I haven’t been feeling very festive recently. We only put out a few plastic and a few real pumpkins for my absolute favorite holiday of the year. My mom bought us some twinkle lights with orange leaves on it from my last decor wishlist, so Malcolm hung those. I also brought some to my office to spice up that space a bit. I was overwhelmed at work and had very little energy for much else. I’ve put out one holiday decoration this year. I hope to collect enough energy to get some out because I need a little light and sparkle this time of year with the short, cold days. Because I want to put money in small business owners’ pockets, I’m searching exclusively on Etsy this season. Here are some decorations I have my eye on:

1. Acorn garland – this season, I’m leaning more towards muted and understated colors. Neutrals, nothing with too much contrast. I can imagine hanging this on our mantle or hanging from a door frame this year. We would have to hang it high enough to keep out of reach of our curious and playful kitties.

2. Pom-pom tree skirt – We’ve had curtains with small white pom-poms on them for years. This would fit in perfectly, though we might do a book tree this year. That could be a fun future post because it’s not as easy as it looks, ask Malcolm 🙂

3. Silver menorah – To continue a more understated look, this menorah would be perfect. Sleek, simple, effective. I also love the texture of the hexagon shape. For more color, blue candles would be a good option.

4. Vintage snowmen – If you love all things vintage like me, look at these cutie snowmen. There’s only one set, so if you’re interested, snatch up those suckers stat!

5. Kwanzaa cupcake toppers – I absolutely love these cupcake toppers! The silhouette, the big golden hoops, the texture of the hair wraps — yes. You can also use these as craft supplies to decoupage to painted block of wood to make a fun, unique ornament.

6. Wooden advent calendar – I haven’t had an advent calendar since I received one made out of chocolate in approximately 1998. It was so magical to me, waiting to get home from school to get my piece of chocolate for the day. This would be great if you have kids or if you want to get in touch with the joy of your inner child.

7. Stained glass ornament – I’m going subtle this year, except for a few pops of color here and there. I used to decorate with all the bright, bold colors. But that can easily become over stimulating and no one wants that, especially my fiance.

8. Muted bottle brush trees – That being said, I put up pops of color or a rainbow somewhere. I like these because they are more muted than other hue saturated bottle brush sets. These could go on just about any surface, even a cute little mantle scene. I especially like the flakes with some white glitter. Impactful yet subtle.

9. Pine wreath with winter berries – how cute would this be on a front door? Or any door, really. It also looks great on this shiplap background. We have some white shiplap like this, and I like the combination. That’s where I’d put it, I think.

10. Snowflake hanging lights – These are unique and lovely! They would look great outdoors but also indoor in a room that needs a touch of sparkle and light. They are labeled as outdoor, but I think I like the indoor idea better.

What’s your favorite holiday decoration or one you’re coveting? I’ve been looking into blush pink fake trees, but I couldn’t find one from a small business or local supplier with a reasonable price for my budget. Still on the hunt!

xMae