Embracing your sentimental Christmas decorations isn’t always easy when everywhere you turn you get bombarded with picture-perfect holiday decor. It’s my hope to inspire you to stop playing the comparison game and learn to truly appreciate your holiday decor and all the stories it tells.
Today is a special day! I’m beyond excited because myself and six other amazingly talented bloggers are taking part in a Cozy Christmas Home Tour. I absolutely love seeing how others decorate their homes for the season because I always walk away with great ideas to incorporate in my own space.
If you’re visiting from one of the other lady’s wonderful sites, let me welcome you to the lake! My name is Tiffany and I’m so happy you stopped by. I hope you take the time to look around and “enjoy the lake view”.
Before we begin, I want to mention that my tour might be a tad bit different from my fellow friends in this Cozy Christmas Home Tour. Instead of a room by room walkthrough of all my decor and where I purchased it, I decided to tell you a little holiday story and intermingle pictures of my Christmas decor throughout.
No worries though, I already have a room by room tour on the blog of my holiday decor along with an entire post dedicated to my Pinterest Unworthy Christmas tree. I invite you to visit these posts when you’re done here or feel free to pin them for later when you have more time.
Pinterest Unworthy Christmas Tree Pin for Later
Embracing Your Sentimental Christmas Decorations
Let’s face it. It can sometimes be a struggle to fall in love with your holiday decor when everywhere you turn you see an abundance of picture-perfect Christmas trees and fireplaces decked out to the nines.
There’s that lake view I promised you.
And I don’t know about you, but after five measly minutes of scrolling through holiday photos on Instagram, I’m left feeling somewhat defeated and frustrated with the way my home looks. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to just throw everything out and start fresh when it came to my Christmas decor.
The blue and white crocheted table runner was handmade by a friend’s mom.
I’ve come close to doing it a couple of times too. It wasn’t until I sat down to start putting things in the garbage that I realized there was just no way in the world I could part with some of my holiday decorations. I loved them too much!
I struggled with what to do at that point. As a blogger, I invite readers into my home on a daily basis and I felt a little bit embarrassed to share my Christmas decorations with the world. I started to feel defeated.
Plate decorated by Zach himself in 2006, 3 years old.
Have you heard the saying, “Out of the mouths of babes”? It basically means that children, though mostly inexperienced at life, are capable of saying wise, insightful, and mature things. Without even realizing he did, it was my son, Zach, who gave me the courage and confidence to quiet the voices in my head that were clearly keeping me from embracing my sentimental holiday decor.
As a teenager, Zach spends way too much time on social media. SnapChat and Instagram are where almost all his friends “hang out” so I tend to consider him an expert when it comes to all things social.
Zach and I made these two years ago for our family. They’re made from K-pods.
According to him, one of his biggest pet peeves with social media is fakeness. It drives him crazy when he sees his friends on Instagram staging the picture-perfect experience when he knows for a fact they’re stretching the truth…by a lot!
So who would he prefer to follow? After asking Zach this question, he by far enjoys the people “keeping it real” on social. He appreciates their realness and feels he can relate to them so much more.
After I thought about it for a second I realized I felt the exact same way as Zach. And the light bulb in my head finally went off!
Be real, Tiffany! Be real!
As much as I want holiday decor worthy enough for a Better Homes and Gardens magazine cover, that’s just not in the cards for me.
Our original stocking holders that I couldn’t part with so I covered them with Christmas flowers.
And the truth is, I love my decorations and I need to be proud of them!
No vacation of ours would be complete without a stop at a souvenir shop for an ornament featuring the name of the location we traveled to. Pulling out these ornaments each year and adding new ones to the collection gives us an opportunity to reminisce about the places we’ve traveled and the memories we’ve made together.
It warms my heart to have a tiny tree dedicated to all the handmade ornaments Zach has made for Patrick and me throughout the years. The older he gets, he’s now a junior in high school, the more tears I cry thinking about how quickly time has passed. They have rightfully earned their spot front and center by our fireplace.
Also on this tiny tree, a paw print of our sweet boxer girl, Luckie. After 10 years of having her as a family member, we had to put her down at the end of the summer. We proudly hung her name ornament and paw print on this same tree for all to see.
