Hi Bright, We're going to be heading out in our motor home the early part of January, so I'm taking my decorations down early this year. The house always looks so blah after all the pretty Christmas things are put away.

I think it would be cute to continue a "snowy" theme until around the end of January. You can still use some greenery, bows, snowmen, snowflakes, etc.

I need to make a new wreath for my wreath holder on my buffet. Can't quite picture it in my mind yet, but know I'll come up with something. I'll be putting two of my favorite rose plates back out. They were sent to me by a good friend this year, and I just love them. I'll probably coordinate the wreath to go with them and my other plates on the wall.

You have a gorgeous fireplace and don't you live out where you can easily collect branches and pinecones? Well, that would be if they aren't all covered with snow, I guess. Anyway, that might be a direction to decorate in for the rest of the winter.

Luvs

I'm not much help, Bright, every where you look in my house you see the dog, rabbit, and horse stuff. Statues and art.
Luvs is right, keep a winter theme going. Especially with the branch ideas we've seen. Just spray paint some, or add the glitter glue or diamond dust. They sure make a lovely statement I think. Do you have any tall candlesticks? Those look wonderful grouped together too.
Browse our Christmas Inspiration album some more and see if you can't tweak a few ideas, from the Misc album or table/centerpiece album.
You collect angels, so they should look pretty out with candles or greenery for the rest of winter.

hugs, Karen

Bright, I feel the same way you do...I hate to go back to the same old stuff again. If I had my way, I'd leave my Christmas decorations up all year. Don't think my family would care for that though.

anything with branches, crystals, white candles and snowy theme - then all you need to do is pop in some shiney red hearts and red candles for Valentines Day .....

Lynne

Ahhh, Lynne just reminded us to enjoy our winter themes now because Valentines will be here before we know it. I like her branches, crystals, and white candles idea. I usually have lots of roses and bunnies, but not quite ready for them to go back out yet.

Karen, your statues and figurines always look great no matter what the season. And I love how you add a bow around some of their necks to go with each holiday.

Luvs

Christmas is staying till the 6th! Then it will look bare.
I don't have too much deco for Valentine's, but I do have some for St Pat's!

Oh gosh, no way do I want to suddenly think Valentine's.
I want to wallow in Dec and Xmas colors and lights!! LOL.
I need it. This is such a beautiful time of year to be in Phoenix, highs in the 60s. We don't have a real winter, we just have a short break from the terrible heat that begins in May and lasts till Nov! I actually dread Spring because that means the heat is on the way back. We don't have seasons like most of you do, we have HOT and Nice. The colors of Christmas are as close as I can get to a 'season', and as far as I can get from the heat.
On my other Forum, some of the gals are excited about getting the Christmas stuff packed up and things back to 'normal'. Not to mention de-cluttered. I feel like a stranger, in a foreign land. LOL. Am I the only one who wants to hang on to Christmas for another few weeks? I'm actually going on a bit of a guilt trip because of it. LOL. A little voice keeps saying I "should" start packing things away for another year. But I'm trying to ignore it.

hugs, Karen

I feel the same way Purplemoon. I just got my tree up two days before Christmas. My decorations were done the Sunday before. It seems that everyone starts Christmas so early (the day after Thanksgiving). I can not do that. December is so busy with shopping, cleaning, wrapping, baking, job, etc.. that when I finally get to Christmas day that is when it all starts for me, that I can finally relax and I want to enjoy all the pretty things. Why rush it? What happened to the 12 days of Christmas? I will leave mine all up till about the 3rd week of January. I can't get enough of it.
Happy Day to everyone...

I keep our decs up until the day after Twelfth Night (January 6th). I am really enjoying them all this year. The day after Christmas, we sat in our living room the entire day, in front of the tree with a cozy fire in the fireplace. I kept glancing up from my book, thinking "I love this season!"
But, if you're looking for ideas for your "After" mantel and want some pics, here's my living room mantel before I put my holiday decs up. Three paintings (the two side ones by my bestfriend, an artist here in NM), six antique books I love, two candlesticks and a long sugar mold votive candle holder. Pot on right is a Native American wedding vase.

I actually have four fireplaces, but the other three are kiva fireplaces and the typical small, narrow mantels . . . which are inpossible to decorate!I doubt you'll get much inspiration there! Here's our MBR one:
{{gwi:1460544}}
Here's the one in our family room:

Lynne, Wow I love all Your fire places!!! Would love to have on in the master br. Love the colors of the one in the family room. Thanks for the lovely pictures.

I'm with you all am totally not ready to take it all down. I went all out this year and the house will look neckked!!!
I will take a picture once I remove the garland. Would like a spring garland maybe. The room is soo dark with the brick fireplace and dark paneling that dh won't let me remove. I need to lighten it up somehow.

Instead of a garland, why not brighten it up with light colored accessories? A larger picture with a wide, light colored mat would brighten that area up. Or, a big mirror whose frame you've painted a light color or whitewashed. And/or big, chunky candles in a number of sizes and shapes grouped along the mantle; maybe a whitewashed basket filled with ivy spilling out. There are many possibilities. Just show us some pics and we can give you more suggestions.
Lynn

Bright, you don't need to jump into Spring colors if you do the "January white" look. With greenery. See what crystal things you have too that catch the light. Leave up the tiny white clear lights if you have them too.

Tralyn, thanks. Glad to hear you're really enjoying your hard work too.

Dream, we both need a Xmas room to leave decorated ALL year I think. LOL. We could shut the door and our family and friends wouldn't even have to know about our special little "Happy Place". Sounds good to me.
I love how Betty has had her big Xmas tree up for three years, and can enjoy it as much as she wants when she wants.
Atta girl, Betty!

LynneNM, those fireplaces are really pretty. I'm with your Pup, my favorite is the bedroom one!

It was 74 here today. I re-arranged the FR shelves, and top of two curios, and put out some of my new sale items to enjoy. I just put away some of the little Santa figurines, mostly tho, I just moved stuff around.

hugs, Karen

Lynne, how neat to have three fireplaces! I wanted to tell you that I have a fan shaped fire screen like the one in your bedroom--but mine is with my one and only front room fireplace! LOL I love the design on the chimney in your family room, did you paint that?

I truly enjoyed my Christmas decorations this year too. Went in to sit by the tree many times and just enjoy the lights from it, the mantle, my window ledge, and a tree with white lights in the corner. I'm glad I've gone back to using red/gold decorations--they just felt like Christmas to me. Now I'll tell you that mine are all gone except for the outside lights and my patio flag--and boy, did I ever have one heck of a time packing it all up and getting it to fit back on the shelves in my storage shed! I've got to quit adding more decorations every year and not getting rid of any old ones! LOL I wanted it all put away so I could get the house back to normal since we will be gone all the month of January--but I do miss it now.

Luvs

Thank you for the compliments on my fireplaces. And, Luvs, yes I did paint our family room fireplace. I did the upper part with two (dish) sponges that I cut into convex and concave shapes. I painted the small detail paintings along the bottom, lying on my side on that hard brick floor, with a tiny brush and a lot of damp Q-tips to wipe off my mistakes and drips ;^D
Lynn

Sure turned out great, Lynne. I love it. Luvs