As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to infuse your home with the magic and cheer of Christmas. Decorating for the holidays is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your creativity and bring a sense of joy to your space. Whether you prefer a classic, elegant look or a more eclectic, whimsical vibe, we’ve curated a collection of over 100 inventive Christmas decoration ideas to spark your imagination.
From stunning DIY projects to clever store-bought finds, this guide offers inspiration for every style and budget. Explore enchanting ways to adorn your Christmas tree, create captivating centerpieces, and add festive touches to every corner of your home.
Whether you’re hosting a grand celebration or enjoying a quiet holiday with loved ones, these ideas will help you craft a warm and inviting atmosphere that celebrates the spirit of Christmas in style.
So, dive in and discover how to turn your home into a holiday haven full of charm and cheer!
Add Greenery to Your Bedrooms
Indoor Christmas decorations aren’t just for the living room. In this guest room, a gorgeous swag of greenery was hung above the bed on the frame posts for an understated, elegant holiday look.
Match Your Ornaments and Gift Wrap
While ornaments are seen as the primary way to decorate a tree, the presents underneath make just as big of a statement. In this tree by designer Julie Neill, she added presents with hand-painted gift wrap to match the ornaments on the tree, creating a cohesive look to the space.
Make Dried Fruit Garlands
If the red and green color palette isn’t your thing, dried fruit garlands are a great festive alternative. This guest room by designer Maggie Dillon features a garland of dried oranges hung around the headboard to match the colors of the room.
Use Square Wreaths
While most wreaths come in a circular shape, the ones in this kitchen by Amanda Simmons are a square shape to match the geometry of the windows.
Add Garlands Around Your Entry
If your home has a small entry once you walk in, use that as a chance to get decked out for the holidays. This entryway by designer Maggie Dillon features garlands of greenery and red bows around the stairwell and mirror for an immediate Christmassy welcome.
Add Hints of Blue
Change up the traditional Christmas color palette of red and green by throwing in pops of blue. The bright blue in the wine glasses and little touches of blueberries in the centerpiece add visual interest and a personal touch to the overall setup.
Give Old Favorites New Life
Look for ways to maximize what you already have. It isn’t necessary to buy all-new decor. You can reuse elements—like ribbons, ornaments, bells, or potted plants—year after year to mingle with your new seasonal finds.
Raise the Bar
Pinecones stand in for flowers as the volume makers in this bouquet. If you are lucky enough to find a few still on the branches, snag them from your yard. Otherwise, you can buy them at your local crafts store. Dusty miller greenery adds a touch of softness to this display, and the magnolia leaves, pine, and a sprig of holly berries round out the arrangement. Think beyond vases. Let pretty vessels, like julep cups, vintage glassware, or family heirloom goblets show off your arrangements.
Make Your Own Sparkly Topper
Christmas is a time for fun and festivities– don’t let your tree get too caught up in serious tradition! For homemakers looking to try something a little more glamorous, this sparkly tree topper is the perfect way to add drama to your tree. To make your own by bundling together a group of curly silver sticks from your local craft store, and wire the creation to the top of your tree. Decorate the rest of your tree with bright, equally glitzy colors like hot pink and gold. This is a perfect Christmas tree for a younger home. Bonus? The sparkly topper is a great New Years Eve decoration, too!
Lean on What Lasts
Let ribbons, not cut flowers, be your big Christmas splurge. They’re reusable, unfussy, and an easy way to add color to greenery in passthrough spaces like the entry.
Accent a Collection
Bring Christmas to every corner of your home. Look for out-of-the-way display areas, such as the top of a chest, to add sparkle and shine. Whether your vignette stays up year-round—like this collection of mercury glass—or is seasonal, keep the fluffing simple so it doesn’t compete with the collection. Cut appropriate lengths of greenery, like fresh magnolia, boxwood, pine, fir, winterberry, and American cranberry bush berries to fit vessels. Add them to about half of the vases as to not overpower the beauty of your collection. Echo the elements of green and red by threading holly berries across your furniture or hanging a wreath from a strategically-located point on the wall.
Twice as Nice
Drape greenery and berries on lights, but be wary to keep them away from bulbs for safety.
Make a Poinsettia Tree
To create a poinsettia tree, follow these instructions: First, cut the larger blooms, leaving about 6 inches of stem. Using a flame, sear them quickly to stop sap from dripping out. Sap should bubble under the candle flame, and the ends of the stems will turn black. You may also need to sear the points where larger leaves were removed along the stems. Insert each seared stem into a water-filled florist tube. Stems are hollow and will absorb water after being seared. Place the stems into the base of the ivy topiary. Then repeat this process with the medium-size and smaller poinsettia blooms, cutting the stems so they’re about 4 inches long. Insert blossoms into the topiary, working your way toward the top. Once it’s complete, care is simple—just add water to the tubes every few days, as needed.
Pile On the Plaid
Plaid is not just for school uniforms and collared shirts. For a classic, old-school take on holiday cheer, use plaid as a theme for your Christmas decor. To avoid overloading on one pattern, don’t be afraid to mix and match plaids of varying sizes and scales. Start with a transparent plaid garland, and decorate with metallic, solid-colored ornaments. The easiest and most budget-friendly way to incorporate plaid into your Christmas is by using the gifts under your tree as decorations themselves. Choose 2-3 plaid patterned rolls of gift wrap, and 1-2 solid patterns in complimentary colors. Mix and match ribbons on each gift for a layered presentation of presents.
Homemade Pomander Tree
Handmade pomanders fill your home with a fresh, citrusy fragrance that will make everyone feel welcome. These winter gems might look intimidating, but they are easier to make than you think. Use a toothpick to poke holes into each orange in the shape of your design (you can either draw it on or freehand it); then push in the whole cloves. Set them aside to dry, and then let your imagination go wild. Trim a mini tree by gluing the base of a plastic foam cone (you can find these at a local crafts store or on Amazon) to a cardboard circle that’s 2 inches wider than the cone. Slide each pomander halfway onto a toothpick; then insert the pick into the tree, starting at the bottom. Apply hot glue to reinforce the connection between each orange and the foam.
