Christmas at Home: Traditions, Greenery, and a Season Well Loved
Christmas has always been my favourite holiday.
Like many people, I’m sure, but for me it’s rooted deeply in family and tradition. My mom always made Christmas feel magical. She often shared that Christmas held her happiest childhood memories, and she was intentional about recreating that same sense of wonder for my sister and me. That love and care has stayed with me, and now, as an adult, the season still carries that same feeling of warmth, nostalgia, and togetherness.
What I love most about Christmas is the time spent at home. Trying new recipes, gathering around the table, and leaning into traditions that feel comforting and familiar. Every Christmas Day, our living room hosts an annual Christmas Cornhole tournament, complete with a trophy and very serious bragging rights. My niece starts planning the tournament on November 1st, and the winner holds that title proudly for the entire year. These are the moments that make the season feel alive and personal.
And while I might be slightly embarrassed to admit it, decorating for Christmas ranks right up there as one of my favourite parts of the season. I love the glow of lights, the smell of greenery, and the instant cheer it brings to a cold Muskoka day. If I’m home, Christmas music is always playing. My go-to playlist is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Magnolia on Spotify. Joanna Gaines really does know her Christmas music.
Every year, my decorating begins outdoors, usually on November 1st.
I know I’m breaking the rules, but decorating takes time, and I like to savour it. I place my order with Sandhill Nursery in the last week of October so everything is ready to go before the snow flies and the temperatures dip too far below zero. A real mixed garland frames our front door, secured with Noma siding clips from Canadian Tire. Two wreaths hang below the exterior lights, supported by a clever clip that somehow manages to hold their weight, even through winter storms. My outdoor pots, also from Sandhill, are filled with plastic planters nestled into place with mulch, a system that has worked beautifully for years.
Once the outside is finished, I move into the entranceway, which is one of my favourite spaces in our home.
It’s also one of the few rooms we left largely untouched, aside from paint and tile. The original oak doors, sourced from a church by the home’s original owner, are truly special and create the perfect backdrop for Christmas décor. Most of the greenery here is faux, with the exception of the garland around the door, which matches the exterior. Small trees and a lamp from HomeSense sit atop the dresser, while an antique red truck from Cottage Country Vintage in Bracebridge adds the sweetest pop of colour. It’s one of those little moments that makes me smile every time I walk through the door.
Our large Christmas tree, always real, is filled with ornaments collected over many years. My mom gifted us a special Hallmark ornament each Christmas, and those are always the first to be placed on the tree. Large glass ornaments came from a beloved shop in Bracebridge that no longer exists, and the wide gold ribbon has been with us for decades. Purchased from the Christmas Store in St. Jacobs, it gets carefully rolled onto cardboard tubes every year, with my fingers crossed that it will last just one more season. Beside the tree stands a grandfather clock that my dad and I once drove across Ontario to pick up after finding it on Kijiji. Under the tree, an antique toboggan filled with wrapped gifts feels like the perfect nod to Canadian winters.
In the dining room, the table is set with my mom’s Royal Doulton china, wedding gifts from 55 years ago that somehow remain completely chip-free.
The simple silver rim makes them timeless and perfect for Christmas. A table runner by Nic Nak Knits from Kawartha Lakes, purchased at Simply Cottage, anchors the centrepiece, which includes an antique toboggan, greenery, domes, bottle brush trees, and a candle, all sourced from Simply Cottage in Bracebridge.
Garlands draped over both fireplaces are a favourite find from Amazon (thank you Beth and Sherry). The Real Touch Norfolk Pine garlands look beautiful and didn’t break the bank. The stockings hanging nearby were hand-knit by my Grandma, each with our names stitched in. As our family has grown, especially with pets, more stockings have been added. Grandma has since passed, but I know she would be so happy to see the tradition continuing.
Evenings throughout the season are spent exactly the way I think Christmas should be.
Board games by the fire on Christmas Eve, with George curled up happily in front of the kitchen fireplace. Movie nights in the theatre room, complete with popcorn and a dog on your lap. Every December, we pull up a Christmas Movie List and slowly work our way through the classics. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation always kicks things off, followed by The Holiday, Christmas Chronicles, Home Alone, and of course, The Santa Clause.
And then there’s the elf on the shelf, played by a very special elf given to me by my Aunt Barb.
There are little treasures from Aunt Barb scattered throughout our home, and I often think she may love Christmas decorations even more than I do.
At the end of the day, Christmas in our home isn’t about perfection or trends.
It’s about layers of meaning, pieces collected over time, and traditions that bring us back together year after year. It’s about creating a space that feels warm, welcoming, and full of memories, both old and new. And that, to me, is what makes Christmas truly special.
With gratitude and holiday cheer,
