Last updated on December 29th, 2019
Have you decked your halls for the holidays? This year, we decided to limit our work to just the parlor here at Clover Hill. Mr. Fox trimmed the tree, while I dressed the fireplace mantel. Have a look at the room:
In a corner of the parlor is a 9-foot tree. Mr. Fox trimmed this fragrant Fraser fir with ornaments we’ve collected over the years. I wrote about these ornaments — and the dog who chewed the feathered wings off our tree-topping angel — back in 2012. For pix and story, please click here.
To bring a touch of cheer to the fireplace mantel, I first clipped some evergreen boughs from the Thuja ‘Green Giant’ shrubs in our yard.
Then I perched silver candlesticks on each end of the mantel, and placed a small cast-iron urn in the center.
Finally, I raided the produce department at my local supermarket! The urn made a useful holder for a fresh pineapple. Pineapple is the traditional symbol for “welcome.”
Then I placed apples, oranges, and bunches of green and red grapes all along the swag.
Here’s a small detail of the arrangement.
When I’m lit, and the candles and the tree are, too, the parlor seems festive indeed!
In the comments field below, please let me know how your own holiday decorating is coming along. Do you plan to deck-out your entire house — or will you do as I did this season, and confine your efforts to just one room?
Here’s wishing you all a happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa!
xKevin
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Linda Kalbler says
Your place looks really festive. I have given up on trees and a lot of decorations the past 2 years. Last year was crazy as our new orn grandson was awaiting a lung transplant. And our lab was only 6 months old. This year our grandson is doing well and the lab is still to rambunctious for a tree instead we put on a wreath in the window. Cannt wait to try your cookies
Sara says
I am almost done decorating. Your home is beautiful. I’m hoping for a new vacuum from a Santa but I have lost the model # of the Shark vacuum you love. Please post it again. Thank you
Andrea says
Your room is beautiful, Kevin! What a lovely job you both did. We’re doing same as you & Mr. Fox & just doing a room. This year there just doesn’t seem enough time (or energy!) to do the whole house inside & out plus other holiday prep like maybe making your grandmother’s beautiful cookies. Guess I’d rather have cookies!
Debbie says
Your parlor is lovely. I added trees this year in the foyer with artificial owls, doves, and white flowers. They are stunning!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Renee Coursey says
No decorating this year at our home since we are leaving on Tuesday for N. Carolina to be with our family there. It seems sad here with nothing that is Christmas. I usually take almost 2 weeks to decorate the entire house including bathrooms! I love your tree so much and that it is reflected in your beautiful mirror. Have a blessed Christmas!
Pat says
Just doing one room, so far with just a mantel garland. My big decorating challenge this year is the very ugly but beloved 6-foot cat tree… I’m plotting ways to combine it with my artificial tree and garlands to create a festive monstrosity.
Roxie says
I put small glass ornaments (with their hangers removed) on the ends of my Firesticks euphorbia (houseplant). Whimsical and festive.
Denise says
I’m so pleased to know that someone else is choosing to focus on a few decorating elements this year! The mantle and tree are lovely.
Your blog is my favorite to read each Sunday. Thank you.
betty in arlington says
Kevin, so festive and joyous! thank you for posting your lovely last home decor! We may not do a tree until our friend departs, whose mother will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery this Wednesday. We have my collection of nativities on our lighted and decorated mantle, table tops and mirrors!
Lori says
I didn’t decorate much bc I simply ran out of time. We celebrate early bc our kids want to make their own Christmas traditions. I usually do both the living room and dining room. I’m having a Christmas Dinner and plan to add more. But thankfully the rush of buying presents are over with.
But Kevin, the photo where the mirror catches the lit tree…..gives me that homey comfy, okey gooey feeling. It makes me breath a sigh and just relax….
mary m says
your mantel is lovely Kevin!… I love your house and garden pics…
We left our long-time home in April and moved to a 50+ condo complex in town , which we love!.. so this, our first Christmas here, we decided it would be a nice idea to get to know our new (fab) neighbours a bit better, so we are having an open-house cocktail party this weekend for 14 people… (everyone said yes!)