Set a Holiday Scene In Your Outdoor Room
Do not limit your decorations to the inside of your house or your front porch; take advantage of the South’s mild winters. Bring decorative Christmas cheer to your porch and backyard. This backyard retreat is beautifully decorated for the season, and serves as a perfect place to nestle up with a blanket on a brisk winter night. A beautiful tree takes center stage, spun in classic red garland and gold lights. The mantle is adorned with fresh, aromatic greenery and a simple evergreen wreath above the fireplace completes the stunning scene. Stock your outdoor bar, and light a blazing fire for a cozy outdoor gathering.
Elegant and Easy Embellishments
Tie pinecones and berries with a velvet bow in a contrasting tone. This simple, handmade element will complement any stairwell or mantle.
Suspend the Tree Topper
Add an unexpected detail to a monochromatic Christmas tree by hanging your tree topper from the ceiling. First, choose a shape that plays off your Christmas ornaments, as this round paper lantern mirrors the round ornaments on the tree. Attach a ceiling hook right above your tree’s tallest point then, float the lantern by hanging it from a bow attached to the hook. For added impact, attach cascading ribbon or garland from the bottom of your hanging tree topper. This modern Christmas tree makes a big impact without appearing over-decorated or tired, and will stand out among the rest in creativity and originality.
Make Your Mailbox A Classic Charmer
If nostalgia is what you value at this time of year, then going the traditional route (aka how your grandma may have gussied up her mailbox) is a solid choice. This arrangement is anchored with cedar boughs and sprigs of cypress and holly. Sugar pinecones are the sweet, statement-making finisher. “They’re massive and gorgeous,” says Birmingham florist and stylist Brooke McAfee. “I love embellishing everything with them at Christmas.
Draw Them In
Whether guests arrive through the front or back door, make every entry inviting. A perch for removing boots can be a place to gather packages. Mudroom cubbies can display small collections, favorite ornaments, and family heirlooms.
Cheer Up Your Entry Way
Pressed for time but want a big show to greet guests and carolers on your front porch? Fit a 7-gallon magnolia into a decorative planter, and fill in around the edges with spray-painted magnolia branches and sprigs of seeded eucalyptus – we chose red, but gold or silver stuns as well. After the holidays, plant the magnolia in the garden for a year-round token of holiday cheer. Designed to come together quickly and with limited hands-on prep, this Christmas look is easy to tailor for various preferences. Change the plants or colors to suit your taste – Poinsettias are always a good substitute.
Pull Up A Chair
No fireplace? No worries. Hang a stocking from every seat at the table. Use pretty ribbons and double-sided, industrial strength tape to keep the stockings hung behind dining chairs with care.
Wrap Artist
Beautiful presents in festive gift wrap can double as festive decorations under the tree or on a table.
Start Outside
A white brick Colonial is a stately canvas for holiday decorating. The wreaths, swags, garlands, and gate decoration took a color cue from the home’s green-black shutters and bright copper lanterns.
Bring On The Brilliant Berries
For a mix of traditional and modern, use mercury glass teardrop vases to hold bright holly berries, available from florists and garden shops. Leaning on warm orange and red hues, we added some mandarins and pomegranates around the display for texture, color, and fragrance. Kept in fresh water, the berry branches should last up to three weeks.
Get Festive With Place Card Holders
Instead of displaying dining room name cards on simple card holders, make them festive! This holiday host enlisted her childhood collection of Steinbach nutcrackers to hold gold-scripted place cards that match the holiday dinner menu cards. Use a gold paint pen for metallic penmanship, and adorn the top with a gold foil holly sprig.
Add Another Layer
Give your stocking or sideboard a bit of extra sparkle with a tassel that’s subtly fragrant too. Start by gathering five magnolia leaves, two other kinds of evergreens (we used cypress and pine), spiral eucalyptus, and a cluster of berries. Position the grouping so the magnolia acts as the backdrop; this will give the arrangement structure. When you like the look, secure the base of the stems with florist tape. Wrap a piece of ribbon around the tape, knotting it off once the bottoms of the stems have been almost completely covered. Use the loose ends to create a loop large enough to fit over your stocking holder, drawer pull, or knob. Knot again to secure, and then let the tails hang down. Trim them so they hit just above the end of the greenery for a hint of movement and a soft touch.
Make an Entrance
Make your entrance inviting for all. Dress the staircase with a garland of pinecones, greenery, and ribbons of alpine blue.
Create an Evergreen Centerpiece
Bring the Christmas forest inside your house with this rustic, homey arrangement. Use a footed silver serving tray to display a sumptuous centerpiece with vintage ornaments and clippings from the garden. Start with Southern classics: boxwood, pine, and magnolia. Next add large ball ornaments, followed by crocosmia pods, pinecones, and abelia whose flowers have dropped, leaving a showy flourish of pink sepals on the tips of branches. Finish with delicate sprigs of evergreens, dried shelf mushrooms attached to florist picks. Wire a few small, round ornaments of natural colors with metallic and glossy finishes in for a subtle touch of glamour.
Top Your Mantel with Winter Blooms
Maintaining a quality collection of fluted vases, julep cups, and chalices makes it easy to display (and replace) choice blooms throughout the season. Update your mantel with fresh winter blooms. The foliage base will take you well past New Year’s; and the flowers will last five days. To create this look, begin with a base of artificial garland. Then tuck in layers of two kinds of fresh eucalyptus (silver dollar and seeded), as well as dusty miller placed in water tubes. Add silver brunia, white ranunculus, star of Bethlehem, ‘Sahara’ roses, eucalyptus pods, succulents, and snowberries to vases and along the mantel.
