It’s all so gorgeous, you have such a great style and unique ideas. I love everything. It’s so inviting.

One thing that really stands out to me is how you use the niches and the area above the room (where you have deer and Santa). Those are architectural features posters here are always told to fill in … yours are an example of how wonderful they can look.

I always enjoy your videos, thank you!

ETA: I forgot to answer the question. Our gathering has shrunk considerably, but it’s still at our house and I decorate and cook the same. We do a lot of outside lights, plus my rustic wagon display, and inside I decorate our den, living room, guest room/bath, and dining room. I’m nearly done, just trying to find a creative way to display my handmade beaded ornaments. I might get a tabletop tree for them.

I scaled way back about 10 yr ago .. I don't put up a tree but I do have a few decorations I really enjoy ... and this year, adding a vietri foresta bianco tree to the mix (still considering a second so it won't look so lonely but I really do want to collect them over time)

I also stopped baking all but my pistachio baklava. I passed on the recipes and ingredients to the nieces and nephews a few years ago when they started their own homes.

It feels a little odd but I appreciate the time saved as December is often very busy at work and I don't have many guests. I SHOULD clean up the outside and maybe do something small to decorate.

We are now empty nesters in new home. We do exterior lights and tree inside. Much less decor inside. Nice dining table decor but not much else. If we were entertaining I would do more though.

Might do less outdoors. i have always put pine roping, lights and bows on my fence, but i may skip it this year. Indoors, i just put up the same old stuff. The tree gets smaller every year.

We are in the middle of construction right now this is my living room! Zero decorating at Chez Spanish!

Your decorations from last year are very nice. Not too much, cheery and classy.

I'm gone visiting relatives back in Illinois for Christmas since moving to my current home (will be 4th Christmas); this year leaving even earlier than usual. Haven't unpacked any of my decorations or ornaments since the move. Only put out a nativity set and one of those small ceramic Christmas trees. I'd love to have a real tree again, but with no one here to water it, it wouldn't make sense. I'd also like to work up the nerve one year - be really kitschy - and put up the aluminum Christmas tree with the multi-colored floodlight I inherited from my parents. LOL

Your home looks lovely. Your Christmas decorations are about as much as I've ever done. ;)

I had an out of town appt last week and DH surprised me by putting up the outdoor lights while I was gone, lighted and lovely as I drove in.

I decorate the foyer and living room, do a little with the built-ins in the dining room.

Not wanting to complicate weekly cleaning, I've never done a lot in kitchen or bathrooms. We've had space the last 10 years for a second tree in our bedroom and I haven't done anything there either!!

We've traveled every Christmas for family (decades) and have never had people here for the big meal, main event. Hopefully I'm doing enough, and tastefully, to make things warm and inviting for friends and local family who will be dropping in and out during the month.

No, not cutting back, but I've always been a minimalist when it comes to decorating. There is a small artificial tree, a Santa gnome hanging from the tv cabinet, two small trees on the mantel and a silk poinsettia arrangement on the DR table.

Outside, there is a snowman on the front porch and a string of lights on the picket fence in the front yard. Makes it very easy to put it all away after Christmas.

Thank you for your comments and compliments.

Right now I am sewing aprons to companion with my DIL’s and granddaughter as we prepare the holiday meal. Never know, I may get nostalgic and continue my traditions.

Here’ how our outside appears. Decorated similarly but pix are from last year - no snow yet

Here’s another reason to cut back - 10 months old and rambunctious!

Beautifully done as is everything you do! I've never done a lot and this year is even less. Why does this time seem to surprise me every year - even though after it's over I always say I will do better next year :)

I don't exactly know how to answer. We decided to dom this Christmas in our Florida home.

We have zero decorations here.

So.....we bought an artificial tree, some generic decorations, a centerpiece for the dining table and one for coffee table.

I bought an artificial wreath for the door. Done.

We do a bit more up north. But you be honest, I'm enjoying the break.

I tend to decorate rather simply. I did more when my boys were little. They’re teenagers now and still at home, and I tend to host several gatherings, so I want it to feel like Christmas - special but not over the top.

The family room has a 9ft tree, two glass vases on the mantel with ornaments, and the boys’ pictures with Santa on the piano. I’ll add stockings closer to Christmas - probably on Christmas Eve.

The living room has a 7.5 ft tree and a white Nativity.

The dining room table has mercury glass trees and a serving table has a Victorian Santa than my inlaws had custom made for us.

The kitchen table has a bowl filled with ornaments, mercury glass votives that spell out ”MERRY” on the window sill, and a Christmas tree cookie jar on the counter.

There’s a wreath on the door and greenery and a bow on the mailbox.

We have an artifical tree for the playroom. I’ve told the boys that if they want a tree down there, it’s up to them to set it up and decorate. So far that hasn’t happened!

I have some decorations up that have been gradual. It is so hard when I have busy weeks with final exams in December.

