Future decorators of America

It started out as a trip to the neighborhood garden center to get a living Christmas tree to remember their grandpa. He passed away a year ago today. The man selling cut trees said live ones don't do well in our climate, so they didn't have any. Inside the greenhouse,

 

 I found the perfect alternative -- a Norfolk pine. We've had them in the past and I love their delicate branches. We also picked up two politically-correct "Holiday" cacti and cut boxwood and holly branches.

 

Once home, the boys eagerly cleaned up the kitchen and living room while I got the evergreen wreath dh bought, laid out all the greenery, supplies and Christmas ribbons I could find. Then we got to be creative!

 

We couldn't figure out what would be appropriate for Grandpa's tree so we left it plain, only adding a candy cane ribbon to the red foil wrapper. Later, a letter and drawing from my 7yo was placed in front, right behind the Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

 

The wreath received the red winterberry branches I had cut back in October and was hung back on the front door. From the street, it now looks so much more festive.

 

I initially put all of the boxwood and holly branches into one black metal pail but they looked too crowded to me. The boys thought it was the perfect perch for Santa.

 

I took some of the smaller branches out, "borrowed" a few bottles form my Etsy store and added the ribbons. I can now spread the green and red around the room.

 

These turned out to be my absolute favorites, despite their simplicity. I wanted to put them on our bedside tables, but after Alice pulled this today, I thought better of it. They each sit in a living room window now.

 One final piece. Thrifted leather strap of jingle bells, vintage-styled Santa ribbon and two plastic poinsettias, that had been "planted" in a plai\nter of ivy on the kitchen counter for months now. Not sure which of my budding gardener/decorators did that but I like them here better.