Our Cozy Christmas {2015}

I am definitely a very traditional Christmas decorator.  A beautifully lit evergreen tree filled with sentimental ornaments from years gone by, fresh green trimmings on the mantle, and personalized family stockings hung by the fireplace are my style.  In past years, I have always used white Christmas lights on our tree.  But truthfully, I am a colored light person.  I just think the warm glow of multicolored lights feels so warm and festive.  I have such fond memories of our brightly colored Christmas trees when I was growing up.  I think the colored lights do go best with a traditional tree filled with traditional ornaments.  I went simple this year with the colored lights and a simple burlap bow on top, and I love it.  It is definitely my favorite of all of our past trees.

I attempted some fancy shots of the tree this year, and this was my attempt at Christmas light bokeh.  I just love the blurred effect of the colored lights. 

I love our little tree with lights that look like multicolored glittering jewels.  I also love all our stockings with the addition of Baby Mattox's and his big sister Mattie's.  Mattox's stocking has an airplane on it.  

The boys did a great job helping decorate this year.  Mattox just loves sitting and looking at the tree. 

Putting on some of their special ornaments. 

I personalized our tree a little with a monogram ball ornament from Kirkland's and some little chalkboard wooden ornaments from Target with our names written on them with a paint pen.  I like the "rustic" and old fashioned feel of the burlap and wooden ornaments. 

Mattox's stocking and Mattie's Christmas tree are still some of my favorite decorations this year. 

The nativity is always a special part of our decor.  I just loved this saying that I wrote on a little chalkboard, but I want to paint it on a large canvas to display every year.  

The rest of our decorations were minimal.  I put up our Christmas countdown, a little Santa countdown where we added to his beard every day, my old star banner and a simple table centerpiece, and the little stair banner the boys and I made the last couple of Christmases. 

I always love the boys' little tree that they carefully decorate themselves.  This year, they decided to use most of their handmade ornaments from over the years.  Their colored lights went out so they had a white light tree this year.  

Our most treasured decorations are our yearly Christmas ornaments.  I love the memories that these ornaments invoke.

2002

My parents bought us this ornament the year we were engaged. 

2003

Our first Christmas after we were married.  We decided on a classic Lenox China ornament. 

2004

Our second Christmas together depicted just the two of us dancing inside a little snow globe. 

2005

The year we purchased our first house. 

2006

The year we were expecting our first little chick, Evan. 

2007

Evan's first Christmas. 

2008

Evan's second Christmas symbolized by a fun little jack-in-the-box gingerbread house. 

2009

Santa for Evan's 3rd Christmas. 

2010

In 2010, we were expecting our little Brody.  We all wrote our letters to Santa to put in this mailbox, and they all include our wishes for a healthy baby. 

2011

Brody's first Christmas. 

2012

A special Mickey ornament for our first trip to Disney World with the kids. 

2013

Mattie's first Christmas. 

2014

Mattie's second Christmas and expecting our little rainbow baby, Mattox. 

2015

Our new family ornament depicting our little family of 6. 

Mattox's first Christmas

We also got some special ornaments like this one from Biltmore Estate from our travels this year. 

And from the Cradle of Forestry. 

My husband did a great job decorating the outside of the house.  Our new neighborhood is pleasantly festive this time of year.  Since we live on a corner lot, my husband put colored lights on our backyard fence.  

Eddie is most proud of his candy cane tree.  Last year, we turned an old basketball goal post into a candy cane so this year, we used this little tree.   Can you tell I edited out Eddie's car in the picture with the garage?  I just hated having a car ruining my picture.  Ha!  

I tried the bokeh blurred effect on the outdoor lights too.  We used all white lights except the candy cane tree and the bushes.   I think it was just the right amount of color.