Festive Look Without the Clutter

[Geila]

Most years the only holiday decor I put up is outside lights. I Kondo'd my house and enjoy the clean uncluttered look and also like having the extra light without the xmas tree. When I put up the tree, even though I have a slender 7' artificial one, it always seems to suck up the light. So I only do a tree every 4-5 years.

But sometimes I do want a little bit of holiday cheer and this year is one of those times. I'm looking for ideas. Photos are much appreciated as I'm a very visual person.

[herbgeek]

I like lights. I have electric candles in the window that go on at dusk. I also have a garland that goes on for 6 hours per day (this one from Ikea: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/strala-led-string-light-with-160-lights-battery-operated-mini-50440902/ ). I put out a few extra candles and a bowl of shiny ornaments. I have a string of fairy lights over my bed. That, plus my little tabletop tree is pretty much all I do.

[Geila]

I like lights. I have electric candles in the window that go on at dusk. I also have a garland that goes on for 6 hours per day (this one from Ikea: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/strala-led-string-light-with-160-lights-battery-operated-mini-50440902/ ). I put out a few extra candles and a bowl of shiny ornaments. I have a string of fairy lights over my bed. That, plus my little tabletop tree is pretty much all I do.

Thanks, Herbgeek! I love the garland. I can see putting up several of those around the house. What kind of fairy lights do you use?

[rosarugosa]

A a fellow nature lover (and a total non Christmas lover), I definitely focus on the botanical stuff. I do lots of amaryllis bulbs and some paperwhites. I fill a couple of vases with holly and boxwood. I usually add my own decorations to a store-bought wreath, but occasionally make a swag for the door with greenery from the garden. I have a little wrought-iron ornament tree that I got some years ago and decorate with all nature-oriented decorations.
If you go to my profile > albums >seasonal decorations you will see some of my stuff. Will try to post a link: http://www.simplelivingforum.net/album.php?albumid=140.

[razz]

Lovely simplicity, rosa!

I fill a tall vase with different coloured balls for the buffet. I made some placemats with a wonderful poinsettia design that I love for the table. DH had made a little wooden reindeer basket painted white now sitting in the entryway that holds coloured balls and a cone resting on a small table covered with red cloth with tiny reindeer.

[herbgeek]

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What kind of fairy lights do you use?

I use ones like these- I actually do have a set I got from Target, but others are generic from Amazon.

https://www.target.com/p/christmas-battery-operated-dewdrop-led-string-lights-twinkle-warm-white-with-silver-wire-wondershop-8482/-/A-54446029

[Tybee]

I start a couple of amaryllis bulbs, and my Christmas cactus always comes through for me.

I will probably put out a plaid tablecloth this year, and I have my old Swedish advent wreath with advent candles.

I put out my IKEA white candelabras.

Did not do a tree last year because of Miss sheepdog but she's older now and we will do a tree again and see how it goes.

A wreath on the door as you enter the house.

[SteveinMN]

I keep promising to do one of these but I can't find enough wall space to pull it off:

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And some years I'm just up to this:

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[catherine]

I keep promising to do one of these but I can't find enough wall space to pull it off:

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Well, I don' have much wall space, but I have less floor space--I love this idea!! I'm going to file it away..

[iris lilies]

3030Dont be a Grinch! Decorate largely! Haha, just kidding.

Here is a tree I made for today’s flower show competition called “ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

It is an Alberta Spruce in a pot which you can’t see and it acts as a skeleton. Branches of Arborvitae are stuck in to give it body, and wire at the top forms a bendable piece. This Spruce may survive long enough to be put in the ground.

Below is the entire exhibit which is an “exhibition table” type that suggests service of food.

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[iris lilies]

Given the flower show this year and an installation for a fundraiser I’m doing, I don’t know how much decorating at home I will do it varies from year to year.

