Before I get to sharing my Christmas décor with you, I just had something to say that’s been weighing on my mind and I have a feeling it will resonate with many of you too.
I’ve noticed something in blogland. It’s gotten crazy around here during Christmas. I just wanted to take a minute and give a few observations of my own about the Christmas season and blogging and how if we’re not careful, we can let that old ugly monster, comparison, creep up on us. I can honestly say this is the first year of my 7 years of blogging during the Christmas season, that it’s affected me. That clicking around blogland at all the beautiful home tours and feeling a wee bit depressed because my house can’t possibly compete with all of those?
How can it? I’m a pretty confident person and it still gets to me somewhat.
We all have different decorations, houses, styles of decorating, talent, skill, not to mention time to decorate our homes for the Holidays, so how in the world can every house be so darn beautiful? There’s such a multitude of talent out there, I see it every single day. So, if I’m feeling the pressure to perform this year, I know countless others of you out there are feeling the same way. I have never felt the pressure as much as this year in performing for Christmas and showing off my decked to the max Christmas home.
But, the problem is, I can’t compete. Everyone has their own style of gorgeous and putting it all together for Christmas festivities and it can be intimidating to the normal homemaker out there who just wants to create a pretty decorated Christmas home for their families.
So I wanted to take a minute to say, let’s all take a deep breath. There’s talent, beauty and amazingness out there. Some folks take better pics than others. That can be intimidating too. I’m still working on my photography, I’m not at all where I’d like to be (even though I improve every single year!) and find myself oohing and ahhing over those who do it better than I do. We all have to really take a step back. Slow down. Remember the season and why we are celebrating.
I (we) are celebrating a baby Jesus who came to earth, a savior who was born for us, who loves us just as we are. Beautiful home or plain home. We are all loved the same. I hope we will remember that this season, as blogland is scurrying around decorating and showing off all the beauty that is out there this time of year. There are home tours galore and blogland is positively exploding with them this year and I’m part of a big one too.Â
I, for one, have to step back and remember. This is not a competition. This is sharing creativity and festiveness for the season. Mine will never be the best or the most beautiful, but I hope you enjoy this season at my house. I throw in the towel and admit that I see so many MORE beautiful homes than mine. But, mine is mine and we all have to embrace our homes and spaces and create the most gorgeous Christmas home that we can…with what we have been given…big and small.
OK, now that we got that out of the way. That was just weighing heavy on my mind, because I know if it’s bothering ME, it has to be unsettling to a whole bunch of other bloggers out there. Not to mention all of you wonderful readers who read our blogs. You have to be feeling intimidated at times, wondering how your home stacks up in blogland.
So, let’s give ourselves a break, OK?! Don’t get hung up on who has the prettiest decorated house! Decorate for your family and enjoy this precious time of year and soak up all that this season brings. The meaning behind who, why, and what we are celebrating at Christmas. It’s not all about the decorations and we all certainly know that, right?!
With that being said, I’m ready to share my living room decorated this year for Christmas. I use most of the same things every year, so if you’ve been reading me awhile, you’ll see the same old stuff. But, I love my home and am still so grateful for every single thing in it!
Merry Christmas 2013!
Welcome to my living room.
I added the real wreath to the fireplace mantel this year and am so happy to have a mantel to decorate this year.
I’ve had these gold trees for over 10 years and this year used them with my white Southern Living urns. I went for rustic and natural on the mantel.
These white JOY letters stand out against the stone.
My living room decorated for Christmas this year.
Just a few greenery touches around the room, with ornaments and beads.
My black side table in the living room got a cloche with winter scene and I added some fresh greens cuttings along with feathers and gold touches.
Just a few touches around the room.
I love adding fake snow to my cake plate and putting out a winter scene for Christmas.
My nativity set that I’ve had for over 20 years, from Fitz and Floyd.
The coffee table got a few festive touches too.
I brought in my little white iron birdbath and filled it with snow and pretty gold and white ornaments. A few snips of fresh greens finishes it off.
Another cloche holds my vintage ornaments just found this year. Love these colors!
More blue baubles on an end table.
Simple touches on this side table too, with a white bottlebrush tree, I found at Target last year after Christmas, along with a simple boxwood wreath hung on the mirror.
This cute tree makes me smile.
Love this Silent Night handpainted sign from Beyond the Mossy Tree at the Woodstock Market.
The tree this year got some new ornaments from the Michaels Christmas tree challenge. My sister used part of the ornaments and I used the other half.
Since my old prelit tree died, I picked this one up last year at Lowes after Christmas sales. I love a tree in an urn.
