Everyone jokes that the holiday season starts earlier and earlier every year. But planning can mean less stress as those weeks approach. This way, you’ll have all your Christmas decor waiting in the wings before the holidays hit, and all you have to do is pull and place. For those celebrating Christmas, it’s one of the most special times of the year. It means quality time with family and friends, generosity, goodwill, and warm memories. This holiday season, we’ve identified our favourite Christmas decorating ideas that appeal to the five senses: sight, smell, taste, sound and touch.
Sight
Updating your Christmas decor is the first step in spreading holiday cheer. Traditionally, the living room hearth is the main gathering place for the holidays. Once the Christmas tree is trimmed, and the wreath hung on your front door, the third project should be decorating the mantle. Simple white string lights set the stage for a warm mood.
Create a seamless look throughout the room using the same lighting on the Christmas tree, the fireplace, door frames, window treatments, or even Christmas front porch ideas. Wrapping seasonal faux foliage such as holly, ivy and berry branches around the light cord hides the electrical wiring and brings an outdoor winter element into the space.
Loop a velvet ribbon around the ends to secure the look and add a pop of colour. Next, place pillar candles in creams and off-whites in a staggered configuration on the hearth so the string-light-and-branch bundle weaves around them and drapes off each side of the mantle. The rest is up to you, and your options are nearly endless. Consider adding small topiary plants, glass hurricanes filled with colourful Christmas ornaments, or a wreath hung on the wall above your mantel arrangement.
Once you have decorated your living room, it’s time to move on to the other areas of your home. Since it’s easy to overlook powder rooms, kitchens and guest rooms, think of small-scale ideas for these spaces. Holiday pillows, richly hued throws, fun dish towels, scented candles, Christmas ornaments, glass bowls, and various holiday family photos add a festive touch.
Layers add interest and dimension, so feel free to take inspiration from your favourite aspects of the Christmas holiday and build on them. It’s also a great time to showcase treasured objects from friends and family. Christmas decorating is all about bringing back those happy memories and creating new ones. And luckily, it’s always a “more the merrier” mentality with Christmas decor.
Touch
Create a warm and cosy environment to encourage friends and family to relax, linger, and reminisce about past celebrations. Christmas-themed pillows in soft fabrics encourage snuggling sessions in living rooms and family rooms, so use large solid coloured pillows as a background for smaller decorative pillows on chairs and sofas. Thick throw blankets in deep reds, greens and creams work well, too—you can mix and match in appropriate colours and patterns to create a signature look.
Smell
Indulging a person’s sense of smell is another way to wow your family and friends over the holidays. Seasonal scents such as pine, cranberry, spruce, gingerbread, fir and cinnamon are just a few options for candles and scented decor. Evoke seasonal florals, baked goods and Christmas-time cooking spices with scented-oil warmers on side tables, consoles and dressers. Also, grouping cinnamon-scented pinecones in a statement bowl on your coffee table or mantel are a great idea for decorating your table for Christmas.
Taste
One of the most anticipated aspects of the holidays is the special menu at the centre of gatherings with family and friends. Every family has their secret recipes and special dishes, so we have included a few favourites. Paté and fine cheese make elegant appetisers, followed by HoneyBaked ham or beef tenderloin as the main dish. We love potatoes au gratin, cranberry-orange sauce, and green bean casserole for accompaniment. When it’s time for dessert, we always make room for various pies. These special dishes require specific cookware and bakeware, and it saves an extra step to purchase such attractive pieces that can go straight from the oven to the table.
Sound
The soundtrack is synonymous with the season and conjures up many fond memories for anyone who grew up attending Nutcracker ballet productions during Christmas. Jazz renditions of classic tunes are also a universal favourite. And for something more contemporary, many current pop artists are recording holiday songs, so it’s easy to find something for everyone who joins you for holiday celebrations. Filling your home with the sounds of the season is one way to get guests to return year after year.
Wall-Mounted Wooden Christmas Tree
Since most of us don’t have big, cottage-style homes or homes with porches, it may feel like there’s a lack of space to have a traditional Christmas tree. Don’t fret – you can have a beautiful tree in your current space too! This wooden Christmas tree has a minimalistic look, and the best part is that you can use this all year round. First, get a few wooden shelves from a hardware store close to you, and cut those stands so that you can stack them to make them look like a Christmas tree. Then, nail them to a wall in your living room, and decorate each shelf with ornaments. Finally, add multi-coloured lights over and around the shelves – use the shelves for candles or other Christmassy things to give it a festive look.
