Frazzled by how to get your house festive without the use of more f words? 17 easy, inexpensive and calminggggg Christmas decorating ideas for a fantastic holiday season.
It takes me 3 days to decorate my house for Christmas. I'm not sure if this makes me uniquely qualified or unqualified to give tips on Christmas decorating, but I have some of my best tips laid out for you in this post.
This year I'm in the curious position all of us are in. I really want my house to envelop me in every bit of Christmas coziness it can muster but at the same time I'm exhausted and unhinged. That means, I don't know if I have the energy to do over the top decorating. It also means, I'm eating a lot of fried foods.
I'm also not sure that I want that kind of oppressive, over the top, choking on garland look I'm normally partial to. I need calm. I need easy. I need french fries.
The main reason it takes me so long to decorate my house is that I change it up every single year. Part of that is because I'm nonsensical and the other part is because I feature my house on my blog every year and figure you'll report me to the bloggers authority if I don't feature new and exciting things every year. I don't begrudge you that. It's kind of your duty as a blog reader.
So EVEN if I do things "easier" this year, it'll still take me forever because I'll have to figure out the best way to do it by trial and error.
You can see how I've decorated for Christmas over the past 8 years in my Christmas House Tours here.
I'm counting on there being a few tips in here that you can implement yourself this year; like placing twigs around your flopping paper whites. Or getting drunk.
In no particular order,
17 Christmas Decorating Ideas
as told by a Christmas addict.
1. To hang a wreath from cupboard doors, install a screw in cup hook or a 3M sticky hook on the inside of the cupboard door. Wrap fishing line around your wreath then hang it from the cuphook on the inside of the door. To make it look like it's hanging from ribbon just wrap ribbon around the wreath and attach it to the cup hook as well. It'll look like the wreaths are hanging by the ribbons but they're actually being supported by the fishing line. THIS look is pretty calm. I like it for this year.
2. FOR EVERY CHRISTMAS PIECE YOU PUT OUT, TAKE AWAY A REGULAR ACCESSORY. Keep a Rubbermaid bin or cardboard box with you as you decorate, placing all the regular accessories into it. Then when you take Christmas away you'll have all your regular stuff together in one spot making it easy to put out again in January.
3. Sometimes all you need to do is add a little Christmas colour. I had these berry sprigs that I bought for a wreath but didn't like them in it. Which is a good thing because they look a million times better bunched in a vase. Again. It's simple but looks Christmassy without making you feel like you're being eaten alive by the ghost of Santa.
4. ADD SPARKLE. I like a rustic Christmas more than anything else but even I make sure there's some glitter going on. You can get glitter from candle holders, a bowl of glittery pine cones, shaking an exotic dancer around your house, wine glasses or using sparkly ribbon on top of a burlap table runner.
5. Keep your Amaryllis or Paperwhite upright by surrounding the plant with twigs. The twigs stop the leaves and flowers from toppling over when they get too tall. Also ... I get my glitter fix.
6. SCENTED CANDLES or plugins. If it smells like Christmas it'll feel like Christmas.The world's best scented Christmas Candle is Frasier Fir by Thymes. It is OUTSTANDING. They also make hand soap, car fresheners and reed oil dispensers all in the delicious Frasier Fir scent. I own the room spray, candles, candle melts, car air freshener and reed diffuser. And yet - I want more.
7. Santa doesn't have to barf on your room to make it seem festive. In the case of my bedroom just adding a sheepskin mat to the floor and a cheap Ikea Christmas tree make it cozy and holiday-like. Again - nice and calm.
8. PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON TIMERS. Just do it. Inside, outside ... doesn't matter. Do 'em all.
9. Ornaments you already own are the cheapest way to decorate. Put them in bowls, mugs, vases or baskets. In this case, my antique egg basket holds my antique ornaments.
Below my DIY hanging magazine rack shows off some vintage ornaments. You can learn how to make the magazine rack here.
10. DOME IT. Glass cloches (otherwise known as domes) are available everywhere now. Big, small, it doesn't matter. Slip a glass dome over just about anything and it looks great and makes the thing inside seem as special as 5 legged cat. Only cuter.
11. The snowy scene on my sofa table is just a platter with white Dollar Store trees and plastic snow sprinkled in. That's it. O.K., and a garland and a sparkly candle and a white tree. This year it might feel like too much to me and I'd probably just have the garland and one other thing.
12. Vintage metal trucks SCREAM Christmas. I have no idea why. I blame Hallmark movies. I can also tell you that this random white truck that I bought at an antique store is one of the most commented on things in my house. Everyone love sit and no one really knows why. So if you can, pick up an antique metal truck if you ever see one. If you're impatient Amazon has tons of replica vintage metal trucks.
