Holiday Decorating

5 New Holiday Traditions We’re Starting This Year

Sweet, Memorable Traditions to Look Forward to Every Year
Filed Under > Holiday Decorating

Holiday traditions with @waitingonmartha Holiday traditions with Waiting on Martha

After talking with our friend Anna recently about thoughtful holiday traditions for the family, we got to thinking about a few new memories we can make this year to commemorate the holiday season.  Anna introduced us to St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) where her kids leave out their shoes for St. Nick to fill them up with candies and goodies, and both MKR and I just loved that.  The tradition immediately made me think of Three Kings Day (Jan. 6 aka Epiphany), a holiday we celebrated in southern Spain when I lived there for a few years as a little girl.  It was always a delight waking up to find chocolate coins and taffy in our shoes! 

Does your family partake in any cherished holiday traditions this time of year?  Do you set up an Advent Calendar or watch the same marathon of Christmas movies with holiday hot chocolate?  As the team sets out to start their own holiday traditions this year, we’d love to hear about any you do to add to our list!  And these aren’t just for the little ones..we included our new favorite southern cream liqueur in the mix…proof that kids of all ages can have a little fun with these new holiday traditions!  Cheers, Kat

Celebrate St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6

Santa & Tree Foiled Chocolate, $16.95

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There are old Christian traditions surrounding St. Nicholas’ feast day on December 6; kids leave their shoes out overnight in front of the fireplace, on the windowsill, or outside their bedroom door so that St. Nicholas can fill them with special fruits like tangerines, candies like chocolate coins and taffy, as well as other small gifts and treats.

We especially love this tradition for kids of all ages (hence the Jackson Morgan southern cream liqueur!).  And if you have little ones at home, encourage them to leave carrots or hay in their shoes St. Nicholas’ donkey to eat too. St. Nicholas will replace it with treats to enjoy in the morning! 

Don’t forget treats for your furry friends, too! 

Set Up an Advent Calendar

3D Village Advent Calendar, $20

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An advent calendar is a fun and easy way to signify the countdown to Christmas Day. While advent calendars come in all shapes and sizes these days, the original advent calendar can be traced back to the 19th century, when religious families made a chalk line for every day in December until Christmas Eve. 

Fill your advent calendar with small chocolates and treats to keep the excitement of the season alive for all. 

Pick Out an Annual Ornament

Red Ming Vase Ornament, $89

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We love the idea of adding one special ornament to the tree each year to commemorate times spent with family and friends. Plan a trip to pick out your ornaments together, or have them ordered by the time you decorate the tree. It will be such a treat to pull them out each year and remember the memories tied to them! 

Shop our memory-worthy ornaments here. 

Open One Present on Christmas Eve

Sweater Knit Beanie with Faux Fur, $32

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Opening just one gift on Christmas Eve is a fun tradition to do in eager anticipation for Santa Claus to arrive the following day. Invite your family to share this memory as you settle in after the presents are opened, reading holiday stories and cozying up with holiday hot chocolate

To find our top gift ideas this year, visit the Holiday Headquarters

Celebrate Three Kings' Day on Jan. 6

Mesh Bag of Good Fortune Candy, $23.94

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Three Kings Day, aka“Feast of the Epiphany,” on Jan. 6 marks the day on the Christian calendar when the three kings brought gifts to baby Jesus (and also the last day of the 12 days of Christmas).  The traditions originated in Spain and Latin American countries, though many in the US celebrate it now too.  The tradition goes: children line their shoes outside the front door, in which the three kings leave candies and small gifts. Many people leave a box of hay or grass too, for the camels of course! 

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

As pictured: boots | kilim boots | black heels | chocolate Santa and chocolate treechocolate Santa coins | peppermint wafer rolls | gummy starsJackson Morgan southern cream liqueur | Cinnamon glazed pecans | Candy cane taffy & chocolate coins 

Creating Christmas Magic with Frontgate

A formal dining room gets a stunning holiday display
Filed Under > Holiday Decorating

Blue and white Christmas decorations, Waiting On MarthaBlue and white and emerald holiday decor, @waitingonmartha Blue & White tabletop decor, Waiting On Martha Blue and white Christmas decorations, Waiting On MarthaGinger jar tabletop decor Emerald dining room with blue and white ginger jarsBlue and white ginger jars for the holidays Blue and white Christmas decorations, Waiting On Martha Blue and white ginger jars on the holiday tableBlue and white Christmas decorations, Waiting On Martha Blue and white christmas decorations, Waiting On Martha

You know, a lot of people don’t realize all of the love (and sweat and tears) that go into running a small business.  Sure, by now everyone’s read about the nonexistent weekends and the many nights spent burning the midnight oil.  But perhaps the biggest unsung heroes behind Team WOM are my parents.  

