“Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la, la la la!”
If only holiday decorating were still like this! These days, items sold as holiday decorations are often artificial imitations of natural items, or cheaply made products shipped from overseas. Sadly, these items won’t last very long and will eventually end up in a landfill 😢
For a greener holiday, I prefer natural, secondhand and homemade decorations to make our home feel warm and inviting during the long, cold winter months 😊
Bring the outdoors in
I created this mantel display with my friend Caroline for the chalet she shares with her boyfriend. With branches, bark and a handful of screws, we built this Christmas display around her cranberry wreath. The project was also a wonderful excuse to spend the afternoon enjoying the season’s first snow ❄️ And it’s no accident that the letters can be easily rearranged to read “LOVE” the rest of the year 😉 The right leg of the “N” isn’t attached so it can be turned upside down to create a “V”. When she wants to change up the display, she can simply compost the wood and reuse the screws 💚
Think secondhand first
There are so many beautiful holiday objects already in circulation. I bought these stockings and felt reindeer ornaments at neighborhood garage sales, but thrift stores are teaming with holiday decorations this time of year. The retro glass ornaments belonged to my grandmother; I remember admiring them in her tree as a kid 🙂 It’s easy to find unique holiday decorations at antique shops—or in your parents’ basement 😉
Make some memories
My son and I made these stars a few years ago out of wooden clothespins (that were also secondhand 🙌)! I love how versatile these stars are. I’ve already perched these in our Christmas tree as ornaments and hung them on my wall for some winter cheer. 😀