. . . time to watch “Love Actually” while putting up your Christmas tree, of course! Bill Nighy is my favorite in this movie.
I’m a little bit on the grinch-y side of things when it comes to the holidays but really I don’t mind any excuse to decorate. Actually I think everyone might benefit from having twinkle lights up year round. The world would be a happier, more peaceful place.
Every year I look at what we have in our Christmas bins and try a different combination. Some years have been red and silver, one year was chocolate brown and cream, last year I used some wicker/wood garland and so on and so on. I decided my decorating theme for this year was “white and bright”. That meant stringing up my new white paper-punch garland, putting all white candles on the mantel and finishing it off with Elvis in a white jumpsuit as the tree topper. Have a look.
I need to switch out the green painter’s tape for white duct tape. Pretty much everything is held up and/or together with some combination of painter’s tape, fishing line or green or clear metal paddle wire.
I edited down the table top to things that seemed to go with the scheme and found these cute striped napkins hiding out in our McCobb bar/secretary. I put them out on the table with strict instructions to the husband not to actually USE them . . . That’s normal, right?
Here’s the dogs as they always are each time I take these pictures:
Lazy.
Sophie made a cameo in last year’s photos and I think she was in the exact same place this year. Funny the difference (or not) a year can make.
Christmas 2011
Christmas 2012
Basically all the furniture in this room has been changed out since last year except the sofa and that’s about to be off the island soon too. The difference in the fireplace from last year to this year is dramatic. Here’s another view:
Christmas 2011
Christmas 2012
And just for grins (or grimaces!) I found an image from Christmas of 2010. No Sophie the dog this time, just really bad photography:
Yep, we are really loving our new accent wall and fireplace. Once again for the books – Christmas 2012 with a bullet:
(PS – That errant power cord has been tucked back in under the sheepskins where it belongs! It’s amazing how I notice things when I review my photographs that I never noticed in real life!)
So what’s your favorite part about decorating for the holidays (besides the twinkle lights)? Does anyone else change their color scheme and decorations year-to-year? I know I’m not the only one! Cheers – CT
Living Analog 
The house looks great! So Festive. I’m still blown away by the white fireplace.
Favorite quote in Love Actually by Bill Nighy – Hiya kids. Here is an important message from your Uncle Bill. Don’t buy drugs. Become a pop star, and they give you them for free!
Yeah, we’re pretty much in love with the fireplace. It took us so long to get there, it’s funny to think about it now! Oh, Uncle Bill. He says the funniest things.
Love the fireplace!! Also that’s my holiday movie as well. My favorite character has got to be little lover boy. His father and him are so cute together.
Melissa
Thanks Melissa — you’re right, that’ little boy (and Liam Neason!) are adorable. One of my designer friend’s son is starting to look just like that little boy and she’s going to have a real ladykiller on her hands here in a few years!