Past few years my department chair would buy an inexpensive live tree for our office suite and I would bring it home. But, she is out on medical leave, and with the time in the office so short after Thanksgiving, no one else bought one. Also, our building lost internet mid-last week, so most of us have been working from home or another place on campus. I considered it, but then I have to get it there and back home. We have a 4.5 foot artificial tree, so I will probably just put that up. I do have a nice-size vintage ceramic Christmas tree on my desk (keep it at work away from the kitties) and some Island of Misfit Toys figures on top of the hutch.

Not really doing anything different. In recent years I have relied more on greenery, white lights, ribbon and candles. I don't like alot of "cutesy" stuff sitting around. Wreaths on outside windows, and post light. Main tree and smaller one in our bedroom. Vintage tinsel tree in bathroom off great room. Main tree is all vintage ornaments and Christmas theme postcards, also vintage. White lights and white star only on bedroom tree. Greenery on mantel. Small container trees in a couple of places. Greenery, silver ornaments and vintage Santa chocolate mold in kitchen window. You get the idea. We decorate for us. I love once the sun goes down, the glow of the tiny white lights. The container trees have the fairy lights. : ) Beige/tan ribbon on the inside of the house, Christmas plaid on wreaths outside - AND the two grapevine reindeer LOL!

NOPE we are full blown Christmas cheer! I do it for me mostly. It's just all too pretty to leave any out.

Angels we have heard on high..............

We ”downsized” our (fake) tree in 2020. I like it because our rooms are small and it’s annoying to rearrange all the furniture for a tree.

The rest of this year’s decor is very simple. At least half of my usual christmas decor is staying in storage this year.

Santa is vintage, a favorite from my childhood.

Except for my 3-piece nativity, haven't started. Did buy 2 wreaths yesterday for our front double doors. We don't have a ton of stuff other that decorating trees, and fresh greens on mantlest, etc. I think we may do a little less because the girls get home late on the 22nd and we leave on the 25th. They have their mini trees in their apartment.

Love your video, that is a nice idea. What a pretty secretary in your LR!

I just ordered another tree.

DD and SIL will be staying at Christmas … I got a small tree for their room, and am going to decorate it only with ornaments she made as a kid.

@Jilly That‘s so sweet! They’ll love it!

Thank you, porkandham! I’ll probably get teary decorating it, remembering all her school parties every year and the crafts we did.

I’ll still be suffering empty nest syndrome when I’m 90.😄

Our daughter is active duty USCG and starts a new assignment in Mobile, AL tomorrow, so no trip home this year for her and her DH. I decorated the hutch and mantel, and we’re debating getting a tree, we do a real one, so we can dither for another week or so. I’ve never done a lot, maybe because my parents were huge entertainers and we had trees in the LR, FR, DR and powder room and a house full of decorations, and it was just so much work and fuss. We aren’t religious at all, I am lazy and we do not entertain formally like my folks did, so it’s never been a big deal here.

We usually spend Christmas with one of our kids and family in another state so no. I used to go all out and people seemed to really enjoy our home at Christmas and would ask me to help them with theirs. But, wow, I found it to be a lot of work for such a short time. Totally worth it when the kids were at home, though.

I have given daughter all the decorations. She does the Fraser Fir tree and has our friends for a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. Seafood, local catch, combining Cape Cod and Boston's North End, for a supper of 7 fishes.

https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/holidays/article/feast-of-the-seven-fishes

One special ornament, my mother's first, 1911, made of cotton batten, baby Jesus, is on daughter's tree.

All we do is put lights on our beautiful blue Spruce and put candles in the window.

A few years ago, this same daughter who hosts us now, was USN, in Japan. We opened gifts together on the phone , had to work around the time difference, but it was a lot of fun.

This will be one of those years when I will do less decorating than usual. I just started pulling it together today and we leave town in two weeks, so I will mostly rely on mini-wreaths, decorative pillows, ribbon and candles.

We downsized somewhat recently and in doing so “ lost” mantelpiece , builtins, and a few tabletops. We moved last December and I did nothing but some live poinsettias— which are one of my favorites every , year( prices are up this year!) in different colors- I do some red, some yellow , some rosy pinks.

This weekend have got down some boxes to go through and see what things seem to “ go” in the new house.

I’m also re- organizing where to keep out of season. I want to keep a tote of smaller, favorite, easy things in the garage so can get them out whenever I have the time & inspiration, and keep in attic some things we aren’t likely to use unless the grandchildren visit from out of state.
I decorate mostly for me and if stuff is too hard to wrassle up & down it likely won’t get used.
I also like to collect pine cones, and cut stuff like boxwood and cedar clippings and hardy ferns and camellias to use with a few purchased flowers. So a gardening goal is to grow/ add more things like that for creating spur of the moment “ yard vases” using whatever is interesting in a given week.

So enjoyable learning what decorating others are undertaking or have passed along to their children. I gave the ornaments both boys made in school to them several years ago.

Thank you all for your comments.

@Jilly - We actually specified the art niches when building because they’re so appropriate for art pieces and displays.

