With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I cannot help to think about Christmas.  It seems like Christmas lights are going up sooner and sooner each year.  In fact, not only have a few of my neighbors already hung their exterior lights, they are also turning them on every evening.  To be honest, hanging Christmas lights before Thanksgiving seems a bit too early to me (but I seem to be in the minority on this).

When it comes to holiday decor, I am a firm believer in the old adage, “less is more.”  We have one Christmas tree in our home and a few mantel decorations.  As I am looking around at the Christmas lights that have already sprung up, I have started thinking more about our exterior decor.  Since we do not plan to hire professionals, we can’t pick anything too extravagant or gravity-defying.  I have always loved the idea of hanging simple wreaths on the windows and front door, perhaps with lit topiaries on the porch.  So, I decided to hunt around a bit and see if anyone else has used the look I am imagining.

Image courtesy of onekindesign.com

The image above is close to what I am picturing, minus the swooping and side-hanging garland and lanterns.  While this is a bit more extravagant than my ideal look, I do think it is very festive.

While I likely would not choose a pink ribbon, I think the wreath above is very beautiful.  I’d love to have six of these to place over our front door and windows.

Image courtesy of MyDesignChic.com

I love the wreaths on the front door and windows of the home above.   But, again, I could do without the swooping garland.

Image courtesy of DecorPad.com 

I found it!  The perfect Christmas exterior.  The wreaths are the right size and perfectly placed on the windows.  And, with just a couple of topiaries to accent the front door, nothing is too overdone.  Now, I just need to figure out how to get the wreaths attached to the windows without putting holes in the frames.  Details, details. . . .