13. FRUIT! One of my favourite holiday decorations are fruit and nuts. They're festive AND edible. Mixed nuts in their shells, clementine oranges and pears are my favourites.
14. Pine Cones. If you can shove, hang, prop or display a pine cone in or on it DO IT. They're cheap, festive and available everywhere from stores to the street. If you're fancy you can buy the big ones that are covered in gold glitter.
Glue them on presents, put them in bowls, scatter them on tables or bookshelves.
15. Get your wrapping done. Just having wrapped presents around makes your house feel like Christmas. This year, it's going to be simple for me. No over the top crazy wrapping but it will be beautiful. I haven't entirely decided what I'm doing and with what materials, but I do know it's going to be simple, oversized ribbon and plain paper similar to what I did a few years ago. Just a classic, simple, old fashioned Christmas look.
16. Just a few sprigs. You don't need masses of store bought greenery, garland and wreaths. Just a few sprigs of anything evergreen from your yard can have an impact.
17. Don't forget the porch or whatever main door you use to get into your house. Just a little porch tree will make you smile with its Christmas cheer every time you come home.
BONUS CHRISTMAS DECORATING TIP: JUST BECAUSE YOU OWN IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO PUT IT OUT.
I still have the same glass ornaments I walked into this house with and I'll never get rid of them. I didn't decorate with them this year but I did 2 years ago and I'm sure I will again in the future. So they stay.
But in the same box I have a bunch of older decorations that I loved at one point but kind of roll my eyes at now. I used to try to find a place to just stick them but now I realize just because I own them doesn't mean I have to put them out. If I don't like them or don't have room for them I either don't put them out or I get rid of them.
MY FINAL BONUS TIP.
The most important thing to remember when you're decorating for Christmas is, you really can't go wrong. It's pretty forgiving and pretty hard to make a mistake. I mean, we put entire, full sized, living trees in our rooms and don't think a thing of it. What other time of year would this seem sane to us? Then we cover it with flashing lights.
So no. You really can't screw up Christmas decorating. Just have fun, make it cozy and shake that ho, ho, ho around.
→Follow me on Instagram where I'll be sharing a lot more Christmas stuff.←
Cussot
Shoot, I should read your posts in order. I just commented on another one about the branches around the paperwhites and I may have even used the word "glittery." It's such a brilliant idea, I'm commenting again!
Julie
I was thinking about doing number 2 before you suggested it! (that sounds rude now that I re-read that) I'm going to start my cleaning now…thanks for the inspiration!
Karen
Yup. Sounded rude, lol. ~ karen!
Mary duffy
For the best smelling holiday candles IMO, try Nest--$38 --they smell amazing even when they're not lit. they make two holiday candles; one that smells like evergreens and one that smells like cloves, oranges and I can't remember what else. One year I splurged and bought the one from Diptique that's supposed to smell like a wood fire--it sure does, like a fireplace the day after a fire. Not great.
Deb
Happy Merry and Bright days to you! Ran across you on Pinterest; my new inspiration anticipation. Love your sense of humor!
Karen
Thanks Deb! Welcome to my site. Sometime I swear. ~ karen!
Heather (mtl)
Oh, what an inspiring post! I have surgery next week which will curb my movements for a month so I hadn't planned on decorating simply because of the un=decorating part. I agree with you about not putting out everythiung, so I now plan to decorate the mantle and be happy with it.
Love the part about scented candles! Actually saw them today but had too many choices so I'll return and may get the 'winter' fragrance. I also love filling my lampe berger with lavender, too. Such a calming, yet open fragrance.
Christmas baking on w/e - then it feels like the holidays! Gingerbread baby cakes make the best gifts not to mention the most wonderful aroma!
Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays to all!
Karen
Surgery! Is it something fun like a boob lift or something awful like having something removed? I LOVE lavender. I spray my sheets with linen spray every night before bed. Good luck with your surgery and DO the mantle. If you're stuck at home unable to move don't you want to be looking at something pretty and relaxing? :) ~ karen!
Sakura S.
Really enjoyable post, Karen. I got to the part where you mention putting live trees in the house, and it got me thinking - remembering, really (cue flashback music).
