This year our house will look a lot different for Christmas and I AM SO EXCITED. First of all...we have a floor. Which is a big step up from how we partied and hosted and celebrated last year...with gray uneven sub floor. The house was still decorated but I didn't enjoy it as much...the floor situation made Josh pretty irritated for most of the Christmas season, which in turn, didn't make me very cheerful. The spare room (now Maverick's room) had a tree but was full of drills, extra supplies, and about 26 packages of 16x16 tile and I can't quite describe to you how I felt when I had to enter that room. My skin crawled from the junk and the mess and the stress.
All of this coupled with the fact that I was unknowingly pregnant...didn't make for our best Christmas season ever. But this year...I AM LOVING CHRISTMAS SO MUCH ALREADY!
I started decorating on November 1st, one room at a time, because I knew with a baby that demands to be fed every three hours things would probably take a little longer. I was right, but I haven't even minded! I can't wait to spend this year with family and friends...enjoying every night together watching Christmas movies with Josh (if it's not snowing ;), and making memories as a family of three with our little Maverick decked out in his Christmas duds. This Christmas we are not in the midst of renovating a farm house; I don't have a crazy cheer coaching schedule; Josh isn't roofing our house; AND WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FLOOR!
So as I've been flitting from room to room for the past couple weeks decorating...a few of my favorite tricks and pointers have been coming to mind and I figured I could share them here....
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| The tree in Maverick's room is a mix of woodsy, rustic, Josh's John Deere ornaments, and of course...glitz. ;) |
I don't let myself decorate a room unless I've deep cleaned it first, the rest of the house is clean, and the laundry, dishes, and billing are all done. I think this has contributed to how fun and enjoyable the decorating process has been. There's nothing I hate more than trying to clean and decorate at the same time. It takes twice as long and isn't nearly as fun. I also can't focus on the room I'm working on if I have a disaster happening in the kitchen. It's the classic, 'You don't get to go play unless your room is clean and your chores are done.' So I think I can thank my mother for handing down this habit to me. ;)
2. Pick a theme.
I think I've finally honed in the theme I'd like for our house. A mix of vintage, glam, antique, rustic, chic is what will be reflected in our home decor this year and it's been a fun challenge. When I was decorating with Josh's sister at her farmhouse a couple weeks ago we were struggling to get every room just 'right' because there was either too much rustic and not enough antique in one corner, or too many shiny new ornaments and not enough vintage touches. So I sat back and realized...not every room in the house needs to look the same, but in order to execute a true and cohesive theme throughout, each room needs a touch of all five of my theme words.
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| Rustic = Burlap/Pine Cones, Glitz = Silver Ornaments/Beads, Antique = Ornament Box Prints, Vintage = Red Berries |
3. Beads, tulle, burlap, ribbons, and lace are your best friend.
I never realized this before, but trees and garland really come alive when wrapped with all this stuff. I do it in layers by throwing on anything I like to add the perfect mix to reflect the theme. I start by fluffing my trees/garland, adding lights, then the ribbon and/or burlap...then the strings of beads (or other glitz), and THEN come the ornaments. And I do it all really nice and thick...
4. Decorate your trees from the inside out.
Ever seen HGTV's special, 'Christmas at the Whitehouse'? The way those trees and garlands are PACKED with stuff is amazing. That's what I picture when I decorate...in fact last week when Jamie was helping hang ornaments I actually said to her, 'Jamie. Not enough ornaments. Think 'Christmas at the Whitehouse.' The red ornament garland hanging at the end of our bed was Whitehouse-inspired. It's also easier to get that full-effect when I start by decorating from the inside of the tree and work my way out. I don't just lay my lights along the outside branches, I shove them into the middle of the tree and layer them in and out. I end up with a lot of scratches but it's worth it. :)
5. SQUINT.
This is a trick my mom learned from a co-worker, and I kid you not...it WORKS. While I'm doing lights on a tree, every so often, I step back a little ways and squint my eyes. I can IMMEDIATELY tell where the 'holes' in the tree are. And then I can fix them easier than getting lights all the way to the top of the tree and having to re-do everything because there's a hold at the bottom. Initially, they all thought I was crazy but my mom, and mother-and-sister-in-law now also swear by this trick. The only drawback is that when we're all standing around squinting at a tree, we look ridiculous.
