10th Day of Christmas Giveaway with Nicki Koziarz
Christmas Sale: If you’d like info on getting any of my books (tax-free & with no shipping costs!) for you or as a personalized gift for someone, click here.
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Welcome to the 10th Day of Christmas Giveaway!!
Each day, December 1-12th, I am featuring a fellow Proverbs 31 sister and an aspect of Christmas. You’ll get to know her and she, in turn, will offer a fabulous giveaway! Simply leave a comment on her post to be entered in the drawing.
And, one soon-to-be-very-giddy gal who comments on all 12 posts will win the GRAND PRIZE! You may comment on all posts until Monday, December 13th at 5:00 pm EST when the winners will be announced. (to see the grand prize and get caught up on the posts click here)
Now, for our P31 sister of the day, the simple, yet eclectic, Nicki Kozairz!
Nicki serves P31 on the She Seeks team as a writer and devotional coordinator [www.sheseeks.org]. She is a wife of ten years and a momma to three girly girls. Taylor, Hope and Kennedy keep her on her toes all day long. But, in her down time she enjoys a cup of coffee with an authentic friend, a movie that will make her laugh and cry or an intense game of tennis with her husband. Most any day of the week Nicki has a decorating project happening at her home, this keeps her husband on HIS toes [smile].
Nicki is passionate about building up the kingdom of God and serves the Lord through speaking, writing, community building and teaching God’s word. She blogs at: www.nickikoziarz.com and would love to connect with you through the blog, facebook or twitter!
Nicki’s Decorating Know-How
Today I am really excited to share with you a little glimpse of my home at Christmas. I am [unfortunately] one those that does not have tons of extra money to spend during the holidays.
I have always wanted to buy all new decorations ,but that is just not going to happen. So this year, I came up with a theme for my house: Use what you have, have what you love.
I think a lot of people get into a rut during the Christmas season because we just can’t “do” everything we want to do. But I’ve come up with 3 simple and inexpensive ways for you to change things up a bit in your home and create a warm gathering place for all the people in your life.
1. Be creative with your placement of decorations
I think a common rut we can get into with our decorations is placing them in the same place each year, or at least I do. So this year I moved our tree to in front of the window. It’s not the most logical spot in our living room for it to go, but that’s ok –it makes me happy there. [Use what you have.]
I was soooo tired of our tree skirt that had been around since at least 1979. So I took an old tablecloth and gathered it around the tree. I’m convinced it looks like snow [wink]. My plan is after Christmas to look for a tree skirt for next year on clearance…and I will make sure it is something I L-O-V-E. [Have what you love]
Think about the places where you could hang stockings? Place the manger scene? Hang lights? Hang garland? Their are NO rules for decorating for Christmas. Have fun and think inside of your box of where you could place things differently.
2. K.I.S.S [Keep it sweet n simple]
In keeping with my theme, I took these two trees that last year I had on my fireplace and placed them on the bench in my kitchen. I took all of my girls special ornaments that they have made over the years and put them on these trees. [Use what you have] We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and I love looking at their little fingerprints on glass balls, chubby face pictures, tooth-pick ornaments and all those other yummy sweetness of the toddler days. [Have what you love]
3. Lose the tradition
I know. Christmas is filled with traditions! I love tradition but I won’t let it confine me…especially with decorating. So, I did it. I tossed the same stockings we have had for the past five years. [gasp!]
I found these really cute and fun stockings at a local craft store for $1.99 each and have plans on getting everyone’s name monogrammed on them soon. [Have what you love] Normally every year I do a big garland across the fireplace but this year, I wanted to K.I.S.S and tied some ribbon around my topiary trees and called it a day. [Use what you have]
Even decorating for Christmas can become an idol in our lives if we are not careful. By keeping things focused on using what we already have and making them things that we love, we can have more time for celebrating what this season is really about…Jesus. Have fun and don’t be stressed out about what you don’t have.
From my home to yours…Merry Christmas!
Nicki’s Giveaway:
One of you will win a year’s subscription to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, given by Nicki, so you can continue to be inspired to buy things you love and use things you have creatively!
Today, to be entered in Nicki’s giveaway, leave a comment telling how you’ve ever attempted to “keep it sweet & simple” when it comes to decorating, food or any other aspect of Christmas.