Love the mix of green, silver, and white along with the burlap snowflake ribbon.
A big silver mesh bow, sparkly picks and feathers at the top make it extra fun.
All of these ornaments and ribbons came from Michaels this year. I love those cute white birds.
And that’s my biggest Christmas tree this year, just my size. I am not sure I’ll ever do a huge tree again.
The foyer table always gets dressed with my mercury glass collection and all things silver. I just love this mix and how pretty it looks. I added the zebra runner to the table this year and love that added bit of pattern.
The square boxwood wreath was a gift from Wayfair this year and of course, I love it’s natural feel. You can’t beat preserved boxwood. That 3 tiered stand in the middle was one of my World Market finds from earlier this year and is the perfect holder for these pretty ornaments.
The silver candelabra is a long ago yardsale find and I still love it, along with the silver tray on the left, holding the cute silver tinsel tree.
I’ve collected this mercury glass at all different stores, including TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and Target. Love all of these together and how sparkly and shiny they are.
A scripture white ball gives a beautiful message.
These sparkly words I’ve had for years too, picked up in an after Christmas sale: Joy, Hope and Wish, that describes this season to me. I added a few snips of greens to this vignette too, that always is a lovely touch.
The boxwood wreath up close. I added a jingle bell garland to the middle, along with a pretty silver angel and this Merry Christmas sign was a yardsale find long ago. I love it’s simplicity.
I sure am enjoying having a working gas fireplace now and have turned on the logs several times already this year. The warmth and glow add so much to my living room. Love it! The addition of the mantel this year and the gas logs are good ones that I’m so thankful for.
Mr. Cody joined me in my photo session and he’s been so much fun to have around this past year. He loves me and I love him! Cody and Rhonda have been great roommates the last year.
Come back tomorrow and we’ll head into the dining room!
Merry Christmas to all of you!
Wednesday will be my big home tour, where I’ll be joining 25 other bloggers (5 bloggers per day, Monday through Friday) who will all be sharing their beautifully decorated homes for the Christmas season, so you will have so much inspiration, you won’t know what to do! It all starts on Monday morning. Chris from Just a Girl is the host for this tour and you can see the first day’s line up at her blog on Monday morning, so don’t miss out!
If you’re not completely toured out yet, here are this week’s blogger home tours for Christmas. I’ll add live links as the days go on this week. And really, these are a talented group of ladies, so I know you’ll enjoy the inspiration!
Monday
- Life in Grace
- Not Just a Housewife
- All Things Thrifty
- Funky Junk Interiors
- Thrifty Decor Chick
- Storywood Designs
- Decorchick
- Southern Hospitality
- Our Fifth House
- Sand and Sisal
- A Place for Us
- Songbird
- Pretty Handy Girl
- Beneath My Heart
- I Heart Organizing
- My Blessed Life
- Emily A. Clark
- A Thoughtful Place
- Remodelaholic
Your birdbath is a great and new inspiration! I love it..and those often freeze and crack if left outside in winter, so you are using it wisely! Many of your things can be used all winter as they come from nature. I feel overwhelmed by time. Some blogs have the home decked out so much for Halloween, then over NIGHT, they have this amazing inside and outside Christmas wonderland. How and when? Not only that, they have kids, look great themselves, and cook too! I wonder I they have housekeepers..hire help to hang lights and hundreds of wreaths…just how? My time is spent shopping, doing laundry, making dinner, and taking elderly family to drs, etc.
I agree with you! It does seem to be a competition and it all looks the same. I like the tradition of using the same ornaments from the time my children were young and that’s what they expect to see on the tree. I do like to “change it up” and incorporate new ideas. We all have different styles of living and that’s what makes us interesting. You can have the same feeling of competition within families even though you don’t want to be the same. Thanks for recognizing what many of us feel.
I just love your attitude Rhoda! I have always read your blog because I need inspiration in my own home decorating and I love your style. But more importantly, I love your attitude. It has always shone through. I am NOT a good decorator by nature. I don’t have much creativity or talent. That is why I need inspiration through magazines and blogs. But I have to constantly remind myself that my house in my house. I don’t try to beautify it to show it off, I do it for my family. And definitely Christmas is a time to celebrate. Not to compete.
I have been following for several years and feel just like Jen. I am so happy you said this Rhoda!! Your blog is one of several that I enjoy and can relate too!! When I read your post I walk away with decor ideas but most of all I walk away remembering the love you have for your family and God!!That is much more uplifting than any decorating idea out there!!That alone makes you a fantastic blogger!!!
