Hard to Believe It's the Holidays

I barely had time to recover from our food-laden Thanksgiving when the spate of holiday celebrations began!  Fortunately, things are slowing down a bit and I've had a chance to catch up on some tasks, but I still haven't broken out the holiday decor in earnest...except for one thing.  I saw a nice image in the December issue of Traditional Home magazine (one of my favorites) that showed a simple planter in a deep bucket shape stuffed with evergreens and holly...so simple and festive.

Inspired by the simple elegance of the idea, I re-purposed a planter of mums (since faded) that I'd picked up at the grocery store earlier this fall.  I loved the little arch and "Welcome" sign added to the planter, so I wanted to use it again.  I trimmed some errant branches from a nearby juniper bush that needed pruning ('tis the season to prune your hardy plants and shrubs), stuck them in the pot with the potting soil left over from the mums, and added some variegated faux holly...et voila!  A cheerful little holiday greeting standing by my front door ready to welcome my holiday guests.  So simple and easy.

I'm ready now.  Let the celebrations begin!