cozy christmas 2024

After dealing with super high electric bills for 3 months this summer, I’m challenging myself to use almost no electricity this Christmas while keeping the mood cozy. I also wanted to make the outside of our home more vibrant during the daytime. And, I wanted to use what I had with just a few purchases.

I decided to stick to battery-operated fairy lights, which, in my opinion, create a softer mood. I have 2 strands of plug-in fairy lights with timers to use on the front hall tree. My helper 1 made sure I detangled everything properly. I have 2 timers to use with the plug-in lights.

More than 5 years ago, I picked up this red and white striped wired ribbon at Michael’s. We used it with strands of light on the privet at our old home. I’m using it this year to create a uniform look outdoors that also stands out. Our home is along the main road in our development, making us a key element in encouraging folks to buy in our development.

I added candy cane ornaments to the wreath which is going over our front door. I’m not sure where I found these ornaments. Maybe Target? I used green wire at the top and bottom of the ornaments to secure them to the wreath. We’ll use green wired to secure the wreath to the light over the door.

I will use a red, white, and silver decorating scheme inside, too. I have a few Scandinavian tablecloths I picked up at Ikea, plus red and white tree Christmas tree skirts from Michael’s (on clearance after Christmas!). I picked up red and white ribbon for inside from Hobby Lobby this week along with red and green colored glass balls from Michael’s to make the decorating a bit more uniform.

Another key element to the cozy feeling inside are these battery-operated window candles from Amazon. I’ve had the majority of these for about 10 years. As long as they aren’t dropped or chewed on by a dog, they last. Ahem.

While I mentioned making my decorating more uniform, I love having a funky, eclectic feel, too. Having uniform elements helps soothe the eye while I use eclectic elements for surprise and delight.