Finding My Aloha: Decking my halls...

The night after my son's birthday party, down came the clouds and airplanes and up went the boughs of holly. We only have 14 days left in our home before the movers come but I can't help it! I have to decorate. It breaks my heart we wont have Christmas in our home and that we cant have tree this year, so I had to do something. Read on to see how I decked my halls this year...

Here's my mantle all Christmasified....

Since we arent putting up a tree this year, we had an adundance of ornaments to decorate with. I grabbed my DIY hurricanes and began filling them with glass balls. I love the punch of color it gives the nook.

I was so happy to finally have a place to showcase my new mercury glass candleholders! These were at Kohl's for 70% off + an extra 15% damage discount (the candle holding ring just needed to be glued back down), so I picked these beauties up for- get this- $25 for all THREE! Yippee! Aren't they just gorgeous?

I usually buy fresh cedar garland each year, but since it really doesn't make sense do that this year I decided to blend the strands of artificial garland I already own. I took a regular fir garland and weaved in a very long needled garland and then added some mini LED lights. I L.O.V.E. it! It looks identical to the Pottery Barn garland I have been drooling over for 3 years. Little did I know I already had the makings of it in my own home!

Every year we head up to a sustainable Christmas tree farm in the foothills and stomp around in the muck in search of the perfect tree. Noble Firs are our favorite by a long shot. They remind us of home in Colorado. For two years running we have come home with the perfect tree. This is a shot of last year's 14 footer...

It's hard to find such good looking tall trees! If you still dont have your tree this year, check out one of my favorite websites http://www.pickyourown.org/. It lists all the Christmas tree farms in every State and County. Going to the farm is such a fun family tradition!

It just didn't feel right not to have our cherished family ornaments on display, so I rigged some branches and a pot for a little ornament tree very reminescent of a Charlie Brown tree...

Every year we get a couple/family ornament, plus one for our son, and an ornament for every vacation. We are slowly building a nice collection. Isn't it fun to see your family memories hanging on your tree each year? I used to decorate perfectly coordinated trees but now I wouldnt trade our eclectic collection of memories and blessings for anything. I wanted to share just a couple of my favorites...

This was my hubby and I's first ornament, given to us at our wedding by his grandmother...

And this one commemorates our Hawaiian honeymoon...

We got this ornament last February when we were at Whistler, BC for the 2010 Winter Olympics. That was a trip of a lifetime, and whenever I see this metal inukshuk it takes me right back to the slopes...

While in Leavenworth (WA) for Oktoberfest this fall, we picked up a cowbell to commemorate our many visits to the most darling Bavarian Christmas town ever!

Do you have any ornaments that just have to make it on the tree every year?

I couldn't just stop at the mantle, so I went up the stairs...

And then I finished up with a little frosting on my dining room chandy...

Well, that's it for this year. This is my favorite time of year between the holidays, family and friends, and snowboarding it really cant be beat! I am soooo looking forward to being able to properly get into the spirit next year in our new Alaskan home!

Have you decorated yet? If you have, I'd love to see! Leave me your links so I can live vicariously through you! :)

I am linking to these awesome sites and link parties, as well as Layla's Holiday Home Mantle Party.

UPDATE: This was featured at...