Fa La La

It seems that as soon as I finished decorating for fall, Christmas peeked it's head around the corner and yelled, surprise!  Luckily my holiday decorating is the same from year to year so the process is pretty painless.

I pick up a cedar bough garland and lay it across the mantle.  The trimmings get made into a wreath for the front door.  I love the look of cedar - it's vibrant emerald green color and the natural texture that it adds.

I hang our crimson and white Pottery Barn velvet stockings that I got for a steal at an after season sale from my Eddie Bauer stocking hooks (another goodwill find.)

I weave some lights through the garland and up over the vintage window to add a little sparkle.

I hang my favorite yarn wreath from the window.

And I place my Copycat West Elm Scalloped Trees on each side, plus some candles in vintage mason jars here and there.

And then...I put a bird on it.  Or two.

We are usually traveling during the holidays thanks to a teacher husband so I don't go all out.  Some years we adopt a dwarf evergreen and decorate it but this year we decided against it and are just keeping things simple.  Just how I like it.

How do you guys decorate?  Is it easy breezy or do you put Martha Stewart to shame?