Yes, we’re those people.
I personally get irritated whenever stores skip holidays. For example, if I’m walking around Target and they have Christmas stuff out but it’s not even Thanksgiving. Not ready yet. Let me get through Turkey Day before you push your red & white santas and snowmen on me. But this year we did the unthinkable…
… we set up our Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. I’m so sorry. Feel free to virtually slap us or break out an “oh no you di’int.”
We’ve already warned our Thanksgiving guests, and thankfully they acted like it was some fun novelty. So we’ll be able to tell you firsthand if turkey and mashed potatoes taste less Thanksgiving-ish when eaten in the same room as a big glowing Christmas tree.
Why the rush? Well, we usually like to decorate our tree the first week of December. Sometimes the second if we’re not especially on the ball. But since we’re moving in mid December we decided that in order to enjoy it for the three-weeks-or-so period that we normally do, especially since it’s Clara’s first Christmas, we had to break that baby out a bit early this year (before we have to pack everything up for the move in a few weeks).
Our color scheme this time around is champagne, metallic green, silver, and pink – all in honor of Clara’s aforementioned first Christmas (check out last year’s citrus theme here, and the year before that’s monchromatic scheme here). Thankfully we already owned a lot of silver and champagne colored ornaments so we got the pink bulbs along with some metallic green ones for $20-ish at Michael’s (where they were having a half-price holiday ornament sale). I was going for something frosted and girly but not too feminine for the guys in the house (I resisted the urge to bring in some over the top pink feathered boas as garland with John and Burger in mind). Speaking of our four-legged son, this festive chihuahua ornament (from John’s Godmother) is too hysterical not to put up- even though it’s not technically pink, silver, green, or champagne.
Ditto for our just married moose ornament (it’s a bride moose and a groom moose, procured during our Alaskan honeymoon). So even though it’s hardly glam and baby-girl-esque, it’s too sentimental to leave out:
And you already may have noticed a few other personalized ornaments that worked their way in- like this silver (yes, it even fits into our color scheme) Empire State Building ornament that reminds us of our early days in NYC.
In the end we love how soft and sweet it looks (John approves, and Burger seems oblivious as always). Definitely baby-girl-ish, but not too overdone and pastel-y to work in a room with a geometric rug and a clean-lined modern sofa. And of course I tossed down our faux sheepskin rugs as a tree skirt (an odd tradition that we’ve kept up for the past 4+ years).
Oh yeah, and for the second year in a row we’ve had a bit of an issue with the pre-lit tree (the bottom strand of lights was out, but the solution was as simple as stringing a strand of lights around the bottom to correct it). I’m sure we could try to find the bulb that’s burned out to fix it for real, but the added-strand-o-lights approach works just as easily for us (since we already had one around).
So that’s our tree this year. What about you guys? Any fun color schemes or themes swimming around in your head for your own tree decorating adventures in a few weeks (edible? jewel toned? Jersey Shore inspired?). Let’s chat. If you’re ready, that is. If not feel free to wait the obligatory week or so to join the conversation.
Psssst- If you’re excited to get into your red footie pajamas and go holiday crazy, check out this section of our Projects page for lots of Christmas-related stuff.
Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15!
Jill says
Looks great! Can’t believe how much Clara is growing! I’m also jealous you have your tree up, but with so many family members in town for Thanksgiving, I can’t do it.
BTW, how do you like your pre-lit tree?
YoungHouseLove says
Love it. Except for that row of lights on the bottom that went out, but that was easy enough to fix.
xo,
s
Shannon says
How fun! What program did you use to make the video go in fast motion?
YoungHouseLove says
We filmed ourselves decorating the tree with our Flip HD, imported the video into iMovie (version 9), and sped things up in there. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Susanna says
Have you guys seen yet that West Elm debuted a faux sheepskin tree skirt this year? Maybe ze blog has a wider reach than you realize!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! I’m sure they don’t read our blog but that’s so funny! Off to drool over it…
xo,
s
Susan @ Retro Restyling says
The tree is beautiful guys! Love how babies like to slobber on anything they can, so cute! I won’t set my Christmas tree up until after Thanksgiving weekend too. Growing up our tradition was to cut a real tree down at a tree farm on Thanksgiving weekend, but we have a fake tree now that I’m grown. I made a Candy theme tree last year with folded ribbon to make ribbon candy, tissue paper to make wrapped hard candy, felt suckers with bows, melted jolly ranchers in star shapes and candy canes. I’ll have to post a pic of it on your facebook page. :)
Jenn says
Thanks for the link to your tree last year!! I got married in April and wanted to tie in our wedding stuff to the tree. We also used lemons and limes in our wedding (after seeing it on your blog and because it was so much cheaper than flowers!) so I have spent all day drying oranges, lemons and limes!!
Nancy Jean says
Oh what fun it was to watch your tree=trimming video!
And, how delightful to happen upon your delightful blog!
