Who would love to have all their Christmas decorating complete in enough time to enjoy December instead of rushing around and finally getting the last piece in place Christmas Eve? I would love to share with you 5 easy tips to secretly get your Christmas decorations started before Thanksgiving by disguising them as fall decorations! By starting early, you are able to get all the decorating done before December so that you are able to be present enough to see those magical sparks in your kids’ eyes as you bake Christmas cookies together. Oh, and you are still able to have guests gather round for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner amid your beautifully FALL decorated house!
Tip 1: Find a Multi-Purpose Wreath
To welcome people into your home, the first thing that greets them is your front door. Add a wreath that can be used for every season! I use this unique and beautiful wreath from Candace Cameron Bure that I found at Day Spring. It comes with 4 center plaques with a different saying on either side for a total of 8 different holidays and seasons that it is able to find purpose in. Make it Thanksgiving- ready by adding a colorful fall wreath and you have yourself a very welcoming front door for your Thanksgiving dinner guests that can easily be transformed for Christmas!
(not an affiliate link, just want to share my favorite wreath: Candace Cameron Bure Geometric Wreath)
Tip 2: A New Twist on Christmas Garland
Getting my Christmas garland in place takes me SO MUCH TIME! Why not get it done before Thanksgiving? Choose a garland that is more subtle – either just evergreens or one with pinecones and red berries can work too. Hang your garland as you would for Christmas and then intertwine it with a fall garland. It cranks up the fall-ness of your home and secretly you just hung your first bit of Christmas décor inside! (Shhh…I won’t tell anyone!) Make sure your fall garland is held in place in a way that it can be quickly removed. I simply hooked it on three bent evergreen garland pieces.
Tip 3: Cozy on up with Pillows
There is nothing more curl-on-up-and-stay-awhile than a good set of pillows and blankets adoring your couch! When the temperature starts dropping, I love to break out a cozy blanket, curl up with a hot tea, a good read, and the bliss of a quiet fire in the fireplace…oh, and of course did I mention that in order to obtain this bliss state, the kids are out running an errand with dad?!? A quick way to transform your home to a cozy haven is to seasonally change out the pillows. Some of my pillows stay for a couple seasons and I pair them with other pillows. It transforms the feel of the space, is easy, and I don’t need completely new pillows every season! Add a red pillow into a mix of browns or creams. The great thing about red? It is the color that works for both fall AND Christmas!
Tip 4: An Easy Transforming Table
The table: a place to gather round, to enjoy great food, and rich conversation. It is a place that I love to bring a simple beauty to as I serve Thanksgiving. To bring fall to our table, I have 3 layers that make up our centerpiece. Simply start with a table runner as the base layer that can work for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The runner could have red stripes on it or maybe it is a cream macrame adorning your table, bringing in texture. This year I chose a gray and cream plaid felt. On top of the base layer, start to bring in fall to the second layer. This could be fall garland or, to involve your kiddos, have them head outside and bring in any nature that reminds them of the season: leaves, acorns, pinecones, dried tall grasses, etc. My kids LOVED this! We connected over their stories of treasures and they were so excited to be involved in beautifying our home for guests. I can't get over all the gorgeous colors, layers, & uniqueness this option brings. The final layer for your table brings in the height. Add candles or candlesticks to your table. I add in 5 candles along the length of our table – I’ll tell you why I chose 5 in our December blog! 😉
Tip 5: Don’t Forget to Involve the Kids!
One area of the home that is sometimes forgotten for decorations are the kid areas. I love to get the kids involved and help them to feel like this is their home too! Take an afternoon and have them build a red paper chain to hang above the kids table, in a playroom, or in our case it is a great addition to our homeschool room. This is a fun craft project that also brings some fun kid-flair to the space. After you hang your garland, take some silk leaves and fishing line to hang leaves from the ceiling; it brings the spirit of fall to the room and the red garland is a good start for bringing Christmas quickly in right after Thanksgiving dinner (lol!). The picture does not do this one justice, you walk into this room and are instantly surrounded by an immersive fall experience - it is so much fun! This is such a great way for the kids to be intentionally involved in your Thanksgiving preparations! (Also, speaking of kids….we have a FUN announcement coming in January!!)
I hope that you were able to find some great tips in getting your home ready for Christmas while you decorate for Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for December’s blog on how to take these FALL decorations and transform them quickly and easily into CHRISTMAS decorations! This will allow you time to relax and be present this Christmas season. You deserve it mama!
What other tips do you have? I would love to read your ideas in the comments!
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Love these ideas! Thanks for sharing.