Make It Miniature
Petite wreaths come together in a snap to dress up empty tabletops. A few sprigs of pine, rosemary, or cypress are the essential elements.
For a horseshoe-shape, strip the needles from the bottom inch of two pieces of greenery; then overlap the stripped sections so the needles of each clipping point in opposite directions. Place that on a piece of florist wire that’s been trimmed to a length about ½ inch shorter than the stems. Using dark green florist tape, attach the stripped portions to the wire. Gently bend the wire to make a horseshoe shape, and then manipulate the greenery to follow suit, bending and securing it to the wire with florist tape as needed. Finish it with a bow tied around the wreath’s center to hide the construction.
For the Wreath, using florist wire, make a ring and then bend the wire back around itself to secure. Cover with greenery (with needles pointing in the same direction), and attach to the form with florist tape. Add a bow.
An Arrangement To Outlast the Holidays
Let the celebratory spirit linger by pairing sunny, sturdy amaryllis with poinsettias. Place the display on an entry console or a sideboard as an alternative to a tiny tabletop tree. These potted pretties also make thoughtful gifts for friends and neighbors. Repot an amaryllis and a mini poinsettia in a shallow vessel, and then cover the soil with moss. Snugly nestle pomegranates at the base of the flowers, and add berry-covered branches for extra pops of red. Extend the impact by placing loose fruit on the table below.
Think of a Novel Idea
For a hint of holiday flair with a literary touch, put spare paperbacks to work by stacking them into a Christmas tree. It’s a wonderfully whimsical touch to a mantle or bookshelf.
Sneak in Surprises
Shift into neutral for a simple bouquet that incorporates natural colors and textures. You’ll need cedar, spiral eucalyptus, dusty miller, and a branch holding a trio of petite pinecones to create this look. It can add unexpected charm to a bookshelf, bedside table, or windowsill. This petite bouquet will make a lovely host gift, or put together multiples for giving away at your holiday luncheon.
Extend a Warm Welcome
Our favorite way to light up any season is a brilliant array of paper luminaries. Line them up along your front walkway, along your driveway, or scatter them on your porch for a bright, twinkling Christmas display that’s so simple and affordable to pull off. You can buy premade luminaries in bulk online, or make your own using white paper bags, pebbles, and battery-powered LED candle lights. After gathering your supplies, place a handful of pebbles in the bottom of your paper bag so it is less likely to blow away or fall over. Using your fingers, clear a place for the LED light (turned on) to rest. Wait until its dark out, and you have a glowing luminary to light up your drive.
Choose a Gift Wrapping Style
The bigger your Southern family, the harder it is for you to find and purchase personalized gifts for everyone. If you don’t have a spectacular gift – or even if you do! – the best way to make your gift more exciting is by spending a little more time on the packaging. These creative Christmas wrapping ideas are perfect for any gift. Choose a theme – traditional, natural, vintage, glitzy, coastal, or rustic – you can’t go wrong. Purchase small trinkets for decorative touch, like the wooden reindeer, glittery initial, cotton clipping, or bell and ornament pictured above. By layering paper, ribbon, and tags, you can create a picture-perfect package.
Consider Cool Jewel Tones
Stems of pussy willow adds some height to a simple arrangement of pine branches with cones, displayed in an antique blue pickle jar. (Find these online or at thrift stores.) A turquoise ribbon complements the colored jar and the decorative Christmas trees. The limes accentuate the green tones from the branches and connect them to the base, a large pewter tray that offers a bit of shimmer without the shine of silver.
Let the Tree Tell Your Story
Adorn your tree with meaningful ornaments, like these which were collected during the family’s travels. Finish your design with cascading blue and red velvet ribbons.
Entertain with Bold Red Accents
Muted colors with printed seasonal menus and gold ribbons pair wonderfully with pops of Christmas reds.
Match Gift Tags to Your Color Scheme
A true Southern decorator knows just how important a well-wrapped gift is, and you will never catch us wrapping our gifts in computer paper. For family gatherings, make the exterior of your gifts look just as good as the presents that lie inside. The bonus is that, until you give the gifts to their recipients, they will add class to your living room while they wait under your tree. Pair preprinted gift tags that reinforce your decor scheme with boxes wrapped in chocolate and metallic papers to add character under the tree. You can get even more creative by designing and printing your own tags with a Cricut machine.
Welcome with Wreaths
Greenery can make a big impact, even outside. Add window wreaths with ribbon to each window of your home, and don’t forget the doorway. Make an extra special entry by creating an evergreen border to your front door.
Decorate with Family Heirlooms
The next time you are handed down a beautiful piece of family furniture from an elder, don’t forsake it because you don’t have the room. Save these heirlooms for seasonal occasions, and use them in your Christmas decorating. Showcase them during the most wonderful time of the year by putting them on display. This mahogany buffet may not be useful all year round, but during the holiday season, it is a perfect place to serve Christmas brunch. It fits perfectly into a niche built just for it. Update the pieces with modern accessories, such as a pair of mod white lamps, which help a traditional piece of furniture blend seamlessly with more modern tastes.
Strike a Posy
Let the magnolia leaves dictate the size and shape of each arrangement, but keep them small in scale so they don’t overwhelm the place setting. From there, the equation is simple: two magnolia leaves, a sprig of cedar and/or pine for texture, and berries on top for a pop of color. A handful of foraged leaves (we opted for deep purple foliage to contrast with the bright green magnolia) can fill in any holes. Secure with florist tape at the base, and then wrap the bottom with a velvet ribbon—bonus points for selecting a shade that coordinates with your china. As you put these together, alternate showing off the fronts and backs of magnolia leaves for added interest.
Branch Out
Nestle evergreen clippings in a bar cart for fresh accents.
Wow with Regional Touches
Hang pine garland, velvet bows, pinecones, and pheasant feathers along your banister for an entry guests won’t soon forget.
