Hi friends, welcome back and come on in! I’m kicking off the holiday season from home. This post pairs well with a pine or cinnamon scented candle, warm beverage, and “It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas” playing in the background. I started decorating on November 7th and it took me two days this year, I had more decorations than I realized! I tend to buy new things in January when they are on sale, so by the time it’s November, I’ve already forgotten what I got. It’s a nice surprise for me! We also picked up a few things on our trips this year, and they always make the season more special.
My entry table got another tree this year, I forgot that I ordered the tall one. There are candles inside that glow at night.
Our new accent wall makes our tree and decorations look even more festive this year! I’m going to need a new tree soon because I’m running out of room for ornaments. Ours is 7.5 feet, so maybe one year there will be a 9 foot tree in my tour. If you are buying a new tree, I would not recommend a pre-lit one because after a few years all the lights top working but it’s very difficult to take them off the tree. I learned that the hard way the past few years when they stopped working and I had to go out and get some light strands and light the tree myself anyway.
Our new ornaments this year from Florence, Rome, Positano, Ravello, Switzerland, and the Catskills.
Jon’s parents brought us this nativity scene all the way from their trip to Israel last year. It is handmade from olive wood and such a special souvenir.
As you can see, I really like the silver Christmas trees.
I’ve got a new peppermint pillow my mom secretly stowed away in my suitcase after I decorated their house.
The living room decorations.
Our Christmas Coffee station. On tap is Starbuck’s Holiday Blend.
Our advent calendars, I will say the chocolate in the Trader Joe’s advent calendars is not good, but you can’t beat the price of $1.29.
My Santa collection is growing exponentially.
I found the Santa on left in Florence although he was not handmade there, I still love him. The other Santa was handmade in Switzerland and we found him at the gift shop at First Mountain. He was very easy to bring home!
My favorite Christmas mugs are from Anthropologie. I’ve got no shortage of festive mugs and plates 🙂
I got a cute new charcuterie board I’ll be using all winter long. I even got little matching appetizer plates.
Jon and I picked out a few things for the office at Target this year. I really like how it’s festive but also understated. Jon is on video calls a lot so we had to keep it professional.
Our bathroom has a few little festive touches.
I love this little tree in our room. We could NOT get it apart after the holidays, even my dad tried and he couldn’t do it. We never use the bathtub in our second bathroom so that’s where we kept it all year. You have to be creative in NYC 🙂
If you’re wondering how I store everything, we have a holiday closet 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed this holiday tour!
Looks very festive! Obviously carefully curated and classy. I love the fact you have a special cupboard for your decorations. My OH will be decorating the tree shortly and I do the rest. Everything is stored in our spacious cave or cellar.
Thank you! When we moved the first thing I did was buy colored boxes for the different holidays. The tree is my least favorite part to decorate, I always save that for last. I look forward to the day of having a big basement with storage.
I would so love a basement (a library and a bigger kitchen)
Very festive! We’re decorating next weekend so this is starting to get me in the mood. I really love the little wooden reindeer in your window, he’s so cute!
Thank you! Jon picked that little deer out from TJ Maxx a few years ago, he is cute!
Beautiful, very cheerful! I’ll be doing all the decorating this weekend. I need to get as organised as you with storage. I store my delicate and/or inherited pieces very well but other things not so much!
Thank you! It does add some cheer and color to the apartment. When we lived in a one bedroom I had decorations in any nook and cranny I could fit it. When we moved, I was very excited to have the space to organize it nicely.
Spectacular Lyssy. You guys remind me of my son L and his partner A. They go Christmas crazy and have at least 7 trees in their place. Not sure if we will even make it home for Christmas this year, given our commitments on the West Coast, but, here is hoping we can see them soon. Thanks for sharing your place with us. Allan
Thank you! I think I wold get along very well with son L and partner A 🙂 7 trees sounds amazing! Hopefully you can see their version of the North Pole this year, but it is busy times being a grandpa!
Wow, your apartment is so beautiful and even more so when so wonderfully decorated for Christmas. I love your growing Santa collection and all the silver Christmas trees. I also love the colour red – though Christmas has no strict colour scheme, red tends to get the job done when it comes to spreading holiday cheer. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thank you!! I have a hard time resisting the urge to buy all the Christmas decorations 🙂 I love red too, it is my favorite color. Our apartment is so white that the decorations always help adding some cheer and coziness.