Fairy Lights Wall Art
Buy a long string of fairy lights and stick it in the shape of a Christmas tree in your child’s bedroom. Your child gets a cool night light and a personalised Christmas tree for his room!
Personalised Ornaments
Add a personal touch to your Christmas tree by going for handmade decorations and personalised ornaments. It is something your child can be a part of as a fun craft activity for Christmas.
Get some red, white, and green pom poms and ask your child to paint them using colours. Hang these pom poms on the Christmas tree. You can also make DIY ice-cream stick snowflakes, but they don’t have to be the generic white colour – encourage your child to paint them in his favourite colours. Instead of going for store-bought bells and stars, your child can cut the shapes of stars and bells from cardboard and decorate them with glitter and glue.
A Quick Tip: Turn this into a small decorating party with your kids!
‘memories Of The Year’ Wall
Fashion a ‘memories of the year’ wall in your home and stick pictures of your outings, trips, and fun moments that you have documented throughout the year. This way, you’ll be able to spend the holiday reminiscing about the year and sharing the feeling of gratitude with your loved ones. The children could also put up pictures of Santa Claus, elves, a snowman, or anything else they fancy. You can create a space on the wall for pictures by taking some black chart paper, covering a major chunk of the wall’s surface area and decorating it with Christmassy elements like snowflakes, hollies, bows and wreaths.
Diy Stars And Snowflakes
Turn your corridor into a wonderland with stars and snowflakes hanging from the ceilings! You can download a snowflake and star template and give it to your child – encourage him to colour it or decorate it using sprinkles and glue. Then, take a cardboard cutout of the same stars and snowflakes and glue them on. Tie the cardboard with a string, and hang it from the ceiling! This way, every night, you and your children will be reminded of a winter wonderland just by looking up.
Christmas Treats
Christmas is incomplete without delicious treats such as the gingerbread man and rum balls! Bake your gingerbread cookies and involve your children to decorate them with red, green and white icing and sprinkles. You could also make chocolate balls and coat them with grated coconut to look like snowballs. Then, put them onto a red paper plate and use them as a centrepiece for your Christmas dinner party.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Last but not least, let’s not forget our favourite: Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer! You can turn him into a fun Christmas ornament and use it as a treat for your children. Glue two candy cane sticks or pretzel sticks to a thick bar of chocolate, and add a small, red-coloured edible sphere in the middle of the bar. There you have it – your very own Rudolph! Give this to your child as a Christmas snack.
Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!”. We mustn’t forget that Christmas is not just about trees, ornaments and the other shiny things that come along with it -it’s the spirit and belief you have within. It’s not what’s under the tree that matters but who is gathered around it.
This Christmas, forget all about your deadlines at work or your little one’s submissions at school. Instead, enjoy it with your family and loved ones. Celebrate it the way you want to. It could be going out for a Christmas dinner or simply snuggling under a blanket and watching Christmas movies with your family or best friend. ‘Tis, the season of joy and giving – this Christmas, promise yourself to give the most that you can to those in need. Merry Christmas and a very happy new year!
Make It Smell Nice With Scented Candles
Candles are undoubtedly one of the best ways to set the mood over the holiday period. The aromatic scents of cinnamon, pine, and berries invoke the festive spirit into your home. Placing individual candles in your windows and around your home is perfect to create a cozy feel. So why not make these festive favourites a centrepiece in the middle of your table? Large groupings help make your arrangement look merry and bright for a more dramatic look – perfect for the holiday season!
Scents like pine, cranberry, cinnamon and apple pie remind us of Christmas and can add a subtle yet magical touch. Scattering candles throughout your home helps bring a sense of cosiness alongside Christmas ambience and nostalgia. The smell of mulled wine could send you back to a family Christmas party in your younger years!
Get Creative With Artificial Snow
Naturally, Christmas is the only time we’re supposed to see an abundance of snow. But, as this isn’t always the case, artificial snow is the perfect alternative!
While artificial snow isn’t essential, it will leave a little Christmas sparkle wherever it is placed. So apply liberally to bannisters, windows or your Christmas tree to achieve the Christmassy feel wholly independent of the real weather. Not to mention, this snow won’t melt!
