When Chris and Wendy Boyer bought a 1940s ranch house in a Minneapolis suburb, they decided the prior owners' all-white modern decor did not complement the living room's knotty pine walls and beamed, vaulted ceiling. "I thought this house leaned more toward an English cottage or a small European hunting lodge," Wendy says, "and I've always liked that look."

So the house got a redo with paint, flooring and furnishings. Wendy likes to layer Ralph Lauren textiles, family heirlooms and an array of carefully chosen collectibles, all of which create a warm and inviting setting for one of Wendy's favorite Christmas traditions-decorating the house with fresh greens and her favorite vintage finds (including the deer head above the hearth, bagged in a second-hand shop). The result is an elegant version of North Woods lodge decor.

Pinecones and magnolia sprigs tucked between the branches of a Christmas tree create a lush, full look.

Buy roses from a grocery store. Cut the stems short and bunch together for old-fashioned charm. Wendy displays them in a vintage silver flower frog (left), echoing the library's paisley wallpaper.

Accent arrangements with pinecones, redtwig dogwood, cattails, pussy willows, twigs and pheasant feathers. Gather items from your yard, or buy them at a crafts supply store.

Start paperwhites early so they bloom in time for the holidays. Display in pots or outdoor urns.

Many of Wendy's secondhand pieces spend the warmer months in a storage closet, but when the holiday season arrives, a trove of mismatched napkin rings and saltshakers comes out. At the dining table, vintage bird china sits on slightly tarnished silver chargers at each place setting. "I like unexpected contrasts," Wendy says.

Holly branches decorate a wrought-iron chandelier like a crown, bringing a casual Christmas accent to the kitchen, where Wendy enjoys making holiday treats with her two young children.

Wendy and Chris revamped the kitchen, laying down maple-plank flooring reclaimed from old benches. Distressed alder cabinets and concrete countertops that mimic soapstone complete the kitchen's makeover. Antique leather nailhead chairs add a touch of history to the eat-in kitchen.

Family photos from holidays past create a welcoming vignette when arranged along an entryway mirror. A silver bowl, another of Wendy's vintage finds, cradles a collection of natural materials, including vintage antlers.

Concrete corbels support a custom faux-painted range hood in the Boyers' kitchen, while Wendy's greenery adds a festive accent.

Boyer family traditions include spreading out sleeping bags next to the newly decorated Christmas tree and reading Christmas stories before drifting off to sleep.

Another tradition comes on Christmas Eve, when the family returns home from church to find that Santa (or a secret elf) has stopped by early, lighting the sleigh on their lawn and filling it with presents. Every Boyer unwraps a pair of Christmas pajamas, which they don that night.

Christmas Eve dinner features potato-tot casserole served on the family's best china. "Chris and I grew up on hotdishes," Wendy says. "The casserole grounds us -- it takes us back to simpler times."

On Christmas morning, egg strata bakes in the oven, and the scent of hot, spiced cider fills the air. The family adds the figure of the baby Jesus to the small creche in the living room and shares thoughts on the true meaning of the holiday. Then they open presents while listening to favorite Christmas music. "We give ourselves permission to just hang out together in our pajamas and do nothing," Wendy says. "There's a lot of laughter."

A version of this story appeared in Midwest Living® November/December 2007.