It’s the little things that catch my eye. The tree skirt looking like a colorful game of four-square. The light-up “JOY” sign. The dog on the couch conveniently looking up at the Santa blanket. The burst of red ornaments on the bottom shelf in Jon’s office. And the fact you can give up an entire closet for your Christmas stuff (must be plenty of other storage in your place!) I appreciate how much thought went into your displays.
You do like the little details! The tree skirt was the one my family used growing up, my grandma sewed it. I think the JOY sign needs some new batteries soon haha. I really like how the office turned out with the pops of color. We do have a lot of space for NYC standards, but we are also good about not having a lot of stuff. My friend described my style as “tidy chic” and I’m sticking to that 🙂
Absolutely festive and lovely! Considering you decorated the entire apartment, I can see how it took you two days. But the work really paid off! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
Thank you! I always save the tree for last and I just get so tired by the time I get to it. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season too!
Very nice! Happy holidays Lyssy!
Thank you! Happy holidays to you too!
Your apartment looks lovely and so cozy all decked out for the holidays.
Thank you! It does feel extra cozy all decorated 🙂
So well done. Love the festive feel.
Thank you! It is very cheery 🙂
Your decorations are amazing ! You have great taste!
Thank you so much!
Great that you are all trimmed up for the festive season. Tastefully done everywhere. We order a couple of real trees which will hopefully be delivered on our return to the UK.
Thank you! I bet your home smells wonderful with those trees. They will give you something to look forward to when you have to head back home.
I hope so!
Fun to see your decorating and the Christmas spirit.
Thank you! Lots of Christmas spirit coming you way the next month 🙂
Don’t fret about the “not handmade in Italy” Santa. It is the memory that counts. We collect Nativity sets from our travels. We even have one made from the ashes of Mt. St. Helen and a beautiful Waterford Crystal set from Ireland. However, when visiting Scotland (known for their frugal ways) I found a lovely one in St. Andrews. I turned it over and it said, “made in China.” I asked the clerk if they had any that were made in Scotland. She told me, ” Everyone wants handmade things from Scotland at Chinese prices. We just skip the middleman.” I bought it and laugh every year when I put it up.
True and I bought him at a church goodwill type store so it was for a good cause. Nativity sets are a great item to collect! That is a great story haha quality items are expensive. The little guy from Switzerland was like 45 francs or something because he was hand carved there. But he will last forever 🙂
I enjoyed the tour and all the new additions. Christmas decorating has a way of making everything so cozy and magical! Enjoy your holidays!
Thank you! You are right, it does make everything more cozy and magical. Hope you have a great holiday season too!
It’s quite a collection! Will there be a lighting ceremony?
Haha I really should!
Nice job with the holiday decor. I couldn’t help but laugh that you stash your small Christmas tree in the bathtub of your second bathroom.
Thank you! I told Jon I didn’t want the tree just shoved in a closet getting smushed so that was his solution haha. One day we will have a basement for it all 🙂
OMG I have the EXACT same Christmas tree decoration of the lemon from Positano!! 🙂 and WOW does your apartment look so festive and beautiful. Really, really lovely.
We are ornament/bauble twins!! Although I suppose it is not that surprising because 75% of the ornaments are lemons haha. Thank you!!
I love all of your holiday decorations, and this is inspiring me to start decorating too! Your tree is gorgeous!!!
Thank you!! It’s always feels so cozy and festive with the decorations.
That looks super cosy and festive!
The apartment looks gorgeous and very festive. I love the Nativity scene your parents gave you, it’s so elegant. Starbucks’s Christmas blend is on tap in our home, too. 🙂
Thank you! The Nativity scene is a nice addition, it got prominent shelf space 🙂 It’s nice to start the day festive!
So beautiful! Love the accent wall, nativity scene, and the golden retriever pillows! You did a great job! Merry Christmas!
Wow, you just reminded me about my ornament from Positano! Isn’t it wonderful to think back to those trips when you decorate the tree? Your apartment looks quite festive. Moms sure are great when it comes to sending you off with some goodies…..I love that peppermint pillow.