Rhoda, your home looks gorgeous, and I am really in love with the shades of soft blues you have used. What is the most beautiful though are your words. I found myself going down this road last week, which surprised me because I have never played the comparison game, or even felt like I had to keep up with others, just staying focused on doing my best. I had to have a long deep breath, and remind myself of why I am celebrating this season. You share such an important message here, we can’t be the only ones who have felt this way. I am sharing it on my FB page later, this post is so valuable to so many. If we aren’t mindful of the true spirit of Christmas, it can overtake us in feelings of inferiority and self-doubt. Thank you for sharing your home and your wisdom.
Rhoda, I appreciate your observation. I’m not a blogger, but thoroughly enjoy following yours from day to day. I can’t imagine how overwhelming your blogging can get, staying up to date and keeping fresh ideas in decorating and presenting all the time! Yikes!!! I however do enjoy decrating my home for holidays. I definitely think we can go TOO FAR!!! I decorate a small tree, mantel and very little deco in the dining room. I think it’s lovely, but there are many that would think I didn’t do too much. Who cares? Christ is the reason for the season, right? Thanks so much for bringing that back to our attention. BTW, your house is just lovely 🙂
Merry Christmas and God Bless You and your family!
Rhoda,
Well said! I am also a blogger, new to this world but excited. I too feel the pressure. I look at some of these blogs and think, ‘do these people actually live in these homes?’ Everyone has a different style, different house and different budget. I know my home doesn’t match up to some of the home tours I’ve seen. I have dogs, kids and a husband. I also have decorating ADD, I just can’t pick a style, so I am everywhere. Personally I think your house is beautiful! I love mercury glass and silver shinny things and your foyer table is spectacular. Do you remember where you got the little silver tinsel tree? Great ideas! Thanks for the inspiration. Victoria
HI, Victoria, that tree might have come from Target, I’m not sure, it’s been a few years.
Beautiful, Rhoda. Thank you for featuring our “Silent HOLY Night” piece and for reminding us all that this season is about honoring WHO we celebrate not competing with HOW we decorate. Love your transparency & sincerity.
Thank you for those good words…..Christmas really is about Jesus…..we can decorate with gratefulness in our hearts, and yet remember that it is all just STUFF…..not the most important thing…..which is that the Creator of the universe chose to come to us, that we might come to Him. Lovely home because it is what God gave you…..just as all our homes are lovely, because they are what God gave us.
Sweetest heart thank you for this posting the sentiment was so genuine and heartfelt your decorations are beautiful my mother passed away last year at 66 and always loved looking at your blog together so these are especially sweet blessings xo
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post! Only yesterday I became so unhappy looking at the hundreds (thousands?) of blog photos of beautiful Christmas decorations that seemingly start to look alike. Too many. Too overwhelming. Too discouraging, especially when we just purchased our tree and nothing else accomplished. I decided that I was done with blog reading until January! And then today I clicked on yours (don’t know why!) and read your precious message! Very encouraging! I actually feel sorry for the frenzied life some of the bloggers must be experiencing, and have decided (again) to forgo reading most blogs until after the frenzy is over. Merry Christmas, Rhoda! Your simple decor is lovely!
It’s not about what’s in our house. It’s about what’s in our heart. It’s not about what we do. It’s about why we do what we do.
So Beautiful Rhoda, and as far as competing you don’t have to. Your natural talents come shining through, I love your little vignettes, and if you have time to answer, where did that blue skinny table behind your couch come from? I love it so much, and that little tree from Target….I’m swooning!
Thank you, Joan, that little table was a yardsale find probably 6 years ago and I painted it.
You have every right to be very proud of your house, and yourself. You have made something beautiful and comfortable. I have got to the point that I can’t get through all the house tours, and had no idea so many people blogged. Your comments address what is the real reason for the holiday season. I don’t even have my tree up, so I really do have simplicity (not actually the plan but the stand broke0.
I always enjoy your blog, and am so impressed with all that you have done on your own. It is always lovely.
Great message. Your home is gorgeous and is one I look forward to seeing.
Julie
Rhoda – THANK YOU for the post – made me tear up. I’ve stepped back from visiting some of my fav blogs because it is creating a bitter spirit of discontent in me. And keeps me from focusing on Jesus’ birthday. I just keep trying to do what brings me peace; know that your words help to do that. Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas.