..So…Pretty well finished decorating house; mantel and stairwell garland done … nibbles and holiday cheer decided upon… hubby made our special cranberry-orange and almond sauce, all ready to tuck into brie-bites with a drop of Grand-Marnier- yum!….. so we’re getting there…hoping for a bit of snow to make it feel even more festive ..raining today..
Merry Christmas to you and Mr Fox, and to all your readers…..
from St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada!
Jane Smythe says
Kevin I too switched our holiday decorating to our living/dining room this year. Yours looks beautiful. Yesterday we hosted our family of 27 at a sit down dinner including your buttermilk biscuits! Delicious. I made 4 batches, froze them as you suggested and reheated them. Thanks from a Canadian fan. Merry Christmas. P.S. orange almond cake will be made over the holidays.
Marye Driver-Downs says
Love the comment, “when I’m lit….. “, I feel the same way.. it all looks great and merry.
Ro says
That fireplace is fabulous.
Merry Christmas to you and Silver Fox
Sandra Payette says
Looks beautiful, Kevin. Hats off to you and Mr. Fox for the gorgeous Christmas decor. Let the festivities begin. Love your place. All the best for a Happy Christmas and a fine 2020. xoxo
Candace Geary says
Since I am still recovering from having surgery, I just got the tree decorated, yesterday. I usually decorate the whole house. I just don’t have the stamina to put it all up and take it all down. Our living room and dining room will be all that I decorate this year. I love decorating for Christmas. I feel like the house has her pretty Christmas dress on, lol. Your home is beautiful, as always.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
Love the bamboo-edged mirror, so elegant and festive. Produce sure comes in handy, too! Wonderful Christmasy feeling to your photos, we trust you to help us get in the spirit and you never disappoint.
Linda says
Every year I say I’m going to have the decorating finished by the weekend after Thanksgiving, and it hasn’t happened yet! Last weekend I did the bulk of the outside, this weekend finished outdoors & got almost all of indoors finished. The smell of the tree makes it all worth it. Your parlor looks so festive and inviting!
Ardelle F Tuxen says
Kevin, Thank you for sharing your decorating – nothing better than Christmas decorations throughout the home – which I have always done… until this year. I have a hand injury that will require surgery right after the holidays – needless to say keeping the house work done is even falling behind. Any way, the neighbors and friends have decorated the pear tree, spruce tree and maple tree in the front yard and it looks wonderful. My ‘artificial’ tree is already pre-lit so it will sit in the L.R. but I won’t be hauling out ornaments for it. The stairs railings – well, I’m hoping I can coerce a friend or two to help out there – but – people are busy… I will meet at my best friend’s house for Christmas, however; and then Christmas with my children’s families on the 28th – lots of in-laws and grandchildren with schedules & travel to accommodate. Did I mention the 5 birthdays mixed into the next 2 weeks?? SIGH…. Merry Christmas Everyone
Mariayn in Indy says
We have had the tree up since Dec 6. Youngest daughter is in charge of that and she does a wonderful job placing over 100 ornaments & lights. The front of our porch is done for the neighbor’s great grandson…multi coloured lights mesh 3 foot candy canes. Did the window boxes with giant red balls and gold bows. we lost our old peach tree couple of weeks ago in windstorm –haven’t cut it up —birds still landing on it before going to the feeders……..so we put strands of lights on it easy to do this year!
Alyce says
“Less is more” is getting to be more common…and much easier. This is beautiful and I’ll be smells like Christmas.
Peggy says
I totally agree that one’s Christmas tree should be a personal reflection of one’s life. In my latest years I have pared down my ornaments to my favorites most of which are hand made by myself or family members. Since I am such a nature lover, I do have another little tree which is filled with ornaments of birds, wildlife, and even fish with a few handmade beaded snowflakes and little cedar baskets.