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| What's annoying and funny about this room is that I decorated it a few weeks ago and I've already changed it. That's what I love about decorating so early! I have a long time to move things around until I get it 'just right.' I replaced the glittery barn print with a hymnal wreath and ended up re-doing the tree we have in here...so I'll post a full house tour and a picture of that later. |
6. Create a Dave Barnes Pandora station.
You can thank me later. Actually, don't thank me, thank Katie Kascel who introduced me to this amazing station last year before ThanksChristmas. It's the perfect mix of Matthew West, Michael Buble, Hillsong, Justin Beiber, MercyMe, N*Sync, occasionally Mannheim Steamroller, Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, Franchesca Batastelli...ah. It's like Pandora KNOWS exactly what Mollie Boersma wants to listen to while she decorates.
7. Hobby Lobby 50% off.
This year I wanted more beads on my trees...until I realized how freaking expensive those strands of beads are! So Jill and I like that 'My Little Tree' section where a long strand of little silver beads are $2.99...but only $1.50 since everything is 50% off. ;) I use one per garland, and one on the little trees in the house. They're the perfect amount of sparkle without breaking the bank.
8. Husbands. Figure out a creative way to get them to love helping.
I used to really want Josh to help me hang ornaments and garland and make our decorating time together a 'thing' and it took me ONE Christmas to realize this would not be our family Christmas dynamic going forward. I also prefer doing everything myself anyway... ;) But there are certain things I definitely need help with...ie: bringing up the honking tree from the basement, putting lights on the house...things like that. So our compromise is that Josh can watch whatever movie he wants while I decorate as long as he gives me input; pushes pause to help with heavy things; and is in a good mood about all the decorating. And when I said he could pick anything to watch, I meant anything...Die Hard, Fight Club, Boondocks Saints...and the movie he chose three years ago when we started this tradition...Inglorious Bastards. Guess what we watch every year now while I decorate our big tree? And guess who is in the happiest mood and full of Christmas spirit all the while? Mr. Josh Boersma. ;)
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| I didn't grow up in a house where we decorated every inch of every room...so I like to remind Josh that he can blame his mother for this habit. ;) |
9. UNdecorate before you REdecorate.
A few years ago I discovered the trick to making sure my house doesn't look junky and cluttered at Christmas. I PUT AWAY as much decor as possible to have a blank slate before I start in with all the Christmas decor. I like all my stuff but it makes a huge difference. I take all our wedding pictures down in our bedroom, a few frames off the wall in the guest room, and swap some of the shelf decor in Mav's room. Because our house isn't that big to begin with I feel like this is KEY. It all just goes in the empty Christmas totes and back down to the basement to reappear in February. ;)
10. But it's not about the decorating...
So I don't lose sight of what Christmas is really about, I've found that using words, verses, hymns, and quotes really help me reflect and focus on Jesus at Christmas. When we wake up the first thing I see is 'And he shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Price of Peace' and for the rest of the day, that verse from Isaiah 9 plays over and over in my head. In dining room I have a glittery, snowy barn picture with the lyrics, 'Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.' The banner that will be splayed across our big tree will read, 'Adore Him' in glittery gold writing. And the countless chalkboards in our house will be switched from silly fall sayings to meaningful Christmas verses...for us to stare at all season long...a constant reminder of the true reason for the Christmas season. The reason I decorate. The reason we host parties. The reason we gather with family and friends to celebrate.
It just seems silly to me to decorate with pretty things if I'm not reflecting the prettiest, most amazing thing of all...our Savior who was born to save us. And my hope is that at Christmas, that's exactly what our home does...reflect the beauty and the glory of Jesus. ;)
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| And here's this little guy in his raccoon jammies enjoying our fresh Christmas sheets. |
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