Dear Rhoda, I loved your comments, and I agree that some do go over the top, but I still enjoy looking at them. I get lots of great ideas that I can use. I don’t feel that I need to keep up with them though. I also realize that their homes probably don’t look picture perfect all the time…whose does? I really don’t envy anyone their fine houses or decorations. I’ve never had it, never will. I do love , and am very grateful for, a pretty and comfy home. Like you, I love reusing my old decorations…some I’ve had for all 48 years of marriage…and adding just a little from the dollar store, thrift shop or my yard to change it up a bit. I feel much more creative using what I have than buying expensive decorations that I will have to store. Your Christmas LR is beautiful, warm and inviting. I do recognize your “old” decorations and love the way you used them. If everything was new it wouldn’t mean nearly as much. All our treasures from the past bring us beautiful memories and help us make wonderful memories for the future. As long as my home is filled with love, family and friends I’ll be very content. I wish you and your wonderful family a blessed Christmas.
I can’t compete and don’t even try. The dress to impress really doesn’t impress. Your home because you built it is much more beautifull than the “perfect” ones out there.
Rhonda, Your home is as beautiful as I knew it would be. I love the blue and silver that you used and can’t wait to see the other areas of your home. You are one of the blogs I follow on a regular basis and have watched a beautiful lady go through pain and heart break and come out a winner. I admire your attitude and respect your amazing talent and love of the Lord and your family. That being said, your post today is like the pot calling the kettle black. On a regular basis I have a hard time viewing your post because my computer locks up with all the ads. I don’t know how that all works but you admitted that this is a major source of income. You are one of the leaders in blog land and participate in all the conferences. Are you willing to give it up for a more back to the basic way of doing things? I don’t think you are and I don’t want you to stop what you are doing. If people are offended by all the overkill during the holidays, they can simply stop reading the offending blogs. I’m inspired on a daily basis from the talented group of ladies whose blogs I follow. Blogs are no different than the tons on magazines I use to get and a lot less expensive.
Sorry Rhonda, I don’t mean to offend you but this post seemed a little odd. I’m not sure why you felt the need to say these things when you were going to follow up with pictures of your spectacular home all decked out in its finest. I loved it and can’t wait to see your dining room tomorrow. That’s if you will allow me to return.
Patty, I am not offended. Yes, I have been in this blogging world going on 7 years now and things have changed. I do this as my business now and I do get free things and giftcards to spend and I do blog about companies and brands. My thought on this post was that in spite of all the hubbub in blogland that is everywhere these days, to not get so caught up in the decorations and having the perfect home and how things can just get to feeling competitive out there. That is all I’m trying to say. I’m not perfect, I do not have a perfect home and I know that others who can’t decorate with new things and trendy decorations can start to feel bad about themselves and that was my point. The real meaning of Christmas. No, I won’t stop doing advertising or sponsored posts. It is a big part of how I make my income, but I do want to be real and down to earth too. I hope that makes sense and you understand where my heart is.
Well said, Rhoda. Keeping it real with such gracious words.
Hi Rhoda
Just wanted to applaud you for your honest writing today. I have read your blog for years, I watched your ups and downs and ups! I am in your same age category, I have been decorating my home for Christmas for over thirty years. Some years fancy, some years more simple – all depending on the circumstances of what’s happening in my life at the time. I have a crazy busy life that takes me away from home more often than it keeps me there. Some years I host Christmas, and some years I travel to spend Christmas with family. This year, I am going to be away, but I still did a tree and the mantle and the dining room. I do it for me because I love it! I have been looking at all the Christmas Tours on the various blogs. I was thinking the other day how over the top most of them were. I saw a blog with the tour of a smaller home, and my first thought was how did she get in there! It seems so much of a competition now between bloggers, that I too, have pretty much skipped over it all. I am comfortable with my home, it is MY home after all. I could do more, I could do fancier, I could afford it, but I like it just the way it is. I have some special decorations I have had for years, with all the memories attached to them. I could junk it all, and I could go to any one of the big stores and buy all the new trendy stuff, and what would I have. A tree and mantle that look like a store. I am so comfortable with what I have and the memories of those wonderful family celebrations. I think this is what Christmas is supposed to be. So my point was, as I was reading these blogs, I sort of felt bad for the ones out there who can’t afford these perfect rooms of decorations. Decorating your tree and house should not be a source of envy. And to all the perfect trees, where are the ornaments your children make and bring home from school? Now those are the ones that should front and center, that is what this season is supposed to be about.
Wishing you a wondrous and happy holiday season, keep reminding yourself of what it should be. Family, love, tradition and faith!
What a wonderful post today – and just in time. We are all trying to “do” as much as we can and still embrace the spirit of the season. I truly appreciate the inspiration from you and other bloggers. My home will be decorated with ideas from you all – and it will never be perfectly clean or fully decked out but it will be warm and inviting and celebratory.
thanks!