when we transform it into a Christmas wonderland: putting up the Christmas tree, decking the front porch with garlands and lights, pulling out our favorite decor from past years, and keeping it fresh with the prettiest pieces from (where else?) Target’s new holiday collection. We have a family tradition of lighting the fire and cranking up the Christmas tunes to turn our tree trimming tasks into a party — with gallons of hot cocoa and dozens of Christmas cookies at the ready to fuel the troops.
LIGHT IT UP
Nothing says “the holidays are here” like twinkling lights, and the minute we plug in the lights around our doorway, I instantly get all the cozy holiday feels. Thanks to Target’s festive candlesticks, lanterns, prelit greenery, and of course, Christmas tree lights, my house will have a warm, cozy glow all season long. It’s always a bit of a challenge to figure out how to mount garlands around our large front doorway, but this year a liberal amount of mounting tape did the trick.
shop the look: Lanterns from Hearth & Hand with Magnolia; Philip’s 20 ft. Pre-lit Pine Garland; Lighted Frosted Pine Wreath
One of my favorite family traditions passed down from my own childhood is that each Christmas, every member of the family gets a new ornament to hang on the tree so that our collection keeps growing with meaningful pieces. This year, the adorable selection from Target’s Wondershop makes it tough to limit everyone to just a single ornament – seriously, they are insanely cute. Just wait till you see these little mice…
shop the look: Kid’s Striped Pajama Set; Plaid Pajama Set in Green
shop my tree: Mouse Fabric Ornament; Cat Fabric Ornament; Yarn Pom Pom Garland; Pom Pom Snowflake Ornament; Glitter Starburst Ornament
COLOR CRAVINGS
I always start my holiday decorating process by laying a foundation with lots of lush greenery – garlands on the mantel, wreaths on doors and windows, and of course our towering Christmas tree. Then it’s time to have fun and add a few more unexpected touches, which is where our eclectic ornament collection and jewel-toned candlesticks come in. I definitely don’t feel the need to stick to red and green! Pink, teal and gold took my palette from predictable to traditional-with-a-twist.
shop the look: Cable Knit Christmas Stockings; Wreath; Pre-lit Garland; Candlestick Holders in Pink, Green and Blue, Mistletoe Tapers
I love these bottlebrush trees for their poppy colors – shades of teal and gold sprinkled throughout this season’s Opalhouse collection feel luxe, eclectic and fun. From the dining table to the bookshelf, these trees will add a dose of holiday cheer.
shop the look: Large Glitter Reindeer, Bottle Brush Trees
BRING ON THE COZY
When friends and family come over to celebrate, I’m all about the cozy vibes. I want them to feel welcome and comfortable from the moment they walk through my front door! To make my house feel extra inviting, I always toss around a few extra throw pillows and drape big fuzzy blankets over couches and arm chairs. There’s a wreath on the door, and wintery candles are burning. I love to think about how my seasonal decor engages all the senses.
shop the look: Printed Plaid Toss Pillow; Tie Back Pullover Sweater from A New Day
We’re keeping my little elf helpers energized with a menu of crowd pleasers:
This snack mix should come with a warning label that lets people know: once you start you just can’t stop, thanks to that mix of sweet, spicy, salty, and crunchy!
shop the look: Border Print Napkins; Side Tassel Runner
shop the look: Tapered Base Mug, Bennington Mixed Material Coffee Table from Threshold
TASTE THE SEASON
Decorating cookies is hands-down my favorite activity to do with my kids during the holiday season. It lets everyone get creative with their own designs, and of course the best part is that we all get a sweet reward for our hard work. Target has a huge selection of baking supplies and holiday cookie cutters, so I knew exactly where to shop to find the right Christmas tree shapes, sprinkles and icing for our cookie decorating activity.
GET A VIRTUAL PREVIEW
Target’s 360 Room View allows you to say goodbye to the guesswork when it comes to shopping for big furniture or decor items and see exactly how a piece will look in your home. I used the “See It In Your Space” feature to make sure this tree was the perfect size and shape for the super high ceilings in our living room. I think we nailed it!
shop the look: 10.5 ft Pre-lit Artificial Christmas Tree; Tree Skirt from Wondershop
My kids really look forward to kicking off the holiday season with our advent calendar – it makes the countdown to Christmas official! I love that our new one has a neutral palette that blends seamlessly into the rest of our living room decor. Now to decide what to fill it with…
shop the look: Large Tinsel Tree, Fabric Countdown Advent Calendar
Holidays, we’re ready for ya! Hope that y’all have the best time decorating your space this year and soak up that holiday magic all season long.
shop the look: Lory Pouf in Neutral; Embroidered Dots Lumbar Toss Pillow
