Merry and Bright Christmas Home Tour

I am beyond excited to be joining a group of eight other bloggers for the Merry & Bright Christmas Home Tour-for reals, SO EXCITED! More excited than elves with jingle bells. 

If you are visiting from Brown Dog Vintage, welcome! I’m so thrilled to have you here.  I’m Morgan and I love decorating, easy DIY projects, and encouraging other mamas. I love to find a good deal or make things I already have “work,” so hopefully this little glimpse of my home decked out for the holidays will give you some ideas on how you could decorate your own home on a budget! 

This most definitely is my favorite time of year. The reason for the season, the lights, the decorations, the cookies…need I say more? Hallelujah that winter is the season for leggings. Gotta love an elastic waistband. Sweaters and leggings for the win! Bwahaha! [wink] 

{This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Using these links might result in me receiving a small commission, but at absolutely NO cost to you! You can read more about my commitment to transparency, by visiting my Disclosure Statement.}

Come on in and let’s get this tour started! I love being able to take a little glimpse into people’s homes. One of the first questions I ask people when they move into a new home is “Where do you think you will put your Christmas tree?” (You know, because that’s at the TOP of their list of things they’re thinking about when moving….) 

I’ve got LOTS I want to share with you, so grab your favorite Christmas-y beverage (eggnog, peppermint tea, hot chocolate, gin & tonic-ha!) and get comfy!

Welcome friend! That wreath on our door? Some might think she’s an eyesore; we could almost call her “vintage” at this point. I made it my freshman year of college to hang on our dorm room door. (Ya think I’ve gotten my money’s worth yet?) But I guess you can’t go wrong with classic red, poinsettias, and plaid, right? Thanks 18 year-old-self! So, she’s hanging up for another year. 

First thing you see when you walk in the door is this little”entryway.” 

If we changed the words to the classic carol, Deck the Halls, we wouldn’t be decorating with “boughs of holly” over at My Pear Tree Home, it would be more like “Deck the halls with things from Target Dollar Spot. And from The Dollar Tree.” (I’m not sure it has the same “classy” vibe as the original lyrics, but definitely fitting in my home!)

Speaking of Christmas carols, I actually used that as my inspiration for my decor this year! Right off the bat you can see a little sign and some rolled up sheets of Christmas music in a galvanized bucket. A matching bucket (both from the Target Dollar Spot) is used to hold a festive poinsettia. These plants were a GREAT $1 deal on Black Friday. (Some people go to the gym, I do my cardio bargain shopping! Ha!)

The first room you pass after coming through the door, is the dining room, so let’s stop in there a sec. I used some cute $1 stockings on my chandelier and the table runner and some of the linens came from the Target Dollar Spot this year (they had SO many cute things!).

That “Merry” banner was a 90% off clearance find at Michaels after last year’s Christmas. (Definitely a tip: if there is decor you are wanting, look after the holidays!) 

The buffet got some candles decorated with faux greenery all while sitting on some burlap and red ribbon.(I mentioned I was a frugal bargain lady, right? This runner cost less than $1.) 

I added a few things around the room to make the china cabinet and shelves more “merry.”

Next up we have the kitchen. You might recognize some more… Target Dollar Spot finds. The little sign and trees are mixed in with a couple trees I found at Dollar Tree. On top of my cabinets and above the sink I added a few little touches. I absolutely ADORE these little checked stockings! They make me smile every time I come in here. (That’s one way to boost moral when you are standing at the sink doing dishes I guess!) 

Frugal tip: Use inexpensive ornaments in a bowl as a decoration. 

We spend a LOT of time in our sunroom because it is: just off the kitchen and this is where the toys are! I was so excited to be able to get this tree this year. You can check out my post here about how I decorated the entire 6 foot tree for $15! 

I kept the rest of the decor in this room simple-I wanted the lit tree (and garland) to be the showstoppers. 

I’m going to skip upstairs really quick to show you our master bedroom.

This is the first year I’ve ever decorated over our bed for Christmas and I have got to say, I am really enjoying it! I bought a $3 garland new this year (from Target….However did you guess?) But everything else I already had. (Dollar Tree or clearance finds)

Alright, I saved the living room for last! 

We recently painted our IKEA “Billy” bookcases and TV cabinet white. (I say “we,” but my husband did most of the work. I kept children alive. Does that count for something?) 
It’s been fun seeing what the decorations look like with the white background (they used to be black). Those reds really “pop” against the white this year. Swoon. 

I have a red slipcover for this chair, so I thought it would be fun to bring it out for the holidays. (It’s back from when we liked our furniture more dark colored.) The pillow is actually a gift sack. I was going to use it to make a pillow, but then I put it on and thought it looked pretty cute just like that (and the lazy girl in my declared “done” before I could fully decide). 

The biggest change for our holiday decorations is probably our mantle. 

I have seen pictures of scrolls for months and wanted to try my hand at it, especially since I already had brown paper and red paint! [Insert happy Christmas dance here] 

I hung the scroll and layered an assortment of faux and dried flower stems (berries pilfered from the bushes in my yard). 

Well, there you have it! Thank you so much for stopping by and seeing a behind-the-scenes look at my home for the holidays!

There are so many talented bloggers to check out on this tour! Don’t you love how you can enjoy this tour all while being cozyed up in your pjs and sipping on your favorite holiday beverage?

Head on over to see Jenna at Lantern Lane Designs to see her beautiful holiday decor! You don’t want to miss it! And don’t forget to check out these talented bloggers for some festive inspiration:

Sense & Serendipity

Back to the South 

At Lane and High 

Brown Dog Vintage Blog 

Lantern Lane Designs 

Create Pray Love

Paper Rose 

Maison Mass