instagram pic of my new settee ….still with tags!
Did I scare you or are you excited? Nine weeks until Christmas already. I’m definitely in a holiday nesting mood. Despite ongoing projects around the house, I’m looking forward to the season and thinking about how to make it the best it can be. It’s been many years since we enjoyed a truly relaxed holiday—one where we weren’t moving, remodeling, or stretched too thin. If it’s not one thing, it’s another.
Even though I hoped to finish most projects before the holidays, it looks like we’ll still be in the middle of updates this year. I may have overestimated what could be completed before Thanksgiving and Christmas—or maybe I add too many things to the list. Probably a bit of both. Still, never a dull moment.
I won’t let that frenetic energy derail our holiday plans. With some advance planning and realistic expectations, I can still create a relaxed, enjoyable season. Lowering expectations about what must be perfect and increasing creativity and flexibility goes a long way. Otherwise we’ll be rushing around like a frantic gingerbread mom, and if mama’s frazzled, nobody has a good holiday.
In the spirit of preparing ahead, I’ve already set up my Thanksgiving centerpiece and started planning where the Christmas tree will go this year. I may have ordered a few new holiday items to get motivated to decorate. I’m also thinking about which rooms to arrange now to be most comfortable for gatherings.
I’m excited to be working on long-awaited updates to our living-room-turned-gathering-room to make it extra cozy for both holiday gatherings and everyday life. I’m rearranging furniture, shuffling pieces between rooms, and adding some affordable finds to make the space work better for us. A few reddish-orange pillows and throws have helped warm the room for the season. Each change makes the house feel more comfortable, and we’re using more of our rooms than ever—almost like we added square footage without actually expanding.
I’ll share more details about the recent updates and plans for this room in a future post, but you can see a preview today. I’m especially happy to refine this room since it’s the first space guests see and serves as our main gathering spot.
instagram pic of Jack lounging on our new settee
(settee, pillow and throw from Pier One)
Avert your eyes if you don’t like pets on furniture. Normally Jack still has a few puppyish habits, so he doesn’t yet have full unsupervised access to the whole house, but he wandered in to test the new settee. We found him sprawled under the throw—spoiled, perhaps, but undeniably cute.
For me, holiday nesting isn’t about creating a magazine-perfect, highly staged home. It’s about shaping a warm, welcoming environment for friends and family, having fun, and making memories. Everyone will interpret holiday nesting differently—that’s the joy of personal space. You can create your own special atmosphere.
Holiday nesting might mean clearing out things you no longer need, rearranging furniture, having the carpet cleaned, planning gifts, or making homemade ornaments. Whatever helps you create a comfortable, festive home, now is the time to start.
I’m excited to see your holiday nesting—whether you’re decorating for Halloween, planning Thanksgiving, or thinking ahead to Christmas. Share your projects and inspire each other this season!
9 weeks ’til Christmas. Ready? Or NOT?
