I came across this blog post yesterday and it totally hit home for me.
IT’S OKAY TO USE THE SAME CHRISTMAS DECOR EVERY YEAR.
Sure, it might be a little fun to change things up and go with different themes and colors and whatever, but aren’t the holidays more about traditions and family and memories? They are to me. To me, the best decorations are the ones you bring out every year and they remind you of something. They bring back a memory that makes you reminisce. Sure, add to your decor little by little every year – add a new memory, add a handmade ornament, add something you found that you loved and couldn’t pass up, add other decoration items you’ve handmade and/or up-cycle something you already have.
There are so many blogs out there that showcase a new theme of their Christmas decor and yes, that could be fun, I admit. But that doesn’t mean we all have to do that too.
This year I did up-cycle last years ornaments by covering them in fabric. But it’s not a permanent change (I could easily remove the ribbon and fabric and be back to my old ornaments in seconds), it cost me about $11 to do 36 ornaments and it took me about an hour altogether.
Everything else has either been given to me/Hubs or are from last year’s Dollar Tree Christmas Decoration post.
The moose is actually a wine bottle holder, but he looks nice on my mantle.
The wooden Santa is actually a gift I got for Hubs a few years ago – and he actually stays out all year.
The poinsettia arrangement is from last year as well (thanks Dollar Tree). (The vase was from a rummage sale and was pretty crusty looking until I painted it matte white.)
The stockings will most likely never change. =] (But there may be an additional one this year depending on when our little guy comes into the world!)
That snowman holding the snowball (candy dish) was something from my mom, the train ornament is my one and only ornament from Crate and Barrel (that I got the one and only time I’ve been to Crate and Barrel).
The three firemen snowmen were a gift to Hubs from his mom when he was pursuing a career as a firefighter.
The Santa, Teddy, and Snowman garland is something I purchased a couple of years ago from Avon (and it was on my tree last year).
Here is our first Christmas tree as a married couple – December 2011.
The ornaments are the same and the “tree skirt” is actually just a flannel blanket. It has since been taken over by the dogs. (Oh, and we didn’t have a topper then. We do now thanks to $6 spent at Big Lots. =])
Our second tree – December 2012.
And there’s the garland I was talking about (that’s sitting on my TV stand this year). We also got the topper last year and that tree skirt is just a felt one from the dollar store.
It may seem boring to always have the same decorations and yada yada yada, but again – it’s about the memories. Don’t feel pressured to always have something new JUST BECAUSE everyone seems to be doing it.
Let’s see this years tree again – it may be our last tree together as a family of two!
Oh, the new thing this year is that tree skirt! I wanted to make one SO bad, but I found this one for $15 and it’s really plushy and looks great. Hubs loves it so that’s a plus too. =]
What are your thoughts on new decor every year?
Runt's Pickins 
NEW DECOR EVERY YEAR??? ARE YOU HIGH? Or maybe just exceedingly wealthy? Either way, I want some of what you’ve got.
No. We do NOT change our decor every year. If we’re lucky, we get an additional, slightly mashed handmade ornament from the kids.
Right!??! There are so many “showcase” blogs that have a new theme or something every year and realistically (okay, so maybe it’s their job but still) who can afford that?!!?!
My style changes every year so I would love to change my Christmas decor too but financially it wouldn’t work. I did buy a few things on clearance last year after Christmas but I didn’t even put them out, lol.
I am also a traditionalist and love the old ornaments from childhood. I personally don’t have any but my husband does. We didn’t put them out this year, but I will never get rid of those. Ever.
Your tree turned out beautiful. Y’all did a great job!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I totally agree with you – my style always changes but one) financially, new Christmas decor can add up FAST and two) there’s something about a traditional Christmas where you do the same things over and over no matter what. If I do ever get anything new for Christmas decor, it’s ALWAYS something on clearance from after the holiday. That’s how to do it! =]
I actually don’t have any childhood ornaments either (my mom still has all of those), but I’ve been with Hubs for about six years (married for a little over two) and together we have some keepsake things. We got a cutesy woodsy, bride and groom bear ornament on our honeymoon one year, he has the snow man firefighters from his mom, we have a chunk of the trunk cut off our first tree together that I put “Our First Christmas 2011” on, we have work holiday party ornaments that are memories from going to those together, etc. And then we have stockings. Stocking are a big thing in his family and our first year “together” he made me a stocking with my nickname on it, so the next year I made him one with his nickname on it. Those are probably THE stockings that we will use for the rest of lives together. ❤ (I know, corny right? Ha!) =]