Ever since WOM was in its early years, my parents have bent over backwards to help me.  They’ve been at all of the big moves, all of the install-days, all of the true milestones.  I knew I wanted to find a way to thank them this year by giving back this Christmas.  They are after all the ones who instilled my deep, undying love for the holiday season and Christmas decorations.  And in true MKR-fashion, I had my heart set on surprising them in a way that would take their breath away.  So when Frontgate proposed a holiday collaboration, I jumped at the opportunity to make a little Christmas magic happen.

See, my parents have worked on a huge home remodeling project this past year and my favorite room has easily become the dining room in all of it’s emerald green gorgeousness.  The dining room was also the perfect choice since it becomes the heart of the home this time of year as we all find ourselves gathered around the table in our best holiday attire. 

First on my list, of course, was bringing in a Christmas tree.  Since this would be Mom and Dad’s secondary tree, I decided to have a little fun with it.  I opted for this Noble Slim Artificial Pre-Lit Christmas tree (the dining room has lovely tall ceilings). Let’s just say this is a far cry from your old artificial tree in the attic; all the cords come inside the inner pole, so you don’t have to do anything but turn on the switch when setting it up. Seriously, it took me five minutes versus the typical hour! 

Since the dining room is the most formal room in the home, I had fun stepping outside my parents’ classic holiday decor of red and green, going instead with a blue and white chinoiserie theme.  My love for ginger jars and all things blue and white has always been enthusiastically welcomed by my mother and father.  And ever since they painted the dining room that gorgeous emerald green, I’ve been dreaming of adding the details that chinoiserie dreams are made of (read: ginger jar galore).  And by going this route it allowed me the perfect opportunity to add special occasion-worthy items that can be used long after the holidays are through. 

To be exact, that meant: lining the dining table with as many ginger jars I could find, new and old.  Bringing in these stunning hand-beaded Chinoiserie Ming placemats and Chinoiserie Ming coasters.  Chinoiserie Ming embroidered napkins and Chinoiserie Ming napkin rings.  Exquisite gold and white place settings and wine glasses.  A pre-lit Christmas wreath with extra adornments to hang on the mirror.  This French Manor tree skirt, hand-beaded to perfection.  And of course, all of the blue and white ornaments I could find with Faux Pearl Droplets (because more is always more). 

One thing I came to realize during all of this is that Frontgate makes it a total dream to decorate.  They sell 60-piece ornament collections with a variety of 8-10 different styles within a handful of themes (in addition to single ornaments, of course).  I obviously beelined to this French Blue & Linen collection to go along with my blue and white chinoiserie, but the Natural Elements collection and Mixed Metals both create just as stunning of an effect. 

I couldn’t be happier with the final product…my parents were over the moon to find such a beautiful, magical space awaiting them.  With pieces I know will be treasured for years and years to come, the room celebrates the season in extraordinary detail in an elegance that can really be enjoyed all year ’round.   Truly, MKR

P.S. I was incredibly impressed with the quality of everything upon arrival; my holiday haul landed on my parents’ doorstep in 25 boxes filled with fragile, breakable items and nothing…I repeat, NOTHING was broken. That was especially huge for me with this project a complete surprise for my parents and all.  I had an extremely quick turnaround while they went away for the weekend, and I was able to pull it all off without a hitch thanks to some good packing.  All of the ornaments came with great boxes for storing for years to come (a necessity, really).  xo

 

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha | This post is in collaboration with Frontgate, a brand we love and adore.  All opinions are 100% our own. 

Deck the Halls with These 10 Top Holiday Greens

Gorgeous Wreaths, Garland & Tabletop Trees to Shop Now
Filed Under > Entertaining

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Perhaps one of my favorite days of the season is when we decide to “deck the halls.”  Lugging out the ornaments, decorations and tree from the attic after we return from Thanksgiving always signals that Christmastime is here.  With the Christmas tunes playing, and a few glasses of wine poured, my roommates and I get cozy and attempt to recreate the magic of the season that we all grew up with at home.  