Welcome Guests in Memorable Southern Style
Upgrade your entryway by twirling topiaries with fruit. Start with two bonbon compotes. Hot-glue sheet moss to a plastic-foam cone. Stick florist clay adhesive to the bottom of the compote, and press the cone onto it. Attach a row of green plums (or Key limes) by skewering with a wooden pick and inserting into cone in an upward swirl. Glue scabiosa pods and dried hydrangea blossoms next. Repeat. Skewer a pineapple (spray-painted gold) with a wooden pick, and insert into top of topiary. Try spray-painting the dried hydrangeas white for an elegant touch.
Get Creative with Gift Tags
Save money and add a personal touch by making your own Christmas gift tags. Kids love getting to craft their own unique tags. Pictured above, the crafty holiday homemaker used a color copier to make copies of tartan fabric, and then cut the copies it into rectangles to create each patterned gift tags. You can also print background patterns from the Internet and make simple designs using your computer. Type or handwrite names in the center. Add ribbons and bells to dress up each gift. Choose wrapping paper and patterns that match your room’s decor, as these gifts will be waiting under the tree for the whole Christmas season.
Bring Comfort and Joy
Bottle trees and a bit of greenery zip-tied to the bamboo headboard shift the guest room into festive mode without much upkeep.
Savor Travel Memories
Extend the festivities to empty corners. A framed collage of pages from expired passports sets an adventurous backdrop for a colorful tree decorated with garland and accents inspired by far-flung locales.
Cluster Ornaments
This Christmas tree secret is ingenious, easy, and cheap. Cluster small ornaments together for an extravagant impact. Small ornaments can easily get lost on a busy tree amid the sparkling lights and merry garland. Using thread or fishing wire, simply thread a cluster of ornaments together and tie to make an eye-catching arrangement. Hang them on your tree sporadically for shiny upgrades – we love adding a bell or two for some jingle. Incorporate the same individual small ornaments throughout the tree to echo the larger displays. You can also hang these festive ornamental clusters around your house, such as on wreaths or from your mantel.
Bring In the Greens
Play up one color for extra impact. We paired clear glass containers with fruit, foliage, and ribbon in a fresh shade for an unexpected display. Arrange camellia branches in one water-filled vase and naked seeded eucalyptus in another. Place a mound of apples beneath a glass bowl. Accent with contrasting ornaments and tiny battery-powered fairy lights.
Set Out Small Seasonal Displays
Place ornaments and antlers in a versatile vessel, like an antique dough bowl, anywhere around the house for a small dose of cheer. It works wonders on an entry table or atop a mantel.
Make a Merry Mailbox Topper
This simple Christmas decoration is an easy way to spruce up your front yard for the holiday season, and comes together with only a few supplies that you may already have on hand. Top off a square brick mailbox with an abundance of bouquet winter plants. Fill a wide, shallow planter with an arrangements of bouquet winter plats like pansies, flowering cabbage, cedar, fir, lavender, and rosemary. We trimmed ours to resemble a Christmas tree. Tuck in spare ornaments in contrasting colors, like deep red and metallic gold. Add pinecones to fill gaps and add texture. Finish your mailbox with a satin bow.
Put Out the Good Stuff
The winning table formula of family silver + a hit of color + inexpensive grocery store flowers is just as effective now as at any other time of year.
Try a Two-Piece Wreath
If you want to get the look of a single warm, welcoming holiday wreath, but have a double-door entry, do not fret. Instead of forgoing the whole idea, consider using a two-piece wreath to adorn a double-door entry. Make your own by starting with a wreath that has a sturdy base so it will hold its shape. We used fresh evergreen here, but a grapevine wreath will work just as well. Cut the wreath in half, lengthwise, with sturdy wire clippers. Use florist wire to attach evergreen clippings, fruits, and ribbons. Securely hang half of the wreath on each door so the two meet in the center with the doors are closed.
Display Christmas Lanterns
In a pinch for a festive, company-worthy way to decorate your doorstep this holiday season? Greet guests in style by arranging a grouping of festive candleholders and lanterns at your entryway for quick and easy holiday style. Arrange large, sturdy candles for a warm glow in mismatched lanterns. Consider using flameless candles as a worry-free alternative to regular pillars.
Spread Cheer Outdoors
Low-care (or no-care) plants set the scene while placing a wreath front and center crowns an outdoor area in complementary cheer. Add a garden-friendly centerpiece by dropping paperwhites into a pine needle basket.
Prep A Festive Scene
Set your tablescape early in the season to give you a nice daily reminder to your countdown to Christmas dinner. Layer green and white linens, seasonal candles, red flowers, and small dishes filled with cranberries for a setting that will help your anticipation grow.
Wow With Winter Whites
Creamy white ceramics make great vessels for holiday blooms. We’ve mixed holly, cedar, and privet berries with white amaryllis and lime green mums. Start with foliage, placing the largest pieces first to establish the size of your display. Add flowers and berries one stem at a time to form a triangle of amaryllis, mums, and berries. Fill in with more greenery, and skirt your vase with colorful packages and ornaments.
Cheer Up Outdoor Spaces
Don’t neglect outdoor patios and porches in your Christmas decorating. Because we live in the South, our winters are much more mild, and we can use our screen porches all the way through the Christmas season. Decorate your outdoor spaces with wreaths, candles, and large glowing orbs to draw guests outside to cozy up by the fire. This understated yet festive outdoor spaces is perfect for casual gatherings. We love the rustic candlesticks seen on the table of this back porch. And while these red chairs are functional year round, when taken among all the festive Christmas decorations displayed during the holiday season, they begin to resemble cheery sleighs.
String Lights And Greenery
When it comes to decorating the front of a house for the holidays, we absolutely love wrapping Christmas lights around all of the columns on a stately home’s front porch. However, the dark green wires often distract from the elegant twinkle that we desire. Disguise those unsightly wires from string lights by winding them around a column or post with Christmas greenery or garland. Personalize the garland by attaching spray-painted pinecones and metallic ornaments with fishing line. Finally, set out a pretty container of ornamental cabbage or kale at the base. To add an additional pop of color, a potted Poinsettia also looks great.
