A Children’s Space Filled with Christmas Cheer

Hi friends, I’m so excited to share the beginning of our Christmas home tour with you. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year and it takes everything in me to wait until after Halloween to begin decorating. I have such sweet childhood memories of Christmas. I so vividly remember the magic I felt as I stared at tiny lit up holiday villages and figurines. I spent hours on our living room floor, admiring the collection of whimsical and handmade ornaments that covered my parents tree each year. My love of all things Christmas began as a small child and has followed into my adult years. I feel so much joy as the season approaches and celebration begins.

This year, I have decided to take a simpler approach to our Christmas decor in our main living area, focusing on natural greenery and neutrals. Graham and Harrison are at such a sweet and curious age. It was important to me that I create a space for them that brings about all of those feelings of whimsy, wonder and magic of the season. I wanted their room to be filled with things to adore but also things that can be played with. My heart jumped for joy as I unleashed them in their room, newly decked for the season, and watched them take notice of each detail.

Here are a few tips for pulling together a kids space:

1. Shop your house- You don’t have to break your budget to decorate. A little creativity and searching your own space can often be just what you need. I gathered some of my boys favorite toys and treasured animals to take part in this magical celebration. I used left over gift wrap from last season to replace hanging art prints. I leave the existing prints in the frame and shuffle them so there’s no additional storage or searching as photos and prints change throughout the year.

2. Collect special pieces over time- Each year, I try to purchase a few things I know will be loved for years to come. This year, I grabbed a few new Christmas books, a Who-Ville sign and two plush mugs of eggnog and hot cocoa. I found all of these items shopping sales and spent a minimal amount for things that are sure to be loved and used again.

3. Dress up existing toys- I love to shop Target Bullseye’s Playground and discount stores like HomeGoods for fun and inexpensive party items. Look for items that can be used to add festive details to toys. You’ll notice that many of the animals, including my dog are wearing Santa party hats. These were a HomeGoods find I grabbed on clearance in a multi pack for just a few dollars. I used bottle brush trees, a small ornament, and garland made into a wreath to dress up toy vehicles and a farmhouse.

Graham and Harrison were delighted when they turned the corner and saw that their Magna Tiles had transformed into Christmas trees

One of their very favorite Christmas decorations are these snowballs and mugs filled with warm holiday drinks. I love that these are both adorabe decor pieces but also toys that they can enjoy. The snowballs are light and fluffy, perfect for tossing around safely. All of the mugs are stuffed dog toys that I have collected from HomeGoods and Marshalls. They are soft enough to sleep with and perfect for imaginative play

The Christmas blankets draped over the end of their beds are muslin swaddles that I purchased last year. They are well loved through the season and perfect for snuggles.

I used inexpensive wreaths I had on hand that are simple and can withstand little hands tugging at them.

These two stockings from our existing decor added the perfect amount of color to the shiplap walls and I fell in love with this red Who-Ville sign I found at Hobby Lobby.

Over the past several years, I’ve been slowly collecting children’s Christmas books. Books can be expensive, so collecting them over time can make it more manageable. I added a few new ones this year, including Pick a Pine Tree. I love to search Amazon outside of the Christmas season as well as HomeGoods for the best deals.