A look back at our favorite holiday moments from the Farmhouse
THE FARMHOUSE
It’s been a few years since our last holiday home tour - 2022, to be exact - and that season, our last Christmas at the Farmhouse, still feels like the coziest one we’ve ever had. The Farmhouse has since passed to new hands, but the memories remain: evergreen garlands draped along the banister, little feet pitter-pattering down the stairs on Christmas morning (oh so early!), and handmade ornaments hanging from the tree.
This year, as I re-edited these photos (with a warmer, softer touch), I was reminded how simple the holidays can be. A little greenery, a few handmade details, and plenty of treats - that’s all it takes to make a home feel magical in December (and maybe November too ;). Here’s a look back at our favorite holiday moments from the Farmhouse - gosh what a special house it was!
What a special home! Here are a few favorite moments from years past, starting with the kitchen…
The Kitchen at Christmas
The kitchen was always the heart of our holidays. Handmade paper stars on the antique hutch, the kids’ advent calendar on the marble counter, and a fresh wreath hung above the range. Snow always brought a beautiful, natural light in here that bounced off the white paneling and cabinetry before an early sunset at 4pm had us lighting candles and moving to cozier spaces.
And of course, there was usually something baking - sugar cookies, German sour cream twists, or Cathy’s famous sourdough cardamom rolls (famous to all of 3 little people ;). Simple holiday pleasures and decorations made a big impact in here for a warm, lived-in, and deliciously imperfect holiday feel.
The Living and Dining Rooms
Our living room tree always stood in the front window, framed by tall drapes and cenutry-old wood trim. We dressed it simply: white lights, homemade orange garlands, and lots of nostalgic ornaments collected from years of elementary school projects. The glow at night felt warm and inviting and we spent most of our evenings in here and in the dining room.
Garland, Wreaths & Handmade Touches
If there was a theme to our holiday decor at the Farmhouse, it was handmade details. Every December, we’d pick a craft or two, turn up the holiday tunes, and make garlands/ornaments/paper-starts together at the big kitchen island. The Farmhouse just inspired crafting in a way I haven’t felt since. Here are a few nostalgic holiday decorations we made:
handmade baubles with leftover wallpaper samples
how to make a dried orange garland
holiday cafe curtains (with a pattern download)
festive bedrooms
Our farmhouse bedrooms were always my favorite rooms to decorate at Christmas. We kept the decor simple - plaid wool throws, a hint of evergreen, and maybe a string of twinkle lights for good measure. Just enough to make waking up on those chilly winter mornings feel extra special.
Favorite Holiday Traditions
Some traditions we’ve carried with us: baking sugar cookies, reading The Night Before Christmas, carrots for the reindeer. Others belong solely to that old house - sledding down the snowy hill behind the Farmhouse, taking a walk through the country on Christmas Day, wrapping gifts in the guest bedroom while crying my eyes out to It’s a Wonderful Life. Looking back, it’s the pace of those days that sticks with me - slow mornings, nowhere to be, and a “well we might as well bake something” attitude.
Probably my favorite holiday tradition was baking with the kids in our beautiful kitchen. A few things we made for the holidays…
a handmade cookie box (Rolly-Polly Santa cookies are always a hit!)
German sour cream twists (my grandma’s recipe)
Editing these photos brought a tear to my eye. Living in that beautiful Farmhouse was a special chapter in our life and the holidays were a highlight every year. Our kids are older now and our Christmas traditions have shifted a bit (we don’t currently have space to host grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for Christmas dinner) but those holiday seasons live on in our memory as slower, simpler, and full of heart. That’s the kind of holiday magic I’ll always remember!
Wishing you a lovely Christmas season, wherever you call home!