Shift Out Of Neutral
Lovers of neutral, subtle decor will love this metallic take on holiday decorating. Elegant, yet far from overwhelming, this theme is perfectly understated but still fancy enough for even a formal holiday gathering. Create an opulent feel without taking over the space by decorating your Christmas tree with sophisticated metallic shades. The limited color scheme of silver, gold, and bronze is both classy and timeless. Minimal pops of green and red bring festive cheer, while the dominant colors of silver and gold make the tree sparkle with subtle yet eye-catching flair. Choose icicle-style lights to wrap the tree to emulate diamonds.
Make A Statement With Peacock Feathers
In lieu of the traditional reds and greens of holiday flowers, use bright peacock feathers on your mantel as a statement piece. First, select a neutral container for the feathers – we chose this concrete plant box as a solid foundation. Place a block of floral foam inside of the container, and then arrange peacock feathers in a whimsical pattern. Add a few curly willow branches to add dimension in the back. Arrange ornaments in the base of the container to hide the floral foam and compliment the room’s other decorations. We suggest using this edgy arrangement to compliment other nontraditional design elements.
Choose Colors That Match Your Décor
Just because large department stores seem to explode in bright reds and greens during the holiday season does not mean that you have to completely hide your house’s existing décor when prepping for the holidays. Instead, plan your Christmas decorations so that they work with, rather than hides, your existing home decor. Even if it means using unexpected colors, like cream and beige, a room with well-incorporated decorations throughout looks classy and expensive. Accents in shades of gold and silver blend seamlessly with this room’s soft white-and-ivory color scheme and play off the tones of other metallic accessories, like the coffee table.
Hang A Blooming Basket
Who says you have to wait until spring to decorate your porch with flowers? Spread Christmas cheer by greeting guests with a bright arrangement of seasonal paperwhites. Paperwhites belong to the daffodil family, and will flower indoors at any time of year. They are incredibly easy to grow and maintain, as they don’t even need soil to grow. Just place the paperwhite bulb in enough water to cover the lower portion of the bulb. While growing the paperwhites, keep the bulbs in a warm indoor spot that sees lots of sun. If you water them regularly, they will flower in a month or so. After blooming, paperwhites last longer when placed in a cool spot out of direct sunlight. Arrange the blooms along with heather, juniper, and moss in a planter and hang it directly on your front door.
Wrap Your Coffee Table
No, we are not telling you to wrap your coffee table in wrapping paper. Rather, get creative and upgrade your living area by wrapping a coffee table in belts of festive Christmas ribbon. Transform your coffee table into a Christmas present by crisscrossing strands of ribbon over the top and sides of the table, like you would when wrapping a gift. To avoid over-decoration, choose a neutral ribbon color that is close to the color of the table, and wrap loosely. Add festive centerpieces, like spray painted pine cones, and metallic family heirlooms to add sparkle to the elegant decoration.
Fill Cylinders With Ornaments
For a tasteful, intricate, and slightly minimalist display, fill transparent glass cylinders with painted holiday objects. Use spray paint to add a shimmery touch to pinecones, acorns, or round glass ornaments. A metallic color scheme is displayed above; however, we also love this idea using rich red and deep green, or ice blue and white – it just depends on your home’s existing color scheme. Display these tall decorations en mass, on a dining table, coffee table, or even a demilune. Large glass vases look fabulous when arranged on a windowsill. This do-it-yourself Christmas decoration is easy to make, yet results in a classy, elegant final product.
Use All Glittering Ornaments
Create a unified and sophisticated alternative to mismatched Christmas ornaments with glittering balls and stars in various finishes. Try this glittering ornament idea in a little girl’s room – you can have so much fun with bright and glitter pinks, greens, and light blues. While you can collect glittery Christmas ornaments from seasonal shops, you can also execute this idea yourself. Buy a variety of unfinished ornaments from your local craft store, and select a few festive shades of fine glitter. Adhere the glitter to the ornaments using adhesive spray, Mod Podge, or color-coordinated paint. Experiment with patterns for more intricate and handmade details.
Drape The Bannister
Take advantage of your beautiful banister. Drape festive green winter garland up the handrail of a staircase, and anchor it with metallic gold or rich red bows for a Christmas welcome in your foyer. When anchoring the garland to your banister, make sure that you select a ribbon with wire trim. The wire trim will ensure that the ribbon maintains a stiff bow shape that lasts throughout the season. For added sparkle, string white icicle lights up the banister. Wind the spiral tightly around the base of your stairs as a festive finishing touch. Add aromatic clippings from your Christmas tree for a cheery bonus!
Put Out Pretty Pillows
Quickly take your everyday living area to Christmas village by swapping out your basic throw pillows for festive, holiday-themed pillows. This quick fix is an inexpensive and easy way to redecorate a room and change the entire room’s look for the Christmas season. Find pillows at a local interior design shop, or whip up your own from festive holiday fabric. Although pillows are small, they shape a room’s atmosphere. By adding Christmas pillows to a room, you can forgo other holiday decorations and save time.
Hang Vintage Ornaments
Sometimes, the best way to decorate a Christmas tree is with memories collected by your family. There is no need to reinvent and repurchase your Christmas tree decorations every year. Instead, stick with the familiar and beloved ornaments that your family has collected and made over the year. Decorating with a variety of themed ornaments will add a personalized touch that standard, matching ornaments cannot compete with; so we are declaring that it is perfectly okay to use the same ornaments every year. Each unique ornament will tell a story, and your Christmas tree will act as a great conversation piece during holiday gatherings.
