Due to my fractured pelvis, Christmas decorating has been severely scaled back this year. In fact, if it weren’t for the help of my very patient (I can be kinda bossy, I’ve been told on more than one occasion) and ultra kind BFF, Peggy, there may not have been much more than a tree. Peggy decorated at least six different areas of the house for me in those first couple of days after my return home from the hospital.

Another day, I had my dad take me to Home Depot to buy a couple of fresh evergreen garlands and a huge boxful of free fresh-cut greens (cast-off trimmings from trees they had sold), and a couple of handfuls of little tree truck rounds that had also been discarded.

I used the fresh greens throughout the house and put the rest in the canvas cart on the front porch.

A couple of other new additions to the porch are this vintage sled and ice skates, not that we’ve ever had or will ever have enough snow or ice to sled or skate here in the desert, but they do look darn cute and festive.

Plus, this huge red lantern I found for a steal, back in November, at Home Goods.

Come on in. The first thing you’ll see is the decked-out Chinese wine barrel that sits in the center of the entry. To create something similar in your home, you just need to find some used whiskey barrels and then you can create a number of different decorations in your home. Barrels can make lovely decorations, especially when they’re designed correctly.

Atop it is a cute and easy idea I stole from Pinterest. So easy – just use double-sided tape on a candle, then sprinkle glitter on the tape. Turns a plain-Jane candle into a Christmas candle in a matter of minutes. After the holiday, just peel off the tape.

If you venture in a little further, you’ll run into the sofa table. One of the garlands graces it, along with a few more new little touches.

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