Artificial snow is an excellent addition to your home, especially if you’ve got small children. So be creative and decorate your front garden with a light dusting of artificial snow for a little extra winter flair this holiday season!
Light Up Your Home With Fairy Lights
One of the most popular Christmas decorations is Christmas lights (and for a good reason). Driving around the neighbourhood and seeing the latest light displays is part of the festive fun building up to the 25th of December. Christmas lights are a beautiful addition to any home exterior but are arguably even more delightful when used inside!
Whether wrapped around the tree, the fence or lining the windows, Christmas lights will bring a magical explosion of brightness wherever they’re used with a little added twinkle.
You can also use lights to decorate branches and large shrubs to make your garden extra merry and well lit. However, for a polished, complete look, use hedge trimmers to make sure your shrubs are in tip-top shape before you start decorating them with lights!
Crack The Drinks Open & Be Merry
Admittedly, festive cheer isn’t the only reason people are happy in the build-up to Christmas. Christmas is a time you can drink whatever you like, guilt-free, and not consider the consequences (which usually means buying new jeans in the New Year!).
Enjoy yourself and let loose with some festive favourites. There are plenty of seasonal classics, like Eggnog or Baileys, making for a wonderfully tasty evening.
On the other hand, non-alcoholic choices are always available. So treat yourself to a warm Christmas classic this season. Your warm beverage will keep you merry and cozy throughout the season, from sweet hot chocolate to a delicious gingerbread latte.
Decorate Your Door With A Festive Wreath
Understandably, one of the most favoured Christmas decorations is the classic wreath. Due to its circular shape, the wreath represents eternity as it has no beginning and no end. From a Christian religious perspective, it represents an eternal circle of life. The colour evergreen is often used to symbolise growth and everlasting life.
Wreaths are usually placed on the front door and are an excellent way to display your festivity and look stylish. Since the front door is the first thing that friends, family or even carollers will encounter, it’s a vital opportunity to set the tone for the rest of their visit. So add a wreath to make your door stand out.
If you opt for an artificial wreath, you’ll be able to store it year after year. But, on the other hand, a natural one will provide that distinctly Christmassy aroma of pine and holly.
Indulge Your Sweet Tooth
As well as filling your home with tinsel and Christmas lights, it’s equally as important to provide a few sweet treats around this time of year. After all, it’s the season to indulge your sweet tooth!
Ultimately, we all know that the go-to Christmas chocolates are Quality Streets, Celebrations, and Roses, as they are the best value. Leave bowls full of nibbles around the table for your friends and family to enjoy at their leisure. Likewise, make sure that your household plays host to a tub or two of chocolate treats on the day itself! Just make sure that your pets don’t get into the chocolates!
Conclusion
It all comes down to what you want your Christmas decor to say about you and your family. Do you want it to be classic and traditional, or are you looking for a more whimsical look? No matter what style you choose, make sure it reflects your personality and the overall tone of your home. We hope this guide has helped give you some ideas on how to get started with your Christmas decorating this year!
Faqs
When Should You Decorate Your House For Christmas?
No matter which Christmas decoration ideas you have, the ideal time to decorate for Christmas is the weekend of Thanksgiving. If you’re still wondering how early is too early, stick to the rule that putting up Christmas decorations anytime before Halloween is too early.
How Do I Decorate My First Home For Christmas?
You can also utilise a small selection of garlands and festive ornaments to decorate your first home for Christmas, as just a few can go a long way. Drape garlands over bannisters, shelves or mantelpieces, and scatter ornaments on coffee tables and other selective surfaces to finish your first festive look.
What Are Christmas Colours?
For hundreds of years, red and green have been the traditional colours of Christmas. But why is that? Although Christmas trees are green and Santa’s suit and Rudolph’s nose are red, these modern holiday decorations and characters weren’t the inspiration for the colours we associate with Christmas.
Why Is Everyone Decorating For Christmas So Early?
But some experts have said people who put up their decorations earlier tend to be happier and friendlier. According to several psychologists, Christmas decorating spikes dopamine, the feel-good hormone. In addition, they said that the colours and lights act as chromotherapy, also known as colour therapy.
What Does A White Christmas Tree Mean?
While the green hue of traditional artificial trees typically represents life, calm, or nature, white is usually associated with purity and peace. Because it’s not tainted with any colour, white often represents all that is good and right.