Do you get overwhelmed when you start to think about Christmas decorating? I’ll show you 8 simple ideas to help you get started on decorating for the holidays.
When is the Right Time to Decorate for Christmas?
I am so ready to decorate for Christmas early this year! I’ve always lived by the rule that says holiday decor is not acceptable until the day after Thanksgiving. And I never knew any better. I never questioned it. That’s what my mom did, and that’s what her mom did.
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And then it happened.
I found Instagram. And everything changed.
I felt like a serious slacker. There were these influencers (I didn’t know what an influencer was at the time) who were putting up their Christmas trees, and it wasn’t even Halloween yet.
I’m excited about the comfort of Christmas in my home. I’m looking forward to the joy of listening to Christmas music, lighting my scented candles, and watching my pretty twinkle lights.
8 Simple Ways to Decorate for Christmas
Even though I’m beginning the holiday decorating process earlier than usual, I’m going to start out slow, adding more elements of Christmas as the season progresses, making it less overwhelming. Here are some simple ways to decorate for Christmas…
1. ADD SOME HOLIDAY TOUCHES TO OPEN SHELVING
Starting your holiday decorating is as easy as adding some greenery, pinecones, and a jar full of candy canes. The open shelving in my kitchen is my very favorite space to play with. And because I am a little crazy about Christmas, I’ll most likely change out the shelves a few times during the season.
I’m hoping to add a hot cocoa bar this year as well. How fun will that be???
2. MINI CHRISTMAS TREES EVERYWHERE!
This is a no-brainer for me. “MINI” is a word we use a lot around our 1600 square foot home. I LOVE mini Christmas trees.
You can find a mini tree in every room after I finish Christmas decorating. I place them in baskets, crocks, galvanized buckets…the list goes on and on. Some have twinkle lights. Some have ornaments.
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3. HOLIDAY SCENTED CANDLES
Candles put me in such a good mood! I have my Antique Candle Co. candles lit ALL the time.
Christmas Day is a combination of fresh pine, cozy balsam, and fir, blended with a heart of cinnamon sticks, clove, and soft hints of fruit and sweet oakmoss.
Tree Farm is a nostalgic scent of crisp, freshly trimmed evergreen and Fraser fir pines, wrapped in delicate notes of winter cedarwood.
4. USING GARLAND FOR CHRISTMAS DECORATING
Whether you put up fresh or faux garland, this is a decor item staple when it comes to holiday decorating. It makes any room look festive and fabulous.
The garland shown above is a bay leaf garland that was purchased at Pottery Barn years ago and is no longer available. It’s looking really tired, and I’ll most likely have to replace it next year.
I always love wrapping garland around the pot rack for a little extra Christmas spirit.
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5. ADDING GREENERY
This is my BIGGEST AND BEST TIP for Christmas decorating. You can pretty much take a walk outside, with your clippers, and find a bundle of fresh greenery anywhere you look. I do live in the PNW, so it might be easier for me.
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But that’s where the beauty of faux greenery comes in. I use a mixture of both fresh and faux. I think I’m going to add greenery to my chandeliers this year!
6. CHRISTMAS PILLOWS
I usually keep my pile of pillows more on the neutral side when holiday decorating, mixing in a few holiday pillows here and there.
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7. WREATHS
There are so many different possibilities when it comes to a wreath during the holidays. How about some rustic jingle bells to get you in the mood? Or keep it simple with eucalyptus, olive branch, or boxwood. You can even add a pop of color with a wreath full of red berries.
Putting a wreath on a range hood is another great idea for the holidays.
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8. VINTAGE VIGNETTE
If you have seen my Instagram squares, or visit my blog regularly, you know that I am a BIG TIME vintage lover. I never really appreciated vintage decor until we moved into our 1920 home. Now it just seems like a natural fit.
Vintage scales, baskets, ironstone, and copper accessories fill my shelves, tables, and countertops.
My Christmas decorating is all coming together. I can’t wait to share it with you when I get the rest of the house all ready for the holidays. I love your comments!
Until next time,
Happy Decorating!
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Christmas decorations are so perfect for your cottage. I’m thinking of moving to the PNW & you decorate my house for me! LOL
I love everything you’ve done here.
Love all the greenery you added to your pretty cottage Kim! So festive!!
Thank you so much, Ann Marie! Happy holidays my friend.
Love all your super easy Christmas ideas! Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to hear from you again.🌲
Oh Kim, your home looks so lovely with the addition of some holiday cheer! Thanks for sharing it at Celebrate Your Story! Link Party. You’ve been featured this week 🙂
Thank you Rebecca! I’m on my way over to your party.
Kim,
Do you have a whole bunch of small tree’s or do you have a large tree combined with small ones as well.
Meredith.
Hi there!
My house is super small so I only have a bunch of little trees throughout the house. I was able to get a bigger faux tree in a corner in the living room this year after moving a cabinet into the hall. Yay me!
Lovely post Kim, and I couldn’t agree more as I sing…we need a little Christmas now! I’m excited to feature your post this week at the Tuesday Turn About Link Party.
Thank you so much Michelle! I really appreciate it!
Hi Kim! You have inspired me to get things going at The Bradford House!! Love the idea of pop a little extra greenery here and there!!
Kim,
So many cute ideas.
Rachel
LOVE this post! I’ve been bringing in a few things that are Christmasy and adding them to my Thanksgiving decor, but Thanksgiving will be just the two of us so I’m about ready to head into some Holly Jolly time.
Thank you Debra! It’s just the two of us this year too. I think it will take me a full week to decorate. I am so slow.
I’m with you; we need some additional Christmas Cheer this year. Decorating our tree this weekend. Lots of neighbors already have their exterior Christmas lights up. Bring on the Holly Jolly!
I’m still working on mine. I agree, bring on the jolly!
If banks for sharing. Keep the simple, natural cheer coming.
Give us more info on the little trees, please.
How tall is the one in the sugar bowl?
How.do you get the sprigs to stand erect?
Do you keep the real, tiny ones in water?
Help!and
I love the simplicity of the crocks with the small trees.
I FINALLY bought my first crock this fall, so I was so excited to display my tree inside of it!
Beautiful! Because of you, I’ve been decorating with more pillows, in fact for Halloween I did sew some spiderweb silip covers (covered some other pillows). This way, after Halloween we just took them off and will use the slip covers next Halloween.
That makes me so happy! I need to decorate for Halloween next year. Great idea about the slip covers!