T’IS THE SEASON

With the holidays just around the corner, our household gets very excited. We love celebrating the holidays with our loved ones, friends & family. Last year, I started putting up our new tree in our apartment on the first of November. Maybe because we finally moved into our newly renovated condo, maybe it was because it was a blank slate and I couldn’t wait to pour some creativity and love into the space we call home.

Christmas can be an exciting, or for some, daunting & overwhelming. So I’ve made a list of tips and to help you with decor, where to shop & where to save your money!!

Last year was when we got our first (faux) tree together as well as begin our collection of Christmas ornaments & decorations.

This year, we put the tree up after our honeymoon. It was a few days after Remembrance day.  I chose the theme of rose gold, purple, pink, black & velvet and on went my hunt for affordable goodies to dress the apartment - and our tree!

After our first Christmas in our new apartment, I did some thorough hunting around the city to find the best deals & best places to find quality seasonal decor - some of which I am also able to use all year long! See below for my Love List: Holiday 2018!

Love List: Holiday 2018

Canadian Tire:

Canadian Tire has hands down the best selection for faux Christmas trees! Trust me, their Christmas game is very strong! I normally pop by the location on Cambie & West Broadway - they transform the entire upstairs/ second floor dedicated solely for holiday. There is normally a sale for the trees sometime mid-November - but they also have sales often during the season - so keep an eye out if you’re looking for a new tree! Also, the have the biggest holiday ornament & decor selection - all organized by colours!

Minted:

I use Minted for all my holiday cards - and it’s super easy especially since I have my online address book stored there! They ship quickly & create beautiful paper products. This year we made a double sided flat card with our well wishes with the embossed rose gold print. What’s also nice is that they can do recipient addressing! So we don’t need to address every card!

CB2:

I think you all know that my ultimate go-to home furnishing & decor store is CB2. From modern prints to chic decor - I absolutely love this store. They have beautiful small home decor items that fit any season! For this season - check out their hex crystal candle set that I adore & have as our dining table centrepiece! (not sponsored! I just love it!)

Crate & Barrel:

My love for Crate & Barrel is so strong - I have to will myself to not walk into their Oakridge location on a monthly basis! Most of our kitchen items & Christmas ornaments are from Crate & Barrel. Each ornament is about $5 - $9 CAD so I bought our staple ornaments from them! But run now! They’re having a MASSIVE sale! (Gold Net Ball Ornament on sale for $3.57) (Silver Glitter 3D Star Ornament on sale for $1.77!!!!) I also got the cutest napkins from them to add to my theme this year!

Michael’s:

Michael’s is my favourite destination for all things crafty & creative. From art supplies to spools of ribbon - they have it all. They also have the cutest sections dedicated to holiday, art, framing, celebrations & so much more. I normally go to Michael’s to find my ribbon to wrap our tree, presents & wrapping paper! The holiday decor items are normally at a great discount - we got Ollie’s little red stocking for $4 last year! Also, if you download their app & sign up as a member - you get daily coupons! Most of which allow you to get 40-50% off one item per transaction!

Homesense:

Who doesn’t love Homesense? I find scoring anything from Homesense is like winning a mini jackpot (lol). This year, I scored the cutest table runner, agate coasters, specialty plates & bowls from the Cambie & Broadway location - and like the commercials, if you find it, better get it now before it disappears! Ollie’s mini tree is from  Homesense :)

Restoration Hardware:

Last year, I discovered that RH has the best tree skirts. I kid you not, their tree skirts are beautiful & worth the investment - after all, it’s probably one of the holiday items you will reuse over and over. Our tree skirt is in the colour “Dune”. Give yourself some time with the tree skirts - for you will have to order them in store & they take normally 2-3 weeks to ship! Our stockings are also from RH - they were too good to pass up!

Etsy:

I find Etsy gives you access to many specialty items that you normally can’t find at your local decor or craft store. If I can’t find something (i.e. velvet ribbon for a reasonable price) - I hop onto Etsy & see what the merchants have for sale. Normally they have a bigger selection than Amazon - but doesn’t cost an arm and leg! This year, I was able to order custom bridesmaid silk robes, decor, customized gift boxes, wine labels & jewelry! It is quite possibly one of my favourite ways to support small businesses online!

Amazon:

The online retail giant! I like Amazon because of their prompt delivery times & mass selections - however, if you are trying to find something specific (i.e. rose gold ribbon) it might be on the trickier side (That’s when I hop over to Etsy). Amazon is also great to find everyday decorating items, party supplies etc for a lesser price

Happy Holidays from my little family to yours!

With Love,

V