Every year in December the first Saturday is reserved for a special family tradition my mom started about ten years ago: the Secret Sister Christmas party.

My mom wanted something special for the women in the family to call “their own” because, most of us realize, moms often do most, if not all, of the work when it comes to preparing for gift giving occasions and can end up being neglected. I think it’s true.

I recently asked my Facebook friends what they as moms kind of wished they would get in their stockings and if anyone even filled a stocking for them. I received a lot of feedback.

At Home Stores provided what I needed to write this post and I will be compensated. Opinions are my own, as usual.

You’re probably wanting to know what the results of my Facebook poll was, right? Well, I’ll talk more about that later. Right now I want to get back to my family’s tradition and how I made my simple woodland tablescape for our party.

When we started this secret-sister thing it was a party and we all filled a stocking with gifts to exchange over food and fellowship. Over the years we’ve changed things up a bit. For a long time we even tried to do a monthly secret-sister card or gift and then have the big reveal during our Christmas part at the end of the year.

As life goes, things change. A lot of us ended up moving, some further away from “home base” in Tuscarawas County…kids getting older…new responsibilities. Not everyone can make the parties now. Last year I started what may become another tradition, though we didn’t do it  this year: a diy ornament get-together.

For the past two or three years now I have been hosting our annual secret-sister party. I’m glad to do it! I don’t get to host many family events outside of our boys’ birthdays. This year I had the opportunity to shop at a new-to-me store in  called At Home for table decor that I would use at our secret-sister party.

My simple Woodland Tablescape

For a while now I have desired to decorate my home with bird cages and lanterns. I even gave this lantern a cage-like makeover as a diy project of my own.  Almost every part of my tablescape running down the center of my table came from At Home and for the pieces that didn’t –  you can find some similar items at At Home anyways! Here’s what I used in my tablescape:

• a large center piece (the lantern I purchased from At Home)
• a woodsy table runner that I already owned
• a roll of burlap (bought from At Home)
• a woodsy winter pre-lit tree (from At Home)
• bag of pinecones (from At Home)
• metal deer themed candle holder (from At Home)
• frosty white candle holders (from At Home)
• candles of varying sizes

At Home had tons of home decor and holiday decor! I would love to shop there again. This time my reason for shopping At Home was our annual secret-sister Christmas party.

Whatever your reason for celebrating, whatever season of life you’re in –  At Home stores has got to have something to fit your need. Because my husband and children were with me I didn’t spend as much time as I could have looking through the store. The store is huge and the selection was marvelous!

Now I have a reason to go back and look some more.

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