Home for the Holidays Blog Tour with Balsam Hill
Hey friends! Happy Monday after Thanksgiving! That means the season is officially open for adding Christmas trees in every room without anyone batting an eye. I put up several trees before Thanksgiving this year so the house felt festive for our family gathering.
UPDATE: See my full Christmas House Tour here!
There’s something magical about Christmas trees that instantly makes a home feel warm and celebratory. Right before guests arrived, we set up a beautiful Balsam Hill European Fir tree in the living room. We love our tradition of cutting down a tree from a tree farm each year, but it’s also nice to have realistic artificial trees we can enjoy for many seasons.
One of the perks of an artificial tree is the ability to put it up early and keep it looking perfect—no needles or sap to sweep. I especially appreciate the realistic details of this European Fir: its natural silhouette and the lighter color under the branches mimic a freshly cut forest tree and make it feel authentic.
I tend to keep our Christmas decorating simple and uncluttered, but I love placing small trees throughout the house. Many of them look lovely left undecorated or with just white lights for a calm, cozy look.
Balsam Fir tabletop trees
In the kitchen I preferred a streamlined approach. We hosted Thanksgiving dinner for twelve in this space—our first Thanksgiving in the remodeled kitchen—and the little trees added a special, cozy feeling while we cooked and spent time together. If you follow along on Instagram, you might have caught a few moments from the weekend.
I thought it would be fun to provide stockings for our guests this year, so we hung chunky knit stockings on hooks in the guest room. They look cozy and inviting—and make a great vessel for small gifts during our family gift exchange.
Our gift exchange has become a favorite tradition: we draw names and set gift categories, then shop together with a time limit before gathering for dinner to exchange presents. This year I plan to have guests use the stockings so we can avoid needing extra wrapping supplies.
We’ll be using our Forest and Sea ornaments again, but I’m especially fond of the French Country ornament set this year. The ornaments have a mercury-glass sheen with a variety of shapes and textures that add sparkle and depth to the tree.
Similar tree collars
Thank you for stopping by. I’d love to hear—how many Christmas trees do you plan to have this year?
UPDATE: See my full Christmas House Tour here!
Now you’re invited to visit the beautiful holiday decor from the ladies joining the Balsam Home for the Holidays tour. These bloggers are always inspiring.
Courtney – French Country Cottage
Ashley – The Handmade Home
Marian – Miss Mustard Seed
Karianne – Thistlewood Farms
Sources:
30 & 42″ Balsam Fir tabletop trees
European Fir tree
Chunky knit stockings
French Country ornament set
Other sources:
Log holder (black shelf on kitchen counter)
Similar wood bead dining chandelier
Guest room wood beaded chandelier
Velvet white stockings
White Christmas houses
Copper French press
Kitchen remodel details and sources