Decorating for the holidays has always been one of my favorite things to do. My goal is to make my house feel like home and make it a place my kids are happy to come home to. So there are a few things I keep in mind while decorating in order to accomplish that.

I love using nature in my decorating it’s so nice seeing fresh things around my house and also it comes at the right price-free! Haha! This is something that you can do as a family too, going on a nature walk or trimming the bushes in your yard can give you a lot of decorations to work with. I love using sprigs from my boxwoods and evergreens. Simply put them in a glass jar or mason jar, tie a ribbon around it and done! A perfect addition to your holiday decor.

Another thing I love to use in decorating is family photos. You can print off photos in a matching hue, like black and white or rose, so that they all somewhat match and can coordinate with the other colors you are using for your Christmas decorations. You can also use stationary or gift tags that match the colors of your Christmas decor and those can be found at a dollar store or in the dollar sections of stores. As a family you can write a little note to each other, or write what Christmas means to you. Simply attach a little wooden clip to it with some baker’s twine and you have a cute little ornament that is meaningful. Years ago I had these little Polaroids printed and love hanging them on my tree. You can find Polaroid die-cuts from Hobby Lobby and insert your own picture in there.

Reuse items around your house like baskets or boxes. I have quite a collection of galvanized buckets, so simply put a fake Christmas tree in one and you have a little decoration for a table centerpiece or to add dimension around your tree. In the summer they can hold flowers and in the winter they can hold pine sprigs.

Also, those logs are from a tree that fell down in our yard at our old house. They made the move with us! All you need is a chainsaw (or a friend with one) 😉 and you can make your own sliced logs to use on a table for a centerpiece or to again, add dimension to the bottom of your tree.

I also like to use simple color schemes. Don’t gussy it up with too much color. Pick just a few colors and be creative with the ways you can incorporate those colors.

And finally, as I shared earlier, you can incorporate produce! Drying these oranges and making a garland with them can become a fun family tradition.

The most important thing about decorating for the holidays is do what will make your family feel the most comfortable and at home. Pick a goal you want to accomplish in your decorating and look around your house to see what you can incorporate that you already have. Include your kids! They may have some fun ideas too! Consider asking your husband.. he may surprise you with some ideas 😉