Polka Dot Garlands

I love to decorate for Christmas.

But I prefer to do it very slowly. 

The halls of most American yuletide-loving homes are fully decked by the close of Thanksgiving weekend, but that's when I'm just beginning my process. Armed with bits of paper, tree branches, fishing line, assorted garlands, and twinkle lights, I expect to spread the job out over the next few weeks.

Here, in day-to-day installments, is the story of how my house is getting ready for Christmas.

* * * * *

Let's be honest. I like to live in a simple world.

When it comes to my holiday decor, I stick to a few tried-and-true basics:

Keep it light, clean and bright.
Go for simple geometric shapes.
Make lots of garlands.

So within those parameters, this was bound to happen.

^ Printer paper polka dots created with an oversize circle punch and glued together in pairs around a length of white dental floss.

Teamed with the white dishes and gold accessories that have been perched in this cupboard for the past few months, these polka dot garlands bring some holiday cheer to this bright corner of my kitchen. I then added just one more element to this scene.

^ Sweet treats.

^ Well. Also, an elephant tea pot and a microscopic origami crane.

^ And my mother-in-law's delicate bone china espresso cups, and a tiny doll's cup and saucer (on top the stack of white plates, almost hidden by the top doughnut) that belonged to my mother's dolls when she was a little girl. 

I mean, you know, every leading lady needs a full supporting cast. 

^ So even though it's undeniable that those polka dots steal the show...

^ I would like to point out that chocolate cupcakes and glazed doughnuts are simply circles in pastry form. In addition to the spunky garlands, they are two more holiday polka dot pleasures that are very hard to beat.