20 Festive Christmas Decorating Essentials Made Easy
Dust off your twinkle lights and pull out that box of Christmas decor. It’s time to get decorating, and we have 20 beautiful and easy ideas to fire up your festive style at home. Better yet, all are quick, simple and designed to get the holiday spirit flowing.
1. Hang a Wreath
There’s something about a wreath on the front door that kindles a festive feeling. Christmas crafters might prefer to make their own, but for wreaths done easy, head to your local florist or pick up an artificial wreath — it’ll save you the quandary of deciding where to get one next year and beyond.
2. Dress Your Entry
Want more than just a wreath at your front entrance? Step up the styling and string up some greenery. All it takes is scissors and twine — and a bit of patience.
3. Front Door Drama
To give your front door an added dash of drama, dress potted plants with Christmas tree ornaments or twinkle lights. The effect will be simple but statement-making.
4. Make an Entrance
A sure-fire way to get in the spirit? Walk into a home where the seasonal decorations begin the moment you set foot inside the door.
5. Deck the Halls
For a brag-worthy wow factor, drape some branches around the features of a room — on a window, above a doorway or along the molding. You can cut your own greenery, pick up a few bunches from your local florist or grab a pack of artificial branches from a home goods store. String, scissors and another pair of hands is usually enough to complete the job.
6. Style Your Stairs
While you’re at it, save some cut greenery for the stairs. Weave it around the balustrade and affix it with string, or keep it at foot level if you want the handrail to remain free for safety. A small bunch of ornaments hung from the newel post is even easier.
7. Mantel Peace
Try laying some greenery — real or artificial, at Houzz we never judge — on top of your fireplace mantel. You might need the help of some florist’s wire to ensure the branches behave nicely.
Or if you have a fireplace but no mantel, simply hang a wreath above it.
8. Stock Up
A fireplace without stockings in December isn’t just underdressed, it’s downright naked. If you don’t have a fireplace, get creative with where you hang your stockings — almost any ledge or shelf will do.
9. Dress the Tree
Decorating the Christmas tree is one of those traditions you might dedicate an hour or more to and consider time well spent. If you get a real tree, the celebratory fragrance of pine will greet you every time you come home.
10. It’s a Wrap
Christmas is the season of giving, after all, so if you’re planning to spread the love with tangible gifts, make them even merrier with beautiful wrapping. Fun packaging can bring a smile to even the crankiest Scrooge.
11. Window Wonder
It’s amazing what a few candles and some greenery on a windowsill can accomplish when it comes to creating a Christmas vibe.
12. Advent Activities
Feeling creative? All it takes to make your own Advent-style calendar is some cardboard or envelopes, a wall and some reusable putty. Want an even easier idea? Buy a ready-made Advent calendar in a shop or online.
13. Get Carded
Displaying cards from friends, family and well-wishers is a beautiful way to infuse your interior with cheer, and it will also remind you that you matter to those you love. Go for a swanky shelf setup as seen in this kitchen, or whip out the putty to display them on a wall.
14. Beam It Up
OK, so this idea may not be quite as easy as advertised, but dedicated decorators among us (with the right ceiling or fixtures) may find it worth the effort. One of
15. Table Time
Christmas-colored tablecloth: check. Matching napkins (even if they’re paper): check. Cutlery and plates: check. Greenery: check. And the table is set.
16. Portable Decorations
No room on your table for themed decor? Steal some ornaments from the back of your Christmas tree and arrange them in a platter or tray with some greenery. You can move your display elsewhere when it’s time to dine.
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17. Edible Decor
No, it’s not a new trend you need to know about. Edible decor simply means letting your food and beverages do double duty as decorations and sustenance. How? All it takes is a little color theming, so look to naturally red and green ingredients when you’re planning those platters or making a Christmas cocktail. Cheers!
18. Light a Fire
Here’s an easy way to up your decorating game: Flickering candlelight will add festive spirit to any nook or cranny in your home, whether the flame is real or battery-powered. Go forth and light up.
19. Beautify the Bathroom
There’s something so cheerful about entering a powder room or bathroom that hasn’t been forgotten in the decorating blitz.
20. Decorate and Delegate
As easy as most of these decorating ideas are, sometimes our long to-do list makes it nearly impossible to decorate for Christmas all by ourselves. So if you like to dress up multiple rooms and if you live with friends or family, try enlisting their help to spread the tasks around — in other words, share the love.