Add Swag To Your Mantel
Swags are not only for doorways and porches. Craft a classic, decorative swag for your mantel out of surprisingly nontraditional materials. Birch bark is one of a decorator’s favorite natural materials – its flexibility and light, beautiful pattern are perfect for many occasions. In this Christmas swag, thin tree branches and birch bark shavings make up the rustic display for a minimalist living room. Red berries and frosted Christmas trees in varying heights lend holiday touches to the natural arrangement, which could be used throughout the fall and winter seasons.
Accesorize Your Tree
As much as we love the traditional Christmas tree-topping gold star, sometimes, the classic tree topper doesn’t fit the room. Here, the metallic pastel color scheme need a tree topper that is a little more delicate and feminine. Instead of the traditional five-pointed star, try a soft, color-coordinating wire ribbon. Tie an oversize apricot bow with the ends cascading down the tree for extra drama. The ribbon ends should be cut so that they just skim the floor. No bow-tying skills? Have a local florist make one for minimal cost.
Drape Your Mailbox
Readers with traditionally shaped mailboxes can try this festive way to spruce up a driveway for the holidays. Turn your mailbox into a red and green Christmas tree. Wrap sheer ribbon loosely around a pine garland and drape the garland around the mailbox, securing with a flexible, thin wire or fishing line where necessary. To top off the display, wire clusters of bright Nandina berries to top off the post. Arrange the sheer ribbon in a voluminous bow for the finishing touch.
Note: Nandina berries are toxic to birds and grazing animals, so be sure that you keep them out of the reach of any household pets.
Make Your Own Magnolia Wreath
Magnolia garland is one of the most traditional elements in all Southern Christmas decorating. If you have access to magnolia leaves, you can turn your Christmas displays into a modern, holiday fairyland by making your own wreath. We’ve given the traditional wreath an upgrade by with a square shape. Using magnolia clippings and florist foam wreaths, you can make your own Christmas magnolia wreath – no need for wire or glue! Wide white ribbon secures the wreaths to the ceiling, and keeps the embellishment to a minimum. Square wreaths look particularly sophisticated in a room with square windows, as they compliment the room’s geometric angles.
Pull Out Extra Ornaments
As the popular saying goes, “waste not, want not.” Stretch your holiday décor to its maximum limit by using every last decoration to bring Christmas merriment into your home. Arrange any extra ornaments into leftover vases or wicker baskets. This cheap decoration idea means that none of your beautiful ornaments will go unused. We even added a few strands of leftover ribbons to our ornament collection to bring color to the display. Stack the vases on coffee tables and side tables to spread the color scheme across your entire living space. Arrange gifts around the base of your ornaments to incorporate them into their surroundings.
Choose Simplicity
When it comes to Christmas decor, the value of your holiday display is never measured by how many lights you can string or how many inflatable snowmen you can prop up in your front yard – as much as we love the movie, this is not National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Instead of blowing a fuse, opt for simple, classic, and rustic holiday décor. Beautiful evergreen wreaths secured using simple ribbons tied into bows lend an elegant and festive appearance to this white farmhouse. Achieve the same classic look at your own home by hanging simple matching evergreen wreaths on your doors and windows.
Create an Arrangement with Fruit and Greenery
One of the oldest, most traditional Southern decorating techniques has got to be the old fruit-in-glass-vase technique. From real lemons and limes to fake peaches and apples, you’ll find a fruit bowl in nearly every family home across the South. It is so easy to twist this classic decoration to fit the Christmas holidays. Simply use a glass hurricane or vase to create a festive, fruity arrangement by filling the jar with layers of limes, red holly berries, and lemons or oranges. The traditional Christmas colors of red, green, and gold will last all season. Top off your arrangement with steams of seasonal greenery.
Make Your Own Stockings
This rustic Christmas mantel décor is an easy Pinterest craft that even your 3-year-old couldn’t mess up. For a cheap holiday stocking display, skip the extravagant stockings and instead, make your own. Use simple and inexpensive burlap fabric from the fabric store to fashion handmade Christmas stockings. Hand-stitch the edges of each stocking foot with light-colored twine – the messier, the better. With these stockings, a loopy, uneven stitch actually compliments the rustic burlap. Label each stocking with mismatched block letters, found at a flea market or on sale at a craft store, for a personal touch. Secure to your mantel using the same twine used to stitch the stocking.
Wrap With A Natural Look
Make a department store worthy Christmas present display with this natural present wrapping technique. The contrasting light and rich browns add cozy, coordinated warmth under the Christmas tree, and the crisp whites add sharp clean lines to the earth-toned theme. Burlap and solid brown and white papers on the presents are in keeping with the room’s color palette. Natural elements, like wood tags, adorn the gifts. To achieve this beautiful natural look, first, choose a color scheme. Buy two different wrapping materials in different colors and textures. Then, find five to six selections of diverse ribbons, making sure to choose spools of various widths.
Celebrate with Magnificent Magnolia
A wooden vessel creates a more relaxed, natural look while also hiding the florist foam, which holds the magnolias in place. To make this asymmetrical foliage arrangement, choose the longest branch first, one that reaches far enough to one side to give it a horizontal shape. Place your second-longest branch on the other side and the shortest in the center. Then accent with ornaments and fairy lights placed nearby.
Put Your Tree in a Basket
Christmas tree skirts can be costly, and once you commit to a pattern, you’re stuck with it. Save your wallet by displaying your tree in something that you already have lying around your house – a simple, natural woven basket. While you will likely still need to support the trunk using a tree stand inside of your basket, the results are much more beautiful than displaying your tree in a stand alone, and much cheaper than purchasing that tree skirt you only use once a year. A basket’s neutral color and versatility allow it to coordinate with virtually any Christmas décor you choose.
Add Shine With Mercury Glass
Look into Christmases past, present, and future with these crystal ball decorations. You can add these mercury glass balls to a shiny display for even more sparkle and glitz, or incorporate them into a rustic display for an element of elegance. Mercury is such a versatile finish. Because it is made from natural elements, it works in a natural display, as above. But its high-shine and mirrored finish also works for luxe, high-end decor themes. Use these mercury glass balls to adorn your Christmas tree, or pile them up in a basket by the fireplace. Their large size is unique and makes a big impression.
