The Thanksgiving holiday was later on the calendar this year, and now Christmas has come and gone like a flash in the sky. I love the coziness of the season and already know just how much I will miss my Christmas tree and its sparkling lights when we put the final decorations away for the year.
A couple years ago, I began a post-Christmas tradition for my family. Taking down the Christmas decorations is always sad for me, so I decided to make the dreaded chore a family party. It’s a special night to make memories and pack everything away for the next year’s magical moments.
Read Taking Down the Christmas Decorations and a Post-Christmas Tradition.
Christmas Reflections
Christmas can live in our hearts all year long as we celebrate the peace of God in our hearts. God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place, and the Christmas season causes me to reflect on all the supernatural events that surround our Christian beliefs.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15
Read Let's Keep Christ in Christmas! (...ideas for families).
The Christmas season also causes me to ponder the condition of my own heart. We live in a world of extravagant, flashy, and elegant, but God doesn't always use the elaborate or the shiny. God chose simple shepherds to proclaim the humble birth of His Son, Jesus. May we all be content with the blessings and gifts God has given us no matter if they are simple or shiny.
Simple Christmas Tree Décor
I love simple, classic Christmas décor. I’m also a minimalist, so I don’t like a lot of clutter with the Christmas decorations. At the same time, I enjoy decorating and like the coziness of Christmas. Decorating without going over the top is my style!
We continued our tradition of decorating the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving, and I absolutely love my new tree.
The lights on our pre-lit Christmas trees always end up burning out, so we purchased a new tree without lights that I hope will last our family for many Christmases to come. It is a European style fir, and my favorite tree ever!
I love the gaps between the branches and the realistic looking pine needles. It’s like having a real tree, except it’s faux, and it requires no maintenance. I honestly considered purchasing a real Christmas tree this year but decided against it.
All the Christmas tree farms in our area were opening around Thanksgiving or after, and I wanted my tree decorated before Thanksgiving. We also had a trip planned for the beginning of December, so I knew the Christmas tree would go at least four days with no water. No one wanted to return home to crunchy pine needles and a dead tree!
We decorated the tree with all our special family ornaments and gold Christmas balls. I used a burlap Christmas tree skirt that I have had for several years and made big bows out of bright red, sparkly ribbon and burlap ribbon. I originally planned to weave the ribbon in-and-out of the branches, but it took away from the shape of the tree. I removed the ribbon, made bows, and have been very happy with the look of the tree.
I added cotton stems as my tree topper, and they totally enhance the country cottage theme. Simple but charming! Our tree also includes some of my children’s handmade ornaments, and it’s special to include the new ones each year.
Favorite Christmas Ornament Tutorials
DIY Easy Christmas Tree Ornament Craft for Kids | Crafting with Buttons and Craft Sticks
Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments
Now we have to figure out where to store our tree for the off-season! Wish I could just keep it up and decorate it for all the different holidays and seasons, but that would take away from the enchantment of Christmas.
Plus, the tree takes up a lot of room in the living area where I teach piano each week! Empty space is a good thing, especially since people are in and out of my home on a regular basis.
Christmas Décor in Our Country Cottage
The wood stove is a focal point in the kitchen to decorate for the current season. Even though it was originally a functioning stove, it was capped off years ago. I personally don’t like the smell of wood burning in a home, so I’m fine with it existing for decorative purposes only. It gives my kitchen all the country cottage farmhouse feels, and I love that!
Earlier this year I painted a set of bronze candlesticks. I love how they look this Christmas with my favorite reindeer and these amazing little boxwood wreaths. The red reindeer is one of the classic Christmas décor items that I use year after year.
Read Distressed Primitive Candlesticks DIY.
I have a long decorative shelf above a window in my kitchen. The shelf was gifted to me this year by my in-laws, and it has been so nice to decorate ever since my husband mounted it back in the fall. The positioning of the window and the lighting just doesn’t allow for a blog-worthy photo, but I used some lovely little fabric trees on the new shelf and in the window above my kitchen sink. Since mamas have to wash dishes, we might as well make the sink a pretty place!
Christmas in the Kitchen
Between church and family meals and parties, we have eaten plenty of delicious foods this Christmas season. My mother always decorates such a pretty table, and our Christmas Eve gathering was just beautiful. We sang Christmas hymns and celebrated with our traditional Happy Birthday, Jesus cake.
We celebrated Christmas Day at my grandmother’s, and by the time we were cleaning up the dishes, I realized I had eaten so many rich foods that my taste buds were overextended! Now it’s time for recovery!
I enjoy baking Christmas Cookie Bars during the Christmas season. They are perfect refreshments for my Christmas piano recital. My family also likes to gift each church attender a cookie bar in a goodie bag on the Sunday before Christmas.
My Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookie Bars are the simplest recipe ever, and lots of people have asked for the recipe, so I wanted to share it on the blog!
Ingredients for the Best Ever Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookie Bars:
1 egg
½ cup oil
¼ cup water
½ Tbsp. vanilla extract for baking
½ Tbsp. almond extract for baking
yellow cake mix
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookie Bars Recipe Directions:
1. Mix the egg, oil, water, and vanilla/almond extract together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the yellow cake mix and stir until all ingredients are mixed well. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Place cookie mixture in a baking pan sprayed with baking spray. I use a 9x13 glass baking dish.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes.
5. Allow cookie to cool and cut into squares.
Read Strawberry and White Chocolate Cookie Bars for a delicious Valentine’s Day twist on the Christmas Cookie Bars.
Every Christmas seems to whisk by with the busyness of the season. The music recitals, church programs, and special parties have come and gone, and now we await the New Year.
As I reflect on Christmas in our simple country cottage, I’m so thankful for the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ this past year and in the years to come.
