Every year as December rolls around and the weather starts to cool, that Christmas spirit comes alive in all of us, and it’s time to deck the halls, put on our holiday best, and gather with family and friends. Holiday decorating is simply part of the traditions we have during this happy season, and each year, we hope you’ll decorate with joy. With that joy in mind, let’s approach this season’s decor with some fun new ideas that’ll shake up your old holiday routine.
1. Layer Your Wreathes
Perhaps you have several different wreaths hanging around your house from Christmases past. Consider layering them! In the photo above, we added a small antler wreath on top of a classic green wreath to create a fun moment that’s unexpected and fun!
2. Accent with Citrus
Citrus fruits have always been ever-present during Christmas in America because this is the time of year when the Florida harvests shower us with grapefruits, lemons, and oranges. With that in mind, we like to accent fresh greenery with the vibrant colors of lemons, limes, and grapefruit, like we did on this holiday mantel. Whether you add fruit to your flower arrangement, work it into your mantel display, or cover oranges in cloves for that festive smell, we love being reminded of Mother Nature’s bounty during this time of thanksgiving.
3. Small Trees Spread the Cheer
A couple of small tabletop trees around your home (perhaps in rooms where you spend time but don’t want to set up a full tree) can help spread the festive spirit around your home.
4. Let Sugarplums Dance in their Heads
For anyone with kids, this is an especially exciting time! Kids are full of the Christmas spirit and really bring that holiday magic alive, which is why we love to decorate kids’ bedrooms for the holidays. Maybe you don’t take it to quite the level we did, but even just some red bedding and a small tree is a fun way to delight your kids!
Tip: In this room, we drew snowflakes on the wall, but it would be equally fun to make paper snowflakes with your kids as a craft project!
5. A Few Sprigs of Greenery in Unexpected Places
We love approaching holiday decorating with a playful spirit, as this is such a joyous time of year. With just a few sprigs of greenery (you could even use clippings from your tree), we tied a little holiday garland onto the Mila Blown Glass Chandelier and added petite wreaths on the back of the dining chairs. It’s those little touches that are fun to add in throughout the house and which make your holiday guests smile!
6. Use What You Love
We’re of the opinion that anything can feel festive, so long as you approach it in the right way. And really, holiday decorating is even better when you let it reflect your own personality. Is your favorite color blue and it’s used liberally throughout your house? No need to decorate with red and green. Or perhaps you love pink? Whatever your favorite colors, use lots of greenery and metallics, and your favorite collection or color palette can become and enchanting holiday display!
7. Wrap It in Ribbon
Long boughs of holiday greenery can be expensive, so if you’re on a budget, consider wrapping the banister of your staircase in a festive ribbon! We used a burlap ribbon with a Christmas red trim for a little bit of color.
8. Make an Advent Calendar
If you have a chalkboard or a chalkboard wall in your home, make an advent calendar to count down the days! We made a very simple one with just some small silver ornaments and red string!
9. Above Your Bed
Why not drape some garland above the headboard in your guest bedroom? It’s a fun touch, that says, “Welcome and happy holidays!” We love this idea in the guest bedroom, especially for guests who are spending the holidays away from their own homes.
10. Ornaments for the Table
If you’re hosting a family dinner or holiday dinner party, we love the idea of using ornaments to accent the table and give it that festive spirit. We simply placed matching ornaments along the garland for an extra holiday touch!
11. Hang Pinecone Wreaths in Pairs
For a little more presence, use two wreaths instead of one, like we did in this bedroom sitting area. Two pinecone wreaths hung on top of each other make a more dramatic statement than just a single one!
12. Hang Greenery Over the Door — On Both Sides
Nearly everyone does something to decorate their front door on the outside, but if your home has a prominent front door from the inside views, consider doing a little something special inside too. We hung some garland over this doorway, as this door is the central focal point in the downstairs of this house.
13. Use an Unexpected Color Palette
While we are always fans of the classic red and green Christmas palette, it’s always fun to mix it up a bit. Keep your guests on their toes by experimenting with a different color scheme. As you can see above, we stuck with the warmth of a traditional Christmas red, but incorporated a navy blue to give a new look and feel to our holiday table.
Check out our new holiday decor and read these posts for more holiday inspiration:
- Style Up Your Door with Outdoor Christmas Decorations
- 3 Festive Mantels to Inspire Your Holiday Home
- A Whimsical Christmas Table to Steal
- How to Set Up a Bar for Your Holiday Party
- Dress Up Your Topiary for the Holidays
Do you have other creative holiday decorating ideas? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
carmen chiaradio
Is the settee in # 11 still available?
Abbey Nolte
Hi Carmen,
Yes, that’s our Sofia Settee.
Pancho Cham
I am the worst when it comes to decorating for the holidays. The entire time I’ve lived in my apartment my roommate has been the one to decorate. The thing that I do love are the small Christmas trees, I buy them and spread them around the house, because they look so good. Thanks for the great ideas and advice!