Dixie Delights

We spend most of our days in the den and kitchen and I pull out all the stops to make these two rooms and fun and festive as possible!!

The tree in our family room holds all of our favorite ornaments. Anything goes here! From little snowmen crafted by tiny hands to ornaments carried home from special vacations, this tree is loaded with memories. It is always a joy to unbox them at the start of each Christmas season!

I finally have Elsa’s stocking added but had already taken my pictures. The stockings are from Ballard Designs and the wood monograms are from Scrappin Plus.

I pull out red pillows and blankets from decor of yore each Christmas :-) I no longer have these colors in the room year round, but I think they layer in perfectly.

Each year I swap out the picture in one frame with the current year’s Santa photo. After ten years, there are only a few left unturned :-). I keep them in the frame year round, just move them to the back at the end of the season. That way I always know where they are.

I scatter Christmas books and magazines around the room for guests.

Everyone in our family loves puzzles, so I used the little banquette nook to set one up! I loved seeing the family roate through, putting pieces in place here and there. I think everyone had a hand in it! This one was complete by Black Friday.

Moving on to the kitchen, it’s more red and green.

I swap out off of our Blue Willow with the quintessential Spode Christmas Tree china! This was on our wedding registry and we started out with all the basics. Each year, Mother and Daddy-O usually add a few specialty pieces to our collection.

In addition to the china, I have collected Spode ornaments for years to go on a little kitchen tree.

I picked up these “Happy Tappers” from the Hallmark store years ago. They are SO cute and I always check to be sure they haven’t brought them back.

I always like to have snacks on hand. Like last year, I set up naughty and nice jars in the kitchen. So, if you’re feeling a bit naughty, grab an Oreo. But if you’re needing a nice treat, go for the clementine :-)

I moved our hot chocolate bar inside this year and set up an entire beverage station! There are tons of toppings and mix ins for coffee, hot chocolate, cider and tea. The minutes I took my pictures it was like starving wolves had been released in my kitchen. I foresee many necessary refills this holiday season.

I also set out bows of mints and nuts in both the den and kitchen during the holiday season. The challenge this year has been keeping Elsa out of them :-)

Moving over to the breakfast room part of the kitchen, I have hung my usual greenery from the chandelier and sconces.

I like to keep the centerpiece on the kitchen table simple and portable. We use this table for dining, games and more all season so being able to move the runner and large platter easily out of the way is a must.