Add “Wow” With A Disco Ball
Rejoice, rejoice. Disco is not dead. This unique Christmas idea is reminiscent of glory days gone but not forgotten. Pay tribute to Donna Summer, Abba, and The Bee Gees by making sure that your Christmas decor keeps the Disco stayin’ alive. Hang a disco ball from the ceiling to float it above your Christmas tree. This tip works best with flocked Christmas trees; the mod silver sparkle of a disco ball blends best with nontraditional decor. A flocked tree needs a festive punch, so a run-of-the-mill start doesn’t suit it. A disco ball is much more appropriate. Top it with a bow, and you’ve got a tree worthy of the Disco Queen herself.
Use A Consistent Color Scheme
As long as you keep your color scheme consistent, you don’t have to decorate in traditional reds, greens, and golds. This rule is especially true when using a flocked Christmas tree. The white tree branches mean that you get a blank canvas. Turn your house into a winter wonderland by choosing an icy, sparkly theme that is sure leave a lasting impression on guests. Keep the color scheme consistent by introducing only shades of three different colors. Above, we chose bright white, cool aqua, and turquoise. The bright, colorful beaded garland is a dramatic contrast against a Christmas tree’s stark white branches.
Decorate With Magnolia And Eucalyptus
This Christmas, remember that even your outdoor furniture deserves a few festive decorations. Celebrate the holidays on your patio, too. Dress up the backs of your outdoor chairs by tying graceful swags of magnolia leaves and aromatic eucalyptus sprigs to each chair arm with a red, festive ribbon. While magnolia is a plant often used in Southern Christmas decorating, the eucalyptus sprigs are a less common – and a more creative – way to incorporate unique elements into your traditional holiday decor. Eucalyptus leaves are fragrant, calming, and long lasting. Just be sure to attach the trimmings in a manner that won’t crowd someone when seated.
Adorn Your Gifts
Because those Christmas presents are already hanging out under your tree for the entire length of the holiday season, why not make them part of your house’s festive decorations? Make your wrapped Christmas packages Pinterest-level-pretty by attaching small tokens to each gift. Some suggested adornments include bells, small ornaments, sprigs of evergreen, glittery snowflakes and holly. The possibilities are endless, and gifts can be customized dependent upon their recipient. Pick a variety of patterns and colors of wrapping paper, and unify the scheme with the same color ribbon.
Wrap Gifts To Match Your Décor
In the time leading up to Christmas morning, the gifts under your tree act will as functional decorations. You might as well make them part of your Christmas decoration theme. They are going to be there, anyway. Purchase wrapping paper that coordinates with your decorating color scheme. We suggest selecting at least two different wrapping paper rolls, and three to four different ribbon spools. The varied wrapping will bring layers of intricate detail to the space under your tree. Tie leftover ornaments into the ribbons for creative gift tags.
Make A Custom Tree Skirt
Christmas tree skirt shopping can be either a happy hit or a major miss; you may find a skirt made out of fabric so beautiful that you completely redesign your entire decor theme based upon the festive upholstery fabric. Or, you may end up spending money on a plain red tree skirt that you bought out of desperation. Instead of fretting over store-bought tree skirts, make your own using fabrics from other upholstered pieces, like chairs, pillows, or even the sofa, in the room. Save scraps from your past projects to piece together alternating rings that will always match your room.
Make Your Own Gift Tags
Pretty gift tags add an irreplaceable finishing touch to any Christmas gift. Make your own for an easy, personalized touch. Hand making gift tags is a great holiday crafting project for kids – they will experience the selfless joy of giving by being involved in the gift-giving process. A deck of cards is the perfect medium for quick gift-tag making. Using a cookie cutter and a pencil, trace the shape of your choice onto a deck of cards. Cut out and punch a hole in the tops, and string the gingerbread man onto Christmas gifts and ribbons. Use any type of paper and any shape cookie cutter to personalize these hand-made holiday tokens.
Give Your Entry A Theme
Take your front door to next-level festivity. Instead of just hanging up a wreath and calling it quits, go all-out and create an entry with a theme. Stage a royal welcome by hanging lanterns from shepherd hooks anchored in galvanized washtubs planted with ivy. Topped with a faux cardinal, this seasonal lighting solution helps introduce your Christmas decorating theme right at the front door. For a red-carpet look, create a clever runner with tartan fabric and green burlap that spans from the door to the steps. Hold the runner in place with heavy-duty double-sided tape from the hardware store.
Punctuate Your Table With White Tulips
Magnolias and paperwhites are not the only flower that we suggest for Christmas decorating. Punctuate classic reds, greens, and golds with a bright burst of white tulips. Tulips are available year-round from your local florist or grocery store, and they are a fresh alternative to other holiday flowers. Group them in thick clusters for maximum impact. Before you arranging the tulips in your vase, cut the tips and add a scoop of sugar for longevity. This decoration tip works with both casual and elegant décor themes.
Give Goodie Bags
When hosting a holiday party, let your festive decorations double as fun goodie bags. Arrange them in your home’s main entry and exit so that upon their arrival, guests are greeted with merry goodies. Pictured above, the holiday host displays faux cardinal ornaments on top of a rustic holiday basket of treats. The baskets will then be given as parting gifts to departing guests. You can customize your own goodie bags with containers and treats that compliment your holiday decor. Try metallic boxes filled with chocolate truffles to match elegant decor, or cellophane bags with colorful candies for a children’s Christmas party.