Our 9 foot Christmas tree is a hodge-podge of hundreds of ornaments collected throughout the years. Like I mentioned earlier, I like to refer to it as my Pinterest Unworthy Christmas Tree because to anyone other than our family it sure looks like a hot mess. Although at night, I think any Christmas tree has a certain sparkle to it!
What about Zach’s plush Christmas tree and ornament set my mom got him from her days as a Hallmark employee? It was the perfect tree for a little clumsy boy.
See these figurines. Patrick and I bought these from Dollar Tree for our very first apartment when we were 19 years old! Aren’t they ugly? You bet they are, but their sentimental meaning is irreplaceable.
As time continues to fly by and people I love grow old and pass away. As Patrick and I prepare for our son, Zach to head off to college in less than two years, I find myself wanting to grab onto everything I can that reminds me of family and the memories we’ve shared.
The bottom self is the home to some of my collection of Hallmark snowmen I’ve gathered throughout the years.
Now in hindsight, I can’t believe I even contemplated throwing any of these items in the trash. Thank goodness for my big dose of teenage wisdom. I don’t know what Patrick and I would do without that kid in our lives!
My hope is that this post has helped you appreciate your home and all the holiday memories found within it. Relish in the fun and joy of the stories your Christmas decorations bring to you and your family. I look forward to you joining me in embracing your sentimental Christmas decorations from now until the end of time.
My nighttime view that never gets old.
Happy Holidays, friends, and thank you so much for stopping by! Don’t forget to visit Instagram to see videos of all the homes being featured on our Cozy Christmas Home Tour.
As promised, it’s time for a Holiday Home Hop! Make sure to stop by my friends’ homes on this Cozy Christmas Home Tour and see how they’ve transformed their spaces for the holiday:
Cozy Christmas Home Tour Tex Mex Mom
Simple Christmas Decorations Home Tour Live Well Play Together
Cozy Christmas Tour in Charlotte Coffee Dreams
Cottage Style Christmas Decor Coffee, Pancakes & Dreams
A Cozy Christmas Home to Inspire You Miss Sue Living
Cozy Holiday Home Tour Keri Lynn Snyder
Want to remember this? Post this Cozy Christmas Home Tour to your favorite Pinterest board!
Jaclyn Musselman says
I love how you incorporate your signature blue into your holiday decor. Your coffee bar is so cute!
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
Thank you!!! I can’t imagine a day with my signature blues 😂
Brittany Boyce says
I️ love your sentimental decor! I️ am very attached to most of my Christmas decor and ornaments, too, and certain pieces bring me so much joy from past holiday memories! Never apologize for being authentic – I️ wish all bloggers would show a little more real life 🙂
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
Thank you!!! I wish the same thing. It’s too much work to be perfect all the time. Believe me, I’ve tried 😂
Rebekah Gaspar says
Your Christmas decor is so cheerful and happy. I love all the pops of blue! So pretty and fun!
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
Thanks so much, Rebekah! I can’t live without blue in my home. 💙
Keri Snyder says
Yes!!!! I love this so much! You being real is what connects people to you- such a good home tour!
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
Thank you so much! This comment means a lot to me 💗
Amanda says
This Christmas home tour is so inspirational! We should love our own home decor and not try to be someone else or feel that our style is not good enough. Thank you Tiffany for “keeping it real”! Your Christmas decor is very cheery and inviting <3
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
Thank you, Amanda 💗 I think it’s cheery too…even if it’s not magazine worthy 😉
Sharlene Habermeyer says
This is such a fun post! And despite what you say–it’s both “real” (as Zach would want) AND it’s Better Homes & Garden worthy! I love your Christmas trees–especially the one with the ornaments Zach has made you over the years. And I’m so glad you didn’t throw away any of your decorations–to me that’s what Chrismas is all about–sentiment and tradition! Like you, I”ve noticed that the little decorations are the ones that become the BIG ones in terms of memories.. Thank you for sharing your beautifully decorated home–love every little and big decoration!
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
You’re always so sweet, Sharlene. And you give me too much decorating credit. 😂😂😂 If I ever make it into Better Homes and Gardens you can tell me “Told you so!”…until then I’ll consider myself a decorating amateur. Thanks again for the comment.
Mary Leigh says
The teal and red is such a FUN combo for Christmas! I love all the handmade ornaments and decorations. They are so special! I always love pulling out our homemade things each year!
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
Awwww, thank you!! My handmade decorations are by far my favorite 💗