Great story writing about the doll on the top of the tree and your marshmallow ornament. That will always remind you of a very special beagle.
Mariska L says
I love your tree and decorations. We mostly decorate the living room. It’s a 30 foot long room with a fireplace. The mantle gets decorated and the tree on the opposite side of the room. We have also collected and made our ornaments. It makes us smile when we recount just where each one came from. All the breakables at the top and the un- breakables at the bottom because we have a Great Dane with a very happy tail. If she is in particularly happy mood she can bat an ornament clear into the dinning room.
I’ve also added bells this year and every so often she lets us know an angel got her wings
Happy Christmas to you and all
Phyll says
We decorated our Christmas tree and ornaments inside and outside our house before Thanksgiving. We are most thankful for this Christmas, as our son-in-law was struck by a truck recently and he is alive!!!! This is the best Christmas ever!!!! Christmas is about family and not tangible things. God bless us all.
Katybee says
It looks beautiful.
Merry Christmas to both of you and your sweet pup too.
XXOO
DIANNE K WINTERS says
I have downsized my decorating. I use fresh greens as well and even one spray over a picture makes it festive. We still have a fresh tree…I can’t quite give that up.
Pat C says
I am about a week behind on everything related to Christmas. My husband is the decorator in my house, thank goodness. He is doing a beautiful job although we do seem a little scaled back this year, so far, but “It ain’t over yet!”
Karen Mary says
How pretty! Thanks for sharing the lovely room—the perfect place to have a festive drink and gathering! I decorate the entire house, inside and out, but it’s pretty simple (we’re not talking a lot of little decorative items, but big wreaths and satin ribbons and lots of festive linens). Cheers!
Christine says
Love the fruity festiveness. This was my first Christmas in my house–oh, well, actually second, but we closed on the house just before Christmas last year so that barely counts. So, this year, I was very anxious to do ALL the decorating. Everything I did felt so much sparser versus what I was used to in the apartments I lived in. We did a 7 ft Fraser Fir with my collection of ornaments from all over (I pretty much buy an ornament everywhere I go) in our family/TV room and I put a fake white 4 ft tree with some vintage ornaments I have in the front living room. Candles and a few faux greens with a few other holiday things here and there rounded it out. I have to say, I was still not getting the big wow I was hoping for. I told my husband I wasn’t going to be satisfied until there was garland hanging from every bit of the ceiling and over every flat surface. So, doubt I’ll get to THAT this year!
Pam in Virginia says
Absolutely gorgeous. It puts me in a Christmas mood like nothing else I’ve seen. Merry Christmas to you and Mr. Fox and Avery and the kitties (2?) that are in there somewhere.
Pam
Sheila says
Hi Kevin- I love your tree and mantel decorations! Your fireplace is so beautiful-they don’t make them like that anymore! I decorated the porch, my large Norfolk Island pine, the dining room table, and other bits here and there. We have a small bungalow so a little goes a long way-Santa likes a little space to move around without knocking something over. Happy holidays to you and Mr. Fox!
Sherry in Willow Grove says
Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Fox, and the critters…Love the Lily story, I’m sure she is still missed even with the newest addition. Your home and decorations are stunning, as always. As of the date of your post, the only decorations I had up were the ones not put away from last year! It seems that life is getting more and more hectic, with less time and energy on my end…As of today, I put an Elf mug on the bathroom shelf to hold the plant, and I finally removed the fall wreath and put a holiday wreath on the front door. I purchased a new one because I can’t get up to the attic to get the one I usually hang. I also can’t get our 6ft pre-lit one from the attic – waiting to get my new knee in January so I ordered a 2ft artificial tree from Amazon, but it hasn’t arrived. Better times in 2020. Thanks again for your humor, love, and posts. Happy & Healthy new year to you and yours.