When I think of decorating for Christmas, indoor decorations get more of my attention than outdoor…until this year. 5th and State, a blog site I recently stumbled upon, featured a DIY on planting outdoor planters for Christmas. If you’d like to see more visit HERE.
I live in Southern California and let’s face it we’re simply NOT going to be celebrating the holidays with freshly fallen snow.
left & right images via 5th and State
image via Country Living
That said when we entertain friends and family they will pull up to the curb and the first thing they see is the entrance to our home.
image via 5th and State
image via 5th and State
I’ve always done wreaths, sometimes fresh sometimes fake faux. I don’t have a bias since I’ve seen beautiful versions of both.
This year I will attempt to go a little beyond the front door wreath. (By the way, we do hang a string of lights across the front of the house but due to the design of our roof line it would be suicide for anyone to get up on the peak of the roof to really do the Griswold Family Christmas version of Christmas lights).
I picked up some Ilex berries from a local floral supply store and added them to the cone shaped boxwood in the urn by the front door.
The berries are faux but festive!
I also planted some cardinal ivy geranium in the planter on the right side of the door but, sadly, they are not in full bloom right now.
There will be more red blossoms later in the year, probably after Christmas but maybe in time for St. Valentine’s Day.
image via Martha Stewart Living
I put a bow and some holy on the lantern that sits by the door, I guess that will be a good start to branching out beyond the front door wreath.
I used a wax battery-operated candle so that I can turn it on and not worry about it catching anything on fire.
Welcome to our home!
image via room service
Maybe next year I’ll put a pre-lit garland around the door!
With all of the options for incredible wreaths I will have to try a new one each year! {just kidding} What are you doing to welcome guests this year?
Garden, Home & Party 
Linda Coble said:
Karen,
5th & State is a wonderful website. Such great ideas! Your front entry looks fabulous — I love the wreath on the door and the red geraniums in the planter. Everything is so festive yet understated and elegant. Can’t wait to hear more about little Olivia.
Linda
Karen said:
Linda,
Thanks for your kind words. I love the idea of a Christmas winter-wonderland this time of year. I hope you get a little sprinkling of snow to put “icing” on the Christmas cake.
Karen
martha said:
Lovely photos – my favorites are of your own home.
Thank you for directing me to “5th and State”. How fun for a California blogger to remind me of charming shop in my own back yard here near Chicago! It truly is a small world.
Karen said:
Hi Martha,
Thanks for the compliment! I’m really trying to work on my photography so that I can include more of my own photos and some of my own home to provide digital images of what I’m talking about…it’s a work in progress.
Thanks for coming by for a visit.
Karen
Trish said:
Hi Karen. I LOVE the artificial candles. Hands down. Tired of buried wicks, worrying about fire hazards, Esp. for outdoor…put a regular candle in an outdoor lantern last summer…what a mess. Love how they flicker and can be put on a timer to come on every night. Great wreath ideas…need to improve the one my husband dragged home! Merci, Trish
Karen said:
Trish,
I agree…they (those clever, creative folks) designed faux candles that are pretty convincing. The other spot I enjoy using them is on a bookshelf—where you couldn’t have a real candle burn without scorching the shelf above. I haven’t seen any with timers…that would be wonderful.
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen