Living on a street of typical 1950s identical rowhouses, it’s always interesting to see how people decorate the inside of their homes — their paint choices, furniture arrangements and at this time of year, how they decorate for the holidays. There isn’t much wiggle room in these houses – every last inch serves a purpose for something – but that hasn’t quelled the festiveness or desire to create a warm and cozy haven at home.
My neighbors John and Laura and their dog Patton are fortunate to have one of the few end units on our block so their house has two windows on the side. They placed their tree by one of the windows, in sight of passerbys on the sidewalk below.
John proudly showed his Star Wars Lego Advent calendar to my boys, whose eyes lit up as John shared the latest treasure.
Their tree is decorated with multi-colored lights and all sorts of ornaments — some representing places John and Laura have visited as well as old family favorites.
There are even a few mementos from Laura’s childhood around the room.
And I love how they have displayed their Christmas cards on the back of their front door, a warm reminder of family and friends every time they leave the house.
Across the way, I also visited Peter and Heather who put their tree at the bottom of the stairs in the living room.
It is decorated with white lights, red and green balls and, like John and Laura’s tree, ornaments from all the places they have been together.
The shining star is this fabulous topper.
There are also charming decorative pieces throughout the room to spread the holiday cheer.
And a classic and welcoming wreath on the front door.
Leslie’s house has the same layout as Peter and Heather’s, but she has more wall space at the bottom of the stairs. Her family placed their tree here next to the piano, the perfect spot for caroling.
The tree features a variety of meaningful ornaments collected over the years, including a few new ones Leslie and her daughters made this year.
At my house, our tree is in the dining room. The tree didn’t look that big at the lot, but once we got it inside, its girth severely restricted where it could go without blocking walkways.
Putting the tree by the back window means it’s less likely to be toppled by two rambunctious boys. But, even better, it makes dinnertime more festive, eating alongside the twinkling lights. The tree is decorated with a mix of ornaments of the homemade, sports, and vintage nature.
I love how the oranges on our orange and cranberry garland glow with the white lights behind them.
I’ve also decorated with a variety of homemade and gathered items like candles, elements from nature, seasonal linens and our upcycled advent calendar. Festive indeed.
As we take time to celebrate this holiday season, there’s no place I’d rather be than at home. How are you decorating this year? Do you have special ornaments or relics from the past? Any homemade treasures or family heirlooms on your tree or in your house?
