Creating New Holiday Traditions

December 18, 2023 I lost my mother. It has been a difficult year, and with the anniversary of her passing approaching I find myself feeling anxious and sad. Being mindful to give myself grace and embrace these feelings, I made it a point to decorate our condo this holiday season. I felt like it would help me stay-somewhat-in good spirits, and I was right. It was also a good way to start a new holiday tradition.

We’ve lived in Long Beach now for 18 months and one thing I’ve had to adjust to is the amount of space, or the lack thereof. Our home in Las Vegas is 2,000 sq. ft. and the perfect size for a family of three. Our condo in Long Beach is about 1,500 sq. ft. and, although it’s beautiful, it’s…smaller than what I’m used to. So, when it came to decorating, I had to find a way to maximize decorating the space with the decorations I brought with me.

Here are few ways I decorated our Long Beach condo this holiday season.

Table Decorations

I love candles and have them throughout our condo, especially during this time of year. These candle holder rings are available at Michaels and are the perfect enhancement to candles. I love that they come in various designs and sizes for candles of all sizes.

Our dining table is adorned with holiday placemats and a Black Santa table runner. While the placemats originally belonged to my grandmother, I found this Black Santa table runner on Amazon a couple of years ago. It’s no longer available, but I love how it adds additional holiday charm to the surface.

Hanging Jingle Bells

I love these hanging jingle bells on our main door. This piece also came from Michaels and it’s a fun way to announce when someone walks in. While this particular style is no longer available, there are other styles available to choose from.

Stockings & Holiday Florals

What are decorations without stockings? I found these stockings at Nordstom Rack last holiday season and absolutey love them! The red stocking belonged to my mother. Although she’s no longer with us, I thought it would be great to put it up in remembrance of her. And how cute are the red bows? They’re a great holiday addition to the stockings.

What’s the holiday without Poinsettia’s? As with many of the other decorations, these were also purchased from Michael’s and add a nice touch of green to the holiday charm.

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted a pencil tree and I am so glad I made the decision to buy one. Our tree is perfect for the condo. I love a minimalist tree that still says Happy Holidays and that’s exactly what this tree does.

Now that you’ve seen how I’ve decorated the condo, let me know what pieces you love and may purchase for future holiday decorations in your home.

Until next time!