Our Christmas

There’s a fun contest at the end of this post, courtesy of Serena and Lily. Don’t miss it!

This year, Ken and I declared a lazy Christmas in our house. We’ve worked harder than ever this year, and as the snow falls this December, the mighty are falling with it. We’re staying horizontal as much as possible, curling up on sofas to nap and dream and think and talk. And because Bee is a ripe 1.5 years old (which means there is much boisterous mayhem to be had without the addition of breakable bulbs to shatter and pine needles to swallow), our living space is tree-less, decor-less, light-less. Truthfully, there’s not a garland in sight. It’s perfect, in a weird way.

But here’s the thing: Ken is a certified Christmas elf. He lives for snow and carols and corncob pipes. He’s been Clark Griswalding since 1981 and is, without a doubt in my mind, the jolliest of souls around. He and December go way back. So to deprive him of merry-making in our home for the sake of a low-key Christmas seems just… crazy. And last weekend, I got to work.

For those of you who followed our renovation on HGTV.com, you’ll know we have a very, very unfinished basement. Ken’s been slowly working away at the space this year – tearing down studs and moving support beams and installing windows – creeping closer and closer to his dream of creating a multi-purpose entertaining space and theatre. But until then, we watch a lot of Netflix shows on the iPad, huddled up in our bed, trying not to wake up the baby one room over. And because Christmas movies are meant to be extravagantly enjoyed – to be free-based, preferably with red wine or popcorn and definitely slippers – our current situation just wouldn’t do.

So after surprising Ken with a handmade advent calendar created specifically for Christmas movies (25 films, 25 days!), we decided to decorate a tiny nook in our very unfinished basement – our official Christmas corner. We set up the projector and strung some lights and built the coziest fort we could muster. No babyproofing necessary, because it’s in our own little secret corner of the world. And it has been delightful.

We’ve watched Polar Express and Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Love, Actually and Christmas Lodge, which absolutely made me cry tears for buttermilk biscuits and faraway cabins and unanticipated love.

My days are filled with anticipation for 8pm when we put little Bee down and retreat to our quiet fort to lose ourselves in the magic of storytelling and Christmas. And although I miss our tree on some days, this feels perfectly right and good and true.

Serena and Lily asked a few of their favorite bloggers to share how they were decorating their homes for Christmas with their new holiday collection, so you can see our cozy fort here. Even better? You can vote for your favorite blogger’s decor for a chance to win $1,000 in the official Serena & Lily Holiday Contest.

Thanks to Serena and Lily for making our Christmas a bit more intentional – and a lot more lazy. Merry (early) Christmas, friends!