Decorating for the holidays is always such a delight. I love having my children help put up the holiday decor. We play Christmas music and dance around, making fun and happy memories.

Even though I love to decorate for Christmas with my children, I don’t love taking all the decorations down at the end of the season. With that in mind, we usually keep things pretty simple as far as holiday decor goes.

We used to have an artificial tree, but in recent years, the children have asked for a real one. They usually go out on the back of our property and choose one from the woods. Chopping it down and bringing it home is an activity they all enjoy immensely. The excited anticipation as my older children put up the newly cut tree in the house is such fun to watch. Most of the ornaments are handmade by the children or have some sentimental connection.

Our fireplace is the focal point of our living room. We have a fire burning in it most days during the winter. Decorating the mantel and hearth brings such a festive spirit to the room. It’s amazing the beautiful effect this one area of decoration can have on the rest of the room. The decorations are simple but sentimental. My grandmother gave me the carolers. Each family member has a stocking handmade by my mother.

We love receiving cards from all our friends and family each year. As we received them, we place each one in an honored spot around the archway to our living room. They are displayed there throughout the season, and I love the reminder they bring of the loved ones who sent them.

The table centerpiece has the most prominent place in our dining area. I like to spend time planning it out displaying it in just the right way.  It stays on the table throughout the season, which keeps things simple for me.

This year, I decided to utilize my cake stand (which honestly does not get much use other than sitting on the hutch in my dining room most of the time) to create a simple but pretty centerpiece—all with objects I already had.

The sparkly garland is leftover from a holiday season decoration used many years ago. The ribbon was salvaged off a gift someone in the family received at one point. An arrangement of pinecones fills out the display.

The pine cones where my mother-in-law’s. She had a large pine tree in her back yard and collected pine cones from under its branches every year. She loved displaying those pine cones. It feels like a special little part of her is there in our midst as we gather around the table.

Our manger scene is my favorite Christmas decor item. I inherited this set from my mom, who got it from my grandmother. I have fond memories of setting it up each year as a child, and now I love to watch my own children set it up. It has been well loved for many years and has sustained quite a few chips and scratches, but I think it just adds to it’s charm. It’s sentimental value far exceeds any monetary value it might have.

A simple but beautiful wreath hangs on the front door. My oldest daughter made our wreaths this  year. She did an amazing job at it, too!

The bushes in front of our house have been decked with lights. They bring such a bright, festive look to our home.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into our home’s holiday decor for this Christmas season! May your own Christmas be joyful and blessed!