20 Simple Christmas Decoration Ideas for Festive Results
You don't have to go all out to achieve Christmas interiors.
Whether you prefer relaxed, pared-back Christmas aesthetics or you enjoy DIY-ing your own Christmas decor, there are so many simple ways to decorate for Christmas. Taking a simple approach to Christmas decorating allows you to maintain your home aesthetic and decorate for the season quickly so you can spend more time enjoying the festivities. Below, we outline 20 simple Christmas decoration ideas you can easily swap in or source from existing Christmas decor.
1. Repurpose Extra Christmas Ornaments
Make use of extra Christmas ornaments with this simple Christmas decoration idea. To start, you'll need a large decorative bowl – preferably one with a shallow bottom (so you can really see the ornaments!). Next, cover the inside of the bowl with evergreen sprigs. This is an optional step, but it's a great way to add drama and fill out the bowl. And finally, add your Christmas ornaments! You can use any ornaments you like, but Christmas ball ornaments look especially striking as you can cluster and layer them together. This idea will instantly dress up your coffee table, entryway table, or kitchen island, and makes for a great dining table centerpiece.
Add some Christmas cheer to your kitchen island with simple decorating ideas for Christmas that involve a few festive touches. You can't go wrong with a Christmas tree scaled down to size, an assortment of holiday coffee mugs, and a cake stand showcasing an award-worthy gingerbread house (real or faux). These easy additions will easily help you get your kitchen ready for Christmas without going overboard.
Before you break out the tinsel and ornaments, consider this simple Christmas decoration idea. We all love a well-decorated Christmas tree, but the process of lugging ornaments to and from the attic and spending time decorating and disassembling the display can be a lot to do! Simplify the process by enjoying your Christmas tree as it is – without decorations. Don't love the idea of a bare tree? Opt for a pre-lit Christmas tree (this way you also don't have to worry about adding lights yourself) or look for a tree that already looks stunning on its own (think Christmas trees in fun shapes, colors, or with frosted branches).
Personalize your Christmas decor without breaking the bank by making your own garlands. For this idea, we recommend using ribbons in festive colors of your choosing. To start, cut pieces of ribbon in even-sized strips. Then, using a hot glue gun or a stapler, connect the two ends of the piece of ribbon together. From here, loop the next piece of ribbon through the already rounded ribbon and connect its ends together (using hot glue or a stapler to secure the loop). Continue this process until you're satisfied with the length of the garland (maybe pop on a Christmas movie while you work on it!). The result should be a linked chain of ribbon, much like the garland pictured above. Display this homemade ribbon garland above your bed, over the mantel, along a staircase, or on your Christmas tree.
Winter-ify your Christmas floral arrangements with easy Christmas decorating ideas using seasonal favorites. Crimson winter berries and faux poinsettias add color and interest to any room and can stay up all winter long. Weave faux berry sprigs through your dining room chandelier, infuse each room with faux poinsettias arrangements, or combine winter berries and poinsettias to create a beautiful centerpiece for any spot in your home that needs some Christmas magic. Not in love with the color red? Many faux winter florals come in other holiday colors including crisp white, gold, silver, or green.
Simple Christmas decoration ideas like this one are super easy to replicate and can carry your home aesthetic throughout the winter season. Faux evergreen garlands, branches, and wreaths add greenery to your interiors, which is great for bringing life into your home during cold winter months. During the Christmas season, you can don faux evergreen decor with festive tinsel, Christmas ornaments, or string lights (unless you want a pre-lit garland option!). After Christmas passes, simply store away the Christmas decor and keep the evergreen items where they are until spring arrives.
What better way to keep things simple yet festive than with Christmas-themed bedding? Opt for a matching bedding and sheet set with Christmas colors and patterns to instantly transform your bedroom for the holidays. When the Christmas season comes to a close, just wash and store away your festive bed linens until next year.
Celebrate Christmas cheer by putting Christmas cards (past or present) on display. String Christmas cards from the garland on the stairs of your entryway. Line them along the fireplace mantel in your living room or above the upper cabinets in your kitchen for an instant holiday boost in your home.
Swap out art prints for winter landscapes, Christmas scenes, or abstract holiday wall art to instantly Christmas-ify your walls. Put Christmas wall art in the dining room to add a seasonal touch for dinner parties. Lean Christmas artwork on wall shelves or against the fireplace mantel to set the tone for festive movie nights. Hang holiday artwork about Christmas cookies and hot cocoa in your kitchen. The possibilities are endless!
