Cozy “Little Women” inspired Christmas decorations

A cozy home!

My favorite part about the Christmas season, is decorating the house. Nothing feels more comforting to me than to make the house super cozy during the coldest and darkest season of the year. The warm fairy lights, the scent of oranges and cloves, red velvet ribbons and a big, friendly Christmas tree filled to the brim with ornaments I have been collecting for years. One of my biggest inspirations to decorate my home is the classic story “Little Women’’.

“Little Women”

“Little Women” is a book that was written in 1868 by Louise May Alcott. This beautiful story about the lives of four sisters, is a classic story that has been adapted to a movie. The first one I saw, was in the 90s which starred Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst and many more. However, there has been a more recent adaptation from 2019 that I keep rewatching for inspiration. It’s currently on Netflix.

1. Lighting

Fairy Lights

The most important part to me are the fairy lights and lots of them! Sure, fairy lights did not exist back then but let’s forget that part for a second.

I start by hanging them up around mid-November because that’s usually around the time the Winter blues kick in for me. Usually, I put these up before the Christmas tree. In the past, I used to be frantic about our Christmas decorations and I pushed myself to have it all done in one day. Nowadays, I want an intentional and calm Christmas. I also want the weeks leading up to it, to be as serene and as comforting as possible. Coziness is the goal here! So no more rushing nor pushing.

Warm tones

I personally prefer warm, yellow lights that give the same type of lighting that candles do. I only have LED fairy lights and I put them nearly everywhere. We rarely turn on the overhead lights, as these fairy lights and some of our table lamps provide more than enough light. The warm glow it creates in our house makes my heart sing. It is the first thing I do on dark gloomy mornings, turning on the fairy lights. It instantly uplifts my charming Winter mood.

Candles

Candles are a must in my opinion. I have them around the bathtub, in my home office, botanical room, living room and kitchen. Of course I never leave them unattended and I make sure they are secure and safe.

2. A classic red and gold Christmas tree

I’ve always loved the classic and traditional Christmas tree with different shades of red, gold and a touch of green. Even as a child I had a clear idea about what the colors and overall feel should be. I would marvel at the beautifully decorated window displays of stores. I’ve had most of my ornaments for nearly two decades, only adding one or two each year.

The tree was an investment, one I did four or five years ago. And although many people say that buying a real tree is more environmentally friendly, if you purchase a fake one of high quality then you’ll be able to have it for decades to come.

As you can see, I’ve added some fun ornaments to the tree that I collected throughout the years. Some I got from the places we travelled to, others I found in stores that no longer exist. I even use  Eiffel tower key chains that I brought from Paris.

My latest and probably most favorite additions are these croissants and the macarons that my mother gifted me. I also got my eye on Marin Montagut’s https://en.marinmontagut.com/ ornaments, in particular the one of the famous French painter, Paul Sézane. Marin Montagut’s charming curiosity shop is in Rue Madame 48 in Paris. I highly recommend visiting his store. It’s gorgeous, but pricey.

3. Garlands, ribbons and friendly creatures

Garlands can be made of real greenery or you could buy faux ones. However, I invested in faux ones 15 years ago and they still look pretty much the same. Even though I think garlands made of fresh greenery look better and have a lovely, Christmassy scent, they dry out fast and tend to fall apart. I love to hang them around the doors and put some fairy lights around them. My decorations on the garlands itself are quite sober.

Ribbons and their ability to add an instant feel of luxury and elegance to anything, is something we underestimate! If you become intentional about keeping an eye out for them, then you’ll surely find some gorgeous ones. There are so many beautiful prints and textures out there and it’s a fairly economical way to decorate. I love the velvet ones in deep shades of burgundy or green. Like with anything we own, if we treat it with respect and care, then we’ll be able to reuse it again and again.

Friendly creatures such as reindeers and owls with fancy Christmas outfits make me smile. I once went to the supermarket to buy onions and came home with Rudy. I also love this goose that I found in a thrift store last year. A fancy, velvet ribbon around her neck et voila, Christmas outfit on point!

4. Table pieces and wreaths

I love what you can do with a bit of greenery from the garden. A few branches from my conifer tree, holly or bay leaves, beautifully arranged in a wicker basket, can look very elegant. In addition, I also love to forage for beautiful greenery or branches during my nature walks with the pups. Making wreaths while listening to Beth Kempton’s gorgeous podcast “The Calm Christmas Podcast”. I also recommend her cozy and inspirational book “Calm Christmas”.

5. Decorating with herbs

Herbs such as bay leaves, eucalyptus, cinnamon sticks, star anise… are gorgeous herbs to decorate with for Christmas. Not only do they have a divine scent, they also look beautiful, earthy and simple. I often use them in vases, jars or bowls. This year I also added nuts to my décor.

6. Oranges

I loveeeee using oranges for decoration. I use them in two ways, decorating them with cloves and cutting them in slices and drying them in the oven. Drying them is fairly easy, I put them in the oven (100 degrees Celsius or 200 degrees Fahrenheit) and leave them there for at least two hours. Occasionally turning them over so they won’t burn. You could use the dried oranges as ornaments in your Christmas tree, add them to your wreaths or in jars and baskets.

7. Soft blankets & pillows

When I think of Christmas, especially the traditional kind which is beautifully portrayed in ‘Little Women’, I think of coziness, warmth and comfort. And what is more cozy, creates more warmth and comfort like a stack of deliciously soft pillows and blankets?

There’s nothing I love more than curling up on the couch or bed, covered in soft blankets and surrounded by pillows and dogs! Perfection to my heart!

I hope this post inspired you to turn your home into a cozy, Christmas sanctuary.

Love,

Wendy