Believe me... It was one of the fist things I had to change in the house...I hated the old one. Also, you don't have to do a complete overhaul like I did, you might be able to paint the stone an accent color and paint the mantle, it will make a world of a difference and much less expensive. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays so I decorate right after Thanksgiving, to get as much Christmas in as possible..I love winter decor and usually don't take it down till like mid January.