Christmas Planning... in August?

Did this summer go by super fast, or was it just me? Seriously - it seems like I was just in Virginia Beach yesterday, and now I'm thinking of October as next month (which it's not really, but it kinda is... I mean, if I want to plan something on the first Saturday in October, that's really only about 5 weeks away - eeek!). Since the mornings are getting cooler and school is back in session, that means that I'm turning my attention to Christmas. My most fave-or-ite day of the year!

Our holiday decorations are a bit of a hodge-podge though.  They are mostly things I've picked up at after-Christmas sales, stuff from the Dollar Tree from when I was an impoverished grad student, and gifts. (Anyone else out there have a Santana ornament hanging on your tree?!?) I don't mind the randomness of my collection on the whole, but I think this is the year to cull things out a little and to put more thought into making a cohesive look.

The only problem is that I'm torn in a couple of different directions. First up - I think I would love a tartan extravaganza! Is tartan in or out these days? I know it's a classic, but it definitely seems to trend more in particular years. Regardless of its hip quotient, I think tartan always conjures up images of sitting around the fire in a cozy Vermont farmhouse, watching snowflakes fall while I sip hot chocolate and my loyal yellow lab keeps my feet warm. Or maybe I've been reading too many L.L. Bean catalogs. Still, you gotta admit that the images below convey a certain something that is quintessentially Christmas. 

(click on photo to link back to its original source site)

(click on photo to link back to its original source site)

On the other hand, I've been really digging a simple DIY look to Christmas decorations lately. Things like this seen on My Delicious Ambiguity:

(from Country Living)

(from L'Atelier)

But now that I look at these photos together, I see that maybe my either-or thinking has been too binary. Is it possible to weave tartan and DIY together with a little holiday magic? We'll see... but way before we get to the final product, I think I'll start working on this:

(from Craftaholics Anonymous)

Craftaholics Anonymous uses theirs as door decorations, but I'm thinking holiday garland on my stairs. If these turn out well, I can imagine tons of cute party uses for them - bunches on the backs of chairs, a bouquet of t-shirt pompoms, garlands, a wreath! Wowsers! I guess I won't be taking that bag of donations to Goodwill just yet! I'll keep you posted on how these turn out.