Have evergreen trees in your backyard? Make your own Christmas tree! All you need is a large glass vase and a few sprigs of winter greenery. Keep it as is or hang tiny ornaments from the branches for even more holiday cheer.
Tip!
Have large houseplants? Forgo the evergreen branches altogether. Hang tiny ornaments and mini string lights from your houseplants for a fun take on a classic holiday symbol. Just make sure that any items you add are lightweight to prevent strain on your houseplant's leaves or stems.
11. Give Your Eucalyptus a Festive Twist
No need to remove your eucalyptus garlands when decorating for the season! Just spruce them up for Christmas with simple holiday decor. String Christmas lights through eucalyptus garlands or wreaths. Weave in ornaments, winter faux florals, and other festive finds to take your eucalyptus decor from basic to holiday-themed. Then, just remove the Christmas decor when the holiday season comes to an end. You can replicate this decor idea with your eucalyptus for any season thanks to its blue-green foliage and moldable appearance.
For this next idea, all you need is a cake stand and some imagination. The cake stand will act as the snow globe structure. Create a Christmas scene inside the snow globe using Christmas village accents, tiny Christmas trees, fake snow, and Christmas figurines. Then, place the glass top back on the cake stand to enclose the display. This is a great decor idea for entryway console tables, dining table centerpieces, and anywhere in your home that needs some Christmas cheer.
Replicate this simple Christmas idea in your powder room or bathroom to ensure every room in your home has a bit of Christmas in it. Drape a Christmas garland over the bathroom window or use one as a frame for the vanity mirror. Add a wreath to the window or the bare wall space above the toilet. Add quaint Christmas decorative accents to the vanity counter or bathroom shelves for a festive upgrade.
Give your nightstand a Christmas refresh. Keep your bedside floral arrangement and bedroom colors the same by adding neutral holiday decor. This subtle take on Christmas is perfect for the bedroom because it nods to the holiday without overwhelming your sleeping space. Opt for a couple of neutral reindeer figurines and tabletop trees to add seasonal interest. Consider adding a Christmas-themed candle (real or flameless) for soothing ambient light on short winter days.
You don't need to do much to achieve a quaint model Christmas village in your home. Designate six or fewer village figurines to the mantel, entryway console table, front windowsill, or any bare spot in need of a Christmas refresh. Christmas villages are simple Christmas decorations because they come already decorated and ready to go!
Add a touch of Christmas to your bookshelves by incorporating one or two festive decorative accents on each shelf. The above image features a mistletoe tree, metallic tree figurine, clear glass bauble ornaments, and a mini wreath hung by a ribbon (perfect for covering up sparse shelves!). Replicate this idea on any shelving unit in your home – from open kitchen cabinets to TV stand shelves.
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Take this look up a notch by lining the back of bookcase shelves with festive plaid wallpaper or leftover Christmas wrapping paper.
Hang snowflake ornaments or paper stars in windows, under kitchen cabinets or wall shelves, and above doorways to merge Christmas and winter themes into your home aesthetic. Snowflakes and stars create a sense of magic and mimic the look of a white Christmas, whether you live in a snow-prone area or not.
Bottle brush trees are great examples of simple Christmas decor you can easily incorporate throughout your home. This is thanks to their scaled-down sizes and versatile color options – not to mention they're adorable! Dot them around your kitchen for a fun retro addition to your Christmas aesthetic. Or line bottle brush trees on the mantel or entryway console table to create a bottle brush forest. Bottle brush trees are also great alternatives to full-size Christmas trees if you're short on space but big on style.
Get your home ready for Christmas parties, holiday dinners, and festive movie nights with the help of a decorative banner. String a Christmas banner across the entryway console table, above the dining room buffet, or above the fireplace for the best results.
Even the smallest of Christmas accents can help make your home Christmas-ready. Swap out your everyday coasters for Christmas-themed ones sporting Santa Clause emblems, snow-covered trees, holiday slogans, or magical reindeer. Stack them on your coffee table or kitchen island for a quick, easy, and practical Christmas decoration.
Tip!
Want more simple decorating for Christmas ideas? Check out these 16 Minimalist Christmas Decorating Ideas to Try This Holiday Season.
Start planning your Christmas aesthetic, now!