Dress Your Chairs
Outfit your everyday dining room chairs in their Christmas best. Wrap your chairs in a merry cummerbund fashion, using a band of burlap as the base, and tartan on top. Tie with wide red grosgrain ribbon, and secure all cloth with an oversize laundry pin. Add a few jaunty pheasant feathers, and use scissors to make inch-wide cuts along the bottom of the burlap for a frilled, fringe look. Customize the fabric choices and color schemes to fit your desires. We suggest staying away from fabric with glitter – when guests lean back on their chairs, the glitter tends to rub off.
Get Festive With Floating Candles
Instead of a traditional table runner, try placing boot trays, or shallow trays, end to end down the full lengthwise center of your dining room table. To prevent accidental leakage, seal the trays with silicon caulk before filling them with water. Buy festive float candles, like the snow-flake shapes we have pictured above, to illuminate your dining room in holiday cheer. We love this unique Christmas decoration idea so much that we want to put a float candle tray in every room.
Hang Decorations In Windows
Your house will turn heads with this original way to add extra Christmas cheer to your windows. Adorn bare windows with a quaint winter scene. We’ve pictured a pair of cardinals perched on a birch log. Surround the scene with fresh evergreen branches and printed patterned ribbon to add Christmas color to a plain window. Personalize the scene you choose to display – for an elegant, modern arrangement, hang glittery ornaments from the ceiling. For a fun and festive Christmas arrangement, try displaying Santa’s hat and sleigh bells.
Make Your Own Tree Topper
Tree toppers are a lot like the icing on the cake – they pull everything together, and a Christmas tree isn’t complete without one. But, just like topping lemon cake with cream cheese icing ruins the entire dessert, so to can choosing the wrong tree topper ruin your entire room. If you can’t find the perfect tree topper in a store, try making your own. Cut your desired shape from ½-inch-thick foam core board. Here, this star topper is covered with tartan fabric and edged with ½-inch-thick ribbon. Decorated with jingle bells and studded with plaid buttons, it provides the perfect topping for a plaid-loving family.
Extend Your Party Theme To The Tree
Create a memorable Christmas tree that coordinates with your decorating theme by using only a few types of ornaments. This tree has plaid everywhere – can you guess the theme of the rest of the house? Silver tassels are finished with double knots of plaid ribbon. Red birds hunker down in cozy nests, and shiny bells lure kids of all ages to give a little jingle. Wooden craft-store disks, covered with plaid paper, take the place of traditional glass balls. You’d never guess that the plaid disks were actually made by photocopying fabric on a color copier, and then tracing and cutting out large circles! This tree is a true DIY masterpiece.
Hang Three Wreaths
Whoever said “three’s a crowd” obviously never saw how wonderful and festive three wreaths look when displayed on a front door during the holiday season. Forgo the traditional single wreath on your porch, and stack three small evergreen wreaths for a long and loopy design that adds impact and originality to your home’s traditional front door. Keep them spaced apart or tie together with wire so they appear to be connected. Weave natural or painted pinecones into each wreath, secure with wire, and tie a matching ornamental bow on the top to make it holiday-worthy. Border your doorframe with matching evergreen garland, and cluster pinecones at the top of the frame to echo the wreaths’ elements.
Make Arrangements Out of Greenery
Save those Christmas-tree clippings! Recycle the simple, fragrant sprigs of greenery by placing them in colorful glass vases or jars for quick and easy coffee table arrangements. For a pop of natural, add sprigs of Holly or Nandina berries to the arrangements. You can even add sparkle by lightly coating the branches in metallic spray paint. Tie ribbon or fabric scraps around the necks of the vases for added cheer. Have each of your children pick their favorite ornaments, and attach using the ties – they will love their mini Christmas trees. Rumor has it, Santa’s elves love leaving chocolate squares under these trees in the days leading up to Christmas night.
Hang Twinkling Lights
This gala-worthy technique is a quick way to upgrade your outdoor patio with glitz and sparkle. Everyone has a few strands of lights left over after decorating their front porches, so try using them to spruce up your patio with holiday cheer. Hang the twinkling white lights on a fountain or stone wall in your garden to create a striking winter focal point on your patio or porch. You can also hang lights from an outdoor shed, pool house, or tall fence. Even if it’s too cold to entertain outside, you’re guests will enjoy the soft, cozy glow through the windows.
Embellish With Ribbon
This year, instead of wrapping ribbon around your Christmas tree, let it cascade down. Decorate your tree with long, cascading tendrils of colorful ribbon, rickrack, and pom-pom fringe for a whimsical, colorful, and modern Christmas tree. Search the remnants section of your local fabric-and-trim store for clearance deals on pieces that are at the end of a roll or oddly-sized, and collect them throughout the entire year. Attach the ribbons and trims directly to an embroidery hoop and simply slide over the top of your tree. Stick to one color scheme, or make it bright. This nontraditional, fun design works best in a casual room, or a child’s bedroom.
Encourage Conversation Flow
This year, forgo formality. Why designate a guest of honor to sit at the head of the table when you love all of your guests equally? Place a round table in a square-shaped room for more natural, relaxed Christmas entertaining. The circular shape encourages conversation flow between all guests, so you’re not stuck talking to the people sitting on either side of you. With this arrangement, when Pawpaw makes a joke, everyone gets to laugh along with him. An oversized lantern hanging above the table casts a romantic glow, and is a fresh alternative to a traditional chandelier. Mismatched chairs add to the casual, relaxed atmosphere in this comfortable Christmas dining room.
Make A Mason Jar Snow Globe
Canners and crafters rejoice! We have found the craft of the season that both kids and adults will love. These rustic snow globes are the perfect way to incorporate some handmade holiday decor without downgrading an elegant room. All you need to create your own are jars in assorted sizes (here, 8, 16, and 32 ounces), waterproof superglue, trinkets (we used mini Christmas trees, but anything from ornaments to small toys will work), glycerin (available at crafts stores), and glitter. Simply glue your trinkets to the mason jar lid, let dry, and fill with water, glitter, and a few drops of glycerin. Just don’t forget to glue on the lid!