One thing I always do is to place out an old glass punch bowl filled with antique glass bulbs from the 1950’s (purchased from a yard sale the year I got married. No, I did not get married in the 1950’s!!!).
Now, what is your idea? Or, just say “I’m in” and you’ll be entered. :-)
Simple Christmas Blessings,
I’m in! Thanks for the great ideas.
Over the past few years, I have tried to simplify the decorations and only use the ones I truly love. The end result is less stressful and I still love the look.
I’m in!!
I’m in!
Downsized a little this year as far as room for decorations and think I’ll pass even more along to my kids if they want them before next year!
I’m in..kids’ decorating with what we have or have added….they love the simplicity of what we have…trying to buy a house and REFUSE to spend any money since we will be at a new house next year!
I’m in!
I’m in
Well, I’m not sure that it’s simpler but 2 of my granddaughters helped me and we all had a nice time. Thanks for the chance.
Great ideas. I’m in.
Hi Karen,
We put our tree in a different spot this year so my husband wouldn’t have to rearrange all the furniture in our living room. It’s not the best spot but it works!
Rebecca Ann
This year, in an effort to keep it sweet n simple, I let my (gasp) kids do all my decorating. Well, I did have a say on where to place the tree, nativity and they did the rest. The house looks darlin’ and they are SO proud!
Use what you have; I am a nature freak. So I picked up a lot of pine cones, dunked them in white paint and hung them on my tree. I also got some twigs and placed them IN my tree. I love the look of the outdoors coming in!
Thanks Nicki!
Right now the only thing that is even remotely christmassy is the CD player…all of our Christmas CD’s have made their way to the CD player! So I guess by not doing anything we have kept it simple! The reality is that we have had other pressing things going on and after killing myself for years trying to do EVERYTHING, decided that what gets done gets done and the other stuff doesn’t matter this year!
We put up the tree and hung stockings this year. No wreath, no knick-knacks everywhere, no Christmas towels in the bathrooms. Like you said, we are just keeping it simple this year.
We try to use gift bags for gifts at Christmas – very simple, time saving, and you can reuse them year after year rather than throw them away!
Thanks for another kind gift opportunity!
Since we are moving 700 miles at Christmas, we have kept it really simple this year. Our Christmas Elf has arrived and the kids have their little Christmas trees decorated and lit in their rooms.
Usually my simple decorating idea is to hang from ribbon in windows a simple ball oranament or my favorite stars made from some twigs.
I decorated only one room this year! I kept it very simple and am enjoying it! Terri
I don’t want to spend all day on Christmas in the kitchen, so I do snacky stuff that can be left on the counter, like meatballs in the crockpot, sandwiches, smokies in a crockpot, chips and dip, etc…. My family loves it, and I’m not too tired from cooking to enjoy my kids!
We moved our tree this year too and changed from white lights to large colored ones like we had when we were kids, eons ago!! We change things around every year because I can rarely remember where I put stuff from one year to the next!! More grands this year, less stuff out that they can get into!! Love the reason for the season!!
I like to brighten up our table, since we spend so much time there! And with 6 kids, I need something pretty practical so I by a cute, wipe off (and very inexpensive :) tablecloth and the kids love it. Thanks for the suggestions. “Have what you love” is a new one to focus on.
I’m in! Thanks!
To keep it simple this year, I picked out my favorite Christmas decorations and left the rest in the box. It can look to cluttered when I put everything up and being pregnant this year I just don’t have the energy to deal with it all.
Rotate decorations and ornaments from year to year. My teens aren’t that excited about their childhood ornaments so I don’t unpack them. I always buy clearance 75-90% “stuff” or garage sale finds so when the next Christmas comes around it so fun to discover what a bought months ago. I agree that placing items in different places/rooms freshens up my attitude about my “old things”.
I have seen homes decorated so creatively that I didn’t even miss the fact that there was no tree!
Based on being pregnant and traveling for Christmas this year, we are keeping it super simple! Just a wreath over the fireplace, a stocking on the front door, one yummy candle, the Little People nativity scene and a basket of children’s Christmas books. No tree, no lights, no garland, no knick-knacks. At first I was feeling glum about it, but I know this is a wise decision for us this year and that feeling has turned more to relief!