My first Christmas tree as an adult was a fake one. It was easy to set up, and once the lights and decorations were on it, looked gorgeous. It served us well for almost 20 years, but eventually it lost too many "needles" and started to look sad, so we got rid of it. I took this opportunity to finally be one of those real tree people. For a few years we were so happy, picking out a new tree every year, enjoying that lovely pine tree smell, the novelty of having an actual, biological tree INSIDE (wow). All was well, until the Great Conifer Aphid Infestation of 2013. "Conifer aphids?" you say. "Are those a thing?" Oh, yes. Yes, they are a thing. Our 2013 Christmas tree was full, lovely, and absolutely loaded with these things. We had no idea, since they really weren't visible on what appeared to be a perfectly healthy tree. They're harmless and they're rather stupid, not like those diabolically clever house centipedes. But ew, bugs, you know? Things were fine until the tree started to dry out, and the aphids weren't getting enough food from it. So, they started crawling off the tree, and, thinking they were in a forest, went off in search of the next one to latch on to. Within a few days, they were all over the living room and dining room. We had to get rid of the tree. Before Christmas. My tree that Christmas was a tripod with some lights draped on it.
As soon as the holidays were over and the post-holiday sales had begun, we got ourselves a fancy shmancy, pre-lit, fake Frasier fir tree. It sits here right now, in all it's imitation glory. Beautiful, perfect, no pine tree smell, but no varmints, either. So, even though I love real trees, and inhale deeply every time I pass those sidewalk Christmas trees for sale setups, all I actually see are aphid-infested pine devils from hell. The End.
Karen
Anddddddddd now I'm afraid of my Christmas tree. ~ karen!
Abigail Cohen
You have a warm and inviting home, Karen. Merry Christmas everyone!
Peggy
How come when I go to the dollar store I only find crap? On the local junior league house tour I saw 3 mason jars filled with Xmas lights, old style. Really looked good. When I see you around town, should I pretend I don't see you to give you privacy; walk by and mumble the art of doing stuff; or smile and say good blog?
Jan in Waterdown
Hell, offer to wash something in her house and who knows what will happen!
Karen
Let's go with Good blog! Or Hey you have a blog. Or I have too much money, here ... why don't you take some of it? Something like that. ~ karen!
Peggy
Oh good, I don't have to smile!
Gretchen Sexton
Winners: Cheap glitter sprigs from dollar store to hold up flowers; bright berries of color; and the little before/after pic (rug and tree) was so CLEVER. You win! I want to live in your house!
Karen
I win, lol??! I didn't even know I had entered a contest to have you live with me. Well. Lucky me. I guess. Do you wash kitchen floors? ~ karen!
Jan in Waterdown
"Wash kitchen floors"?? So that's your criteria for moving in eh? I'll alert the media. Oh. Wait a minute. You've done a pretty good job yourself just now. LOL.
Gretchen
Haha! Holidays are full of surprises! :) I'd wash floors there!
Miriam Mc Nally
ok, here are 2 tips scent-wise for you Karen.
1. Essential oils: using a burner, or just put them on a tissue near a radiator. I use a mix of Clove Bud, Cinnamon, Orange, Lemon, Frankincense, Pine and Fir. Absolutely beautiful. You don't have to use that many, but try to use at least 3. Put about 7 drops in burner or on tissue. All over my house, my radiators have 1 sheet of kitchen paper folded up and tied to the little side pipe, then I just run round and dot the oil (mix your chosen ones in a bigger bottle to make your life easier!). It really does smell divine, and those oils are good at getting rid of germs too!
2. If you want good scented candles, try Kenneth Turner Original...oh my word!
Sorry for (almost blog post length!) long comment!
Sally
Yankee Candles are my Favourite! They have a huge selection of scents, always deals on seasonal ones and the pillar size are perfect for actually using my candle holders. You can smell them all day- the smell never fades.
Cathy Prince
Does anyone know where I can find candles that smell like burning wood? We used to use these next to our electric fireplace for effect but can’t seem to find them anywhere anymore.
Tricia Hitopoulos
There is a large choice on Amazon.
Christina Blanchard
I've purchased crackling fire candles from chapters/indigo website before! They have a great candle selection. Hope that helps :)
Linda Oxford
I saw some at Safeway, the grocery store, yesterday.
Laura
Merry Christmas everybody!!!!
Nancy Blue Moon
Amazing what a couple little touches do to brighten up your bedroom...When I do the smelly stuff in a pan I always add a sprig of pine or fir tree to make it even more Christmasy...Always...always...simmer...very..low.
Cathy Reeves
The twigs as a support was worth the price of admission! Love your home, Karen. By the way, I think Bath & Body Works has a Balsam candle that smells fabulous. Sadly they discontinued their Balsam hand soap. Not sure if they are in Canada.
Sandy
The scent they call “Winter” this year smells of balsam.
Vanessa
For the first time, this year I bought a pine scented candle from Yankee Candle. My thinking was fake tree needs a pine scent. I love it. I actually can smell it with the lid on, but somehow it isn't too perfumee. AND it crackles when lit. super fun candle. It was expensive when compared with the candles I buy at the Dollar Store, but not so expensive I lost sleep over buying it. Maybe $20. Well worth it.
nancee
I