We began the merry decorating last night.  And after surveying our setup, and with a little inspiration from MKR, I now have my heart set on adding a sweet tabletop trees to our mix like this one or this one (aren’t they perfect?!).  We set up our artificial tree, but my roommates and I all agree that adding the baby tree or this boxwood wreath to our front door would be simply magical this year.  Since I’m so bad at decisions, I’ll be tapping MKR for a little help on which to buy.  As you know by now, she takes this time of year pretty seriously, and she goes all out with a live garland too (someday I plan on it too!).  Apparently the best one she’s ever had is the garland she bought this year!  With fresh spruce and eucalyptus, it’s as aromatic as it is beautiful. #Swoon

But enough about us; how are you decking the halls at home this year?  If you’re looking for a little greenery inspo, check out our top 10 picks for holiday greenery below…gorgeous dried and live holiday wreaths, lush garland and little tabletop trees galore.  Cheers, Kat

P.S. For more inspiration as you “deck the halls” and everything that comes with it, head to our Holiday Headquarters! xo 

18" Olive & Integrifolia Wreath, Dried

One Kings Lane, $48

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Made of fresh olive branches and integrifolia, and made in the USA, this stunning holiday wreath is finished with a cream ribbon. After buying, you’ll find that the fresh greenery will air dry naturally.  And these dry greens will retain most of their color for awhile…just avoid moisture & heat.

20" Magnolia Wreath

One Kings Lane, $48

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Lush green and brown fresh magnolia leaves come together for a beautiful 20-inch holiday wreath.  Our favorite part?  It’s welcome in our homes any time of year, and especially for Christmastime. 

6' Holiday Cedar Garland, Dried

One Kings Lane, $89

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This is a great option for your classic, dried holiday garland.  Composed of cedar and fir, you’ll want to keep this garland inside…but the possibilities to adorn it are endless.  Think simple and rustic or over-the-top merry merry with ornaments!  Like other garland, preserve this one by keeping it out of direct sunlight. 

Christmas Tree Wreath

Williams-Sonoma, $79

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Celebrate the magic of the season with this Christmas Tree Wreath from Williams-Sonoma. This wreath is great inside and outside, and its fresh Monterey pine, red cedar boughs, bay leaves, eucalyptus and pinecones give off rich aromatics.  

24" Magnolia & Eucalyptus Wreath, Live

One Kings Lane, $79

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This 24-inch live magnolia and eucalyptus wreath brings the beauty AND the soothing fragrance of the holidays to your home. This lush wreath is made-to-order out of Evergreen, Alabama. 

Preserved Cedar Star Wreath

Terrain, $68

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Be still our hearts!  This preserved cedar star wreath is quintessential rustic Christmas. It’s been hand-crafted from preserved cedar boughs, and can easily hold ornaments or stand alone. To prolong its look, it’s best to avoid direct sunlight, humidity, and moisture. 

Tabletop Fraser Fir

Terrain, $68

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Sweet miniature tabletop trees from Terrain is making our way to our homes this year.  It’s a great tabletop tree for your heavier ornaments, as it has upturned branches and sturdy blue-green needles. It’s great too, because it arrives ready-to-go with a matching stand and rattan basket with a watertight liner.

Live 6' Olive and Eucalyptus Garland

World Market, $69.99

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World Market brings us a gorgeous, live olive and eucalyptus garland this year. A live garland like this one is one of our favorite ways to bring the outdoors inside this time of year.  Love the fact that the garland is handcrafted by a small family-operated farm in Northern California, too. 

Tabletop Noble Fir

Terrain, $78

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This sweet tabletop Noble fir has its classic pyramidal, narrow shape.  While it’s not super full, it’s still strong.  Its horizontal branches and curved, blue-green needles accented in white are a classic Christmastime look.  Very Charlie Brown, no?

18" Winter Boxwood Wreath

One Kings Lane, $99

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This stunning 18-inch wreath includes boxwood eucalyptus and dried tallowberries. In order to preserve freshness and prevent fading, cut ties from the bottom of box before removing wreath, and keep away from direct sunlight.

Photography, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha

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