I read a great post on Two Delighted last week about investing in Christmas decor that will inspire you for years to come, instead of just blowing your bank account on excessively trendy doodads or knick knacks.  It is hard to have that kind of forethought (I mean, do you know what you will like next week, much less in a few years?) and to not be swayed by all the flashing sale emails and Target tchtochkie they place so enticingly on the end cap display.  I can't decide if I want to embrace minimalism on principle because we really don't need so much crap in storage all year, or if I really think that is the best way to decorate.  Because a part of me wants to have stuff everywhere.   Instead, I decided to focus on my porch this year because those are the pictures that always inspire me the most online:

The perfect entry way plus dog (I will take him too!) via

via

Essentials to recreate the look: a welcoming wreath, old world lights with big bulbs (loving these from Target), and the perfect porch pots.



After much consideration (porch pots aren't exactly cheap) I decided to splurge a bit on the Biltmore for Your Home trees from Belk (they are currently sold out, but the other trees I was considering are here and on sale!).  I liked these because they came pre-decorated and pre-lit, have a generously plush amount of foliage, and the extra "snow" creates a great warm glow when lit.

Magnolia trees are about as Southern as it gets, and one of the great things about these trees is that you can find them in abundance in our area (just drive down Western Blvd by NC State's campus if you need some verification).  Another perk: they stay a lovely green year round.  Decorating for Christmas with magnolia gives your traditional pine or evergreen a marked enhancement -- the leaves are broad and multidimensional in color ranging from a deep green to a golden hue as the leaves dry out.  And if you are driven, you can make your own magnolia decorations by trimming a tree in your backyard or finding a nice selection of community trees (like State's that could use a good trimming anyway) and then incorporating your cuttings into wreaths or garlands.

Magnolia wreath with eucalyptus via

Magnolia garland via

Traditional magnolia wreath showing the range of color you can get from fresh cuttings! via

Magnolia and evergreen combination via

And  then if you have some leftover clippings you can always put them in a little vase inside to decorate a mantle or table top in a more "natural" way.