Christmas 2013 Mantel: Decorating Around a Mounted TV

Super simple mantel for you this year, folks. Sometimes less is more. Greens, berries, candles. The End.

You see, (and if you’ve been following for a while you know all of this) I can’t go nuts with our mantel because of the tv mounted above it. So over the summer, I got all my “power tools” out (aka handsaw, nails, and hammer), and built this nifty wooden box to help the situation. I was beyond proud of myself that I ACTUALLY BUILT SOMETHING. I mean, I. BUILT. SOMETHING!! Believe you me, no one was more surprised than yours truly. So anyone can do this project. If I can, you can. For realz.

It’s come in so handy and really solved my dilemma for decorating with minimal space. And I didn’t want to add MORE frames, books, knick knacks, because it’s flanked by two bookcases that are full of that stuff. So like I said before, sometimes less is more. It housed hydrangeas from summer to early fall, then leaves and fall garland, and now it’s time to decorate it for Christmas for the first time.

So in case the photos aren’t self explanatory enough, I picked up one of those beautiful garlands at Michaels last year. It’s one of the pricier ones, but I waited for a great sale because I have a thing about garland. Fake garland that truly DOES NOT look fake makes me very happy for some reason. And this stuff looks legit. Then I placed my four flameless candles (that were in there in the Fall), and a strand of berry garland (also a Michaels pickup last year). Hung the stockings and called it a day.

And we can all see the tv, no blockage whatsoever:)

If you have the tv problem as well, but don’t feel like building this box, you could certainly do this with simply using garland, berries, and flameless candles with no box. It would be just as lovely.

Happy decorating!