Yes, we’re those people.
I’ll admit I get annoyed when stores skip over holidays—like when Target displays Christmas items before Thanksgiving. Not ready yet. Let me get through Turkey Day before you shove Santas and snowmen in my face. But this year we did the unthinkable.
We set up our Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. I’m sorry. Feel free to virtually scold us or break out an “oh no you didn’t.”
We told our Thanksgiving guests ahead of time, and they treated it like a fun novelty. So we’ll report back on whether turkey and mashed potatoes still taste like Thanksgiving when eaten in the glow of a full-size Christmas tree.
Why the rush? Normally we decorate the first week of December—sometimes the second if we’re running late. This year, since we’re moving in mid-December and want Clara to enjoy her first Christmas at home, we decided to put the tree up early so we can appreciate it for the usual three-week window before packing everything for the move.
Our palette this year is champagne, metallic green, silver, and pink — chosen with Clara’s first Christmas in mind. We already had a lot of silver and champagne ornaments, so we picked up pink and metallic green bulbs at Michael’s during a half-price holiday sale. I aimed for a frosted, slightly girly look that isn’t overly feminine for the guys in the house. I resisted the urge to add pink feather boas as garland (for John and Burger’s sake).
We also included a few sentimental and quirky ornaments. This festive chihuahua ornament—gifted by John’s godmother—is too funny not to hang, even if it doesn’t strictly match the color scheme.
Another favorite is our newlywed moose ornament from our Alaskan honeymoon—a bride and groom moose that may not be glamorous, but it’s too meaningful to leave off the tree.
We also added a few personalized touches, like a silver Empire State Building ornament that reminds us of our early days in New York City. Those sentimental pieces help keep the tree personal rather than just decorative.
Overall we love how soft and sweet the tree looks. John approves, and Burger remains blissfully indifferent. It’s baby-girl–friendly without being overly pastel or fussy, so it plays well with our geometric rug and clean-lined modern sofa. For the tree skirt we used our faux sheepskin rugs—an odd tradition we’ve kept for more than four years.
We did run into the same minor issue we had last year with the pre-lit tree: the bottom strand of lights wasn’t working. The easy fix was to wrap an extra strand of lights around the bottom. We could hunt for the burned-out bulb and repair it properly, but this quick workaround did the trick since we already had the spare strand on hand.
So that’s our tree this year. How about yours? Any color schemes or themes on your mind—edible ornaments, jewel tones, retro-inspired, or something totally unexpected? Share your ideas if you’re ready. If not, feel free to wait the usual week or so before joining the decorating conversation.
Pssst—if you’re eager to dive into holiday decor and cozy pajamas, check the Projects section on the site for lots of Christmas-related inspiration.
Update: You can also browse a curated list of favorite holiday decor finds—many items are under $15.