I enjoyed your fast-paced romp through the yuletide tradition.Made me smile after a very long day!
Cheers!
ps. Clara is a doll!
Cecily T says
Love the tree!
I have a small confession: I have a tree addiction. We have 6 (!) artificial ones, and then we get one real 11-footer for the family room with the vaulted ceiling. Most of the fakes are small, like 3-4′, but we have one 7′ for the dining room window.
I decorate them all differently: in our bedroom we have white lights, usually a specialty bulb, though our tiny globe strands burned out last year, so I’ll need to hunt up something new, maybe faceted, or snowflakes, and I use all silver ornaments.
Our real tree get colored lights with glass ornaments on the top 2/3’s and non-breakables on the bottom, along with red beads and candy canes.
The dining room tree has colored lights with hand-painted wooden ornaments on it, courtesy of my grandfather, aunt, and uncle.
The foyer tree is white lights with traditional matte balls in champagne and burgundy.
New this year will be the basement tree, and the tree for the little girl’s room, so I’m undecided on the style for them.
I’m planning for a tree with white lights and dried flower sprays with seed pods at some point, though that’s a whole DIY project for when my kiddos are bigger.
Lacy says
Love the tree!
I am glad I am not the only one who like to change the theme every year. I usually buy speciality ornaments at the end of the Christmas season for the next year. I have a ton of hand me down glass bulbs in every color, pastels, jewel tones, matte and shiny, glittered, painted and others so I just add to those.
As for the kids I used the same non breakable ornaments for two years in a row from Target and as for the hand made ornaments we work on them through out the month in the colors of the theme and add them as we go. Some are saved some aren’t.
This years theme (chosen last year by the kids) traditional red, white and light and dark green with candy canes and peppermints.
Can’t wait to put the tree up but we have a birthday party to host Sunday and don’t think it will fit in with the pinkalicious strawberry theme.
candace @ thecandace.com says
Oooh, I look forward to this post of yours each year! I think the new color scheme in honor of Clara’s first Christmas is very sweet and subtle! And, the video cracks me up! :) Enjoy the tree and your last few days in your first house!!!
Tara @ Tara Being Tara says
That video was adorable!! My mom is like you – she always waits until mid-December to put her tree up. This year, our Thanksgiving company wanted to see it (it’s a 12 foot monstrosity) so she put it up early… and now claims she’s going to take it down on Dec. 20th since it’s been up too long! =)
Virginia says
I’m so glad y’all have put personal ornaments on your tree! I love it. I gladly give up “style” every Christmas for the sake of tradition. My favorite part of christmas is pulling out each ornament and telling its story. I hope you continue this tradition because it is so worth it! Can’t wait to see Clara’s homemade ornaments on the tree! Such a cutie :)
Sarah says
Hi! I noticed in another post from a while back that you have these beautiful cream (?) stockings which you hang from the mantel – any idea where you got those? I am looking for something simple for our new house this year. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Target! Love them.
xo,
s
Reenie says
OMG……that video was adorable. You both are good at one-handed decorating :)
Love the tree!!
Jen K says
Yeah! We started to decorate too! Isn’t it so much fun to have your house all warm and cozy and Christmassy!
http://www.eatplaylaughoften.blogspot.com
corinne says
What program did you use to make the video?
Very cute! Love the color theme for the tree!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Corinne,
We just taped everything on our Flip HD and sped it up using iMovie (we have version 9). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sam says
Lovely tree!! I really like it, and I cannot get over the faux sheep skin rugs :D sooo fluffy!!
I have been assigned the mission of decorating my in law’s Christmas tree this year and I have been given full freedom with the only condition of not buying too many new things. My problem is that what they have is all silver, deep blue, green and red, so I don’t really have much for a “new” design. I’m just not feeling the inspiration from any of those colors :S The room is a blue-ish green with blue carpet, I figured ribbon is the easiest, cheapest way of making one color predominant, and I do have a lot of silver, but I’m afraid all silver in a cold-color-scheme room would be too cold… we’ll see. If you have any brilliant suggestions I’d be happy to hear them! I can use some extra help ;)
YoungHouseLove says
We love silver mixed with almost anything (silver and blue would look really pretty- and you can add some rich navy or turquoise ornaments for more of a dimensional and fresh look. Michael’s sells packages of ornaments for half off around this time of year and you’ll be able to use what you have for the most part. That’s just one idea though. Have fun!
xo,
s
Jenny says
I have been looking online for that version of Jingle Bells by Fat Blue Man, but I cannot find it. Can you help?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jenny,
This link should take you right to the page where I found the Christmas song. Enjoy! http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Fatblueman
-John
Taylor says
I love your tree so much I turned it into an outfit :) check it out here: http://trimmedandtaylored.blogspot.com/2010/12/ornamental-fashion.html
Hope the move is going well!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!!! So much fun.
xo,
s