Love Magnolia leaves to decorate the house for Christmas, as it is so very Southern.
My Southern Christmas mantel of Magnolia leaves
was the first thing on the agenda for creating my Christmas decor this year.
It seems like styling the mantel is always the first thing that I do,
setting the tone for the room’s decor.
I really kept it very simple this year. Truly, I did. I even surprised myself!
My inspiration was the Magnolia Wreath and Magnolia Garland by Balsam Hill.
I so love this faux wreath and garland as they are so very realistic.
I decided to keep the breadboards on the mantel to use as a base
to enhance them with the Holiday decor.
I try and shuffle around the Christmas decorations each year.
They move from room to room in different vignettes, creating a new look.
The J – O -Y Blocks with the trees were in the kitchen last year.
I needed a set of three decorative items that would pop against the breadboards and they fit the bill.
Once they were up, they looked a little lonely,
so I stayed with the bottle brush theme and added the set of three white bottle brush trees.
Those trees were set in cloches and hurricanes with snow last year.
Faux greens and frosted pine cone ornaments
fill the Ironstone Foot Bath on the hearth.
Faux metal antlers and my antique French boot forms also dress the hearth
with prettiness and texture.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.
I am featuring the mantel and the chairs that sit in front of the fireplace today
and will be showing you how I decorated the coffee table using one of the themes
that evolved in the room.
Pottery Barn Deer Applique pillows embellish the chairs this year.
One of the projects a few years ago that I did with my granddaughter was brushing faux snow
on plain evergreen faux trees. This is one of them that I placed in my blue and white
Chinoiserie antique cup and saucer (from Martha .. you all probably know my Martha by now).
More Christmas vignettes and details in the room to come.
I wish you and your family a most wonderful Thanksgiving filled with the many blessings
we all hold dear and making memories to treasure forever.

Perfectly beautiful Shirley, so Southern and love the frolicking reindeer! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
you …simple? say it isn’t so. love the look and all your special touches. happy thanksgiving to you and Tommy. hope you have a lovely day.
Love how you decorated your mantel this year, Shirley. It’s beautiful and elegant in its simplicity. The magnolia wreath and garland tie everything together so nicely.
Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family. Megan and Jonathan will be here with us, so looking forward to that.
Mary Alice
Love the simplicity of your Christmas decorating so far. Proud of you, my friend. I use faux magnolia leaves on my Christmas tree each year. Not too easy to find in Colorado. So sorry to read about Kim’s father. She is one of my favorite bloggers. My sincere condolences to Kim and her family.
Love the magnolia wreath and garland – and the tree in the cup and saucer, so sweet. Thank you for sharing about Kim’s father.
Looks very elegant–love magnolias! Wishing you and yours a most wonderful Thanksgiving. Shirley, I hate to ask you this again, but could you please tell me the manufacturer and color of your great room paint as I have misplaced the information. Thanks ever so much.
Shirley- I so look forward to your posts! I was vacillating on whether to do a magnolia wreath and garland this year but your post tipped the scales. Raiding my daughter’s magnolia tree today! BTW – could you tell me how your stockings are hung from the mantel?
Love, love magnolia leaves for decorating. Like you said it is so southern and always classic elegance! There are several magnolia trees on property behind us that owner said always get what you want….and I do! Love your reindeer pillows. Will you give Kim my condolences…I cannot leave comments on her blog for some reason( probably me don’t know how). Happy Thanksgiving
Super pretty, those cutting boards are really lovely wood!
What a lovely tour. I was getting ready to pull the magnolia leaves off the tree to make a garland and then discovered yours is faux. I love it. Please offer my condolences to Kim & Kelly. It is never easy to lose a loved one but especially hard this time of year.
I love your decorating style, one because I love blue & white, and two, you have a special way of looking at things and seeing a possible combination. It’s instinctive. I’m afraid I won’t be doing much decorating at my house this year. We’re closing on a house Monday (the hubs’ parents’ home which his younger brother inherited but doesn’t want, since he already owns two other houses. I haven’t moved in 36 years. You know what that means. Loads of going through everything deciding what goes, what stays, and what should be donated. I used to do that on the regular, as hubs was in the Army, so every 3-4 years….I’m tired just thinking of all I need to do! Instead, I should give thanks tomorrow to the good Lord that we have the means to keep his family home…in the family. I pray you and everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy time spent with your families. I just miss Nanny and Pawpaw.
Love your mantel and you did go much simpler than your normal. 🙂 Thanks so much for your friendship and prayers at this sad time. We are all doing okay and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your mom and family!!
Love the magnolia leaves! And that blue and white tea cup wit tree is perfect. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Shirley.
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Thanks
Magnolia is so beautiful and so southern. I am starting my decorating, got the kitchen and breakfast room done yesterday and the dining room table today before we left for Tracy’s. Hope you had a MOST happy Thanksgiving. Your mantle and hearth look fabulous, as always!
YOU did a great job Shirley I love it so much!! The breadboards are so perfect with the magnolia leaves!! Bravo my friend!!
Beautiful as always, Shirley. Love, and look forward to seeing what you do,with the remainder of the house. The magnolia garland is wonderful!
Shirley, how did I miss your beautiful mantel, I guess I was cooking and cooking :). I love the magnolia garland and wreath, it is so Southern. You have such a discerning eye for the detail. I will be looking forward to more Christmas from your house!
I love the magnolia leaves on your mantel, so pretty Shirley! I was looking at my magnolia tree yesterday thinking I needed to cut some leaves to deck the halls 🙂
Your mantel is so beautiful. I love the whites and greens.
I love the magnolia leaves and yes it is very southern! I wish I had one in my yard but a few houses down there is one and I am hoping to get some leaves to do a wreath or something festive. Of course I am loving your holiday decor!