@Sueb20 - love the antique Santa. We have one from the 1920’s that belonged to DH’s mother.

Wishes for all to enjoy the season. Safe travels if you’re going away.

Spent the morning putting lights on an outdoor wreath and two small trees on either side of the front door. Skipping the fence this year. Will put up some things inside and call it Christmas.

All of my christmas decor fits into one rubbermaid bin. I'm minimal-ish and strive to not have an excessive amount of anything. Most years I do a small tree, a couple of garlands and a few knicknacks. If we're hosting, I get a big tree but that's only once every few years.

Little bit -- but we have our tree up, some lights outside and not a lot less than usual, but DH had knee replacement 2 days before Thanksgiving and we are good with "the essentials."

Your home is beautiful. I started decorating yesterday. This room may be done.

@ratherbesewing - GREAT suggestion

eld, I just got an email from my friend who lives in Florida with her man Oct. thru April. She sent me pics of her Christmas decorations saying she didn't have much and said she would be bringing more down with them from Ohio next near. Her man said, "No!" lol

I'm basically putting up the same things I do every year in the same places, but a different tree on the table in the library this year. It's an older one that I always used until three strands of lights went out several years ago. Anyway, I replaced the lights and decided to put it up. For those last three years I hadn't hung ornaments on the trees, but I plan on it now. Just have to get the ambition to get those boxes down off the top of the cupboard.

Wow! So well done fnmroberts! Like a holiday house tour! I can see why you'd want to cut back though as that is soooo much work!

We have company coming for xmas and have no plans to cut back on our decorating, but due to my back, we are splitting it up across a few days rather than the one day blitz we used to do.

I'm waiting for my fake bittersweet to show up. I'd clipped the real stuff, but waited too long and the berries were rotting rather than drying. But for some reason, I have this hankering to do a table of gold cloth with silver tray and ivory candles with bittersweet and red napkins. I have a luncheon planned for next week and hope it all gets done before then! I'll have to post a pic when it's done.

TJ wreaths for $ 11.99; bow mine.

Wow-- those are really nice for $12

Ikr!

Mantel decorated, a small tree with cones-berries and lights, fresh greens centerpiece thats all. We decorated traditional until kids grew up but have kept it simple and small ever since. Last year we moved on Dec 23, still in midst of renovations and both sick. Put nothing out and didnt care. i am enjoying the minimal dcorations this year

Absolutely, minimal this year, tree, a wreath or two.

So I put the fake tree up. I noticed it was a little stinky, but hey, it will dissipate. No. 3 days later it had bloomed into awful so i took it down. And went and bought a new tree.

Put it up with great difficulty, really wanted to use my whiskey barrel planter but had to jerry rig a way to make the stand work.

8pm that night, the tree is up and fully decorated! Whew, all boxes moved out and the tree falls down.

I took it all apart redid the stand and decorated again. Only broke one ornament!

I like a fake tree as I use heavy, mercury glass ornaments but I use fresh greenery all over the place for the smell.

tree #1

disheveled tree #2 off the ground! Ornaments removed ready to go back on

Final tree of Pisa but I'm not touching it.

Mine are always pretty minimal but even less this year as I can't have a tree with the new kitten. I tried to string some lights around the window where the tree would normally be but even that didn't work. I didn't want her to electrocute herself like the cat in Christmas Vacation. Since I knew I wouldn't have a tree I did buy myself a pretty snowflake lamp at Home Goods and swapped that out with the lamp I usually have in the dining area. I do have lights in my front window and on my deck railing in the back and will probably be able to get away with my usual garland and lights above our corner fireplace downstairs. I have a few other things too but can't have much on surfaces within reach of the cats.

My mantel is decorated with a mostly woodland vibe and I'm waiting for the stocking holders to arrive (we're hanging eleven!) Byer carollers are up on another mantel. Buying a tree this week.

I haven’t decorated yet. I have yet to get the fall wreath off the door, even. There was an offer on my parents’ house so it’s been pretty busy, and now I have a bad cold (i hope it’s just a cold) which is slowing me down.

Totally OT. I think I recently posted about something where I used the word "mantle." "Mantel" looked odd to me but when i changed it, then "mantle" looked odd.

For anyone who cares:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/usage-mantle-vs-mantel

I use them both.

Mon - Thur, I use mantle. Fri - Sun, I use mantel. Then they both get their time in the sun.

On another thread someone said, they went buy the store....yeah....by is correct....but I got what they were saying...it's all good. My college professors would freak out if I used the word "thang"...and it IS a WORD....to ME! ha ha

Lovely video, Fnmroberts--thanks for sharing that. Beautiful decorations, everyone!

I'll put up a live tree in the next day or so (avoiding the weekend crowds), along with fresh greenery here and there. My main decorating every winter are my outdoor planters. They are visible from my back windows, and keep for several months. They are worth my time. I enjoy them very much.

eta, Bumble, I love your tapestry! Is that a quilt?