But here in the Midwest it is so easy to cut some white pine from around nearby even if you don’t have any in your yard. or community garden has bits, add some holly which we have here, and red fairy lights. Put it in two places in your Kondo-ized room and it will make a big impact because if your room isn’t cluttered new decorations will really show up!

[Teacher Terry]

I have downsized Xmas decorations a lot. We have a few for outside which don’t require electricity. I have a table top little tree and a few other favorites for inside.

[Geila]

I keep promising to do one of these but I can't find enough wall space to pull it off:

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And some years I'm just up to this:

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Steve - you're funny!

I really like the shelf tree. Dh would be able to make something like that for me.

[Geila]

A a fellow nature lover (and a total non Christmas lover), I definitely focus on the botanical stuff. I do lots of amaryllis bulbs and some paperwhites. I fill a couple of vases with holly and boxwood. I usually add my own decorations to a store-bought wreath, but occasionally make a swag for the door with greenery from the garden. I have a little wrought-iron ornament tree that I got some years ago and decorate with all nature-oriented decorations.
If you go to my profile > albums >seasonal decorations you will see some of my stuff. Will try to post a link: http://www.simplelivingforum.net/album.php?albumid=140.

Rosarugosa - your home looks so serene. I love it. It reminds me of a house I stayed at in Hawaii many years ago. It was up in the mountains and had the same lovely outdoor feel in a very natural and simple way. Thanks for sharing.

[Geila]

For those of you who plant amaryllis - when do you plant them? And are they a reliable bloomer?

[Tybee]

Rosa, I love the starfish wreath!

[rosarugosa]

Thanks, Geila and Tybee. Just don't look at the kitchen. :)
I buy a bunch of bulbs every year from John Scheepers in CT (johnscheepers.com). I bought 12 this year and gifted 4. I've potted up my 8 and 3 of them look like they are going to bloom within the next week or two. I might get the occasional clunker but overall they are pretty reliable. I like Scheepers' bulbs because they are large, high-quality bulbs. I tried bulbs from the local discount store one year, and there was no comparison. They also do quantity discounts and I can buy bare bulbs for much cheaper and provide my own pots and soil.

[Tybee]

Here is my terrific bulb, purchased at Lowes a couple of weeks ago. (The other bulb has just produced foliage at this point.) There are four size inch diameter blooms:

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Sorry it posted twice. Again, the second bulb, an apple blossom color, has done nothing but produce foliage.

This one has another bloom coming on a second stalk.

[rosarugosa]

They are beautiful, Tybee!

[Geila]

Here is my terrific bulb, purchased at Lowes a couple of weeks ago. (The other bulb has just produced foliage at this point.) There are four size inch diameter blooms:

30473047
Sorry it posted twice. Again, the second bulb, an apple blossom color, has done nothing but produce foliage.

This one has another bloom coming on a second stalk.

Wow. Those are gorgeous.

[Tybee]

I was actually nervous about buying it since it had already started to grow in the bin--had about a 2 inch stalk on it, but it was fine!

[rosarugosa]

The red ones tend to be really robust and can't wait to get going. I've had some all curled up in the box with the green growth white and large buds and they do great as soon as they are released from prison and given some light. Here is my first to bloom this year.

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I mean that the growth that should be green is a sickly looking white due to lack of light, but then everything is fine once the plant gets some light.

[Tybee]

The red ones tend to be really robust and can't wait to get going. I've had some all curled up in the box with the green growth white and large buds and they do great as soon as they are released from prison and given some light. Here is my first to bloom this year.

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I mean that the growth that should be green is a sickly looking white due to lack of light, but then everything is fine once the plant gets some light.

Just beautiful, Rosa!

My pink bulb had that sickly white too but he's green now--but no bloom yet.

[happystuff]

All the pictures are absolutely beautiful!!! Thanks so much for sharing.

[iris lilies]

These red Amaryllis are beautiful! Ours dont bloom until later, about mid March. Each year they live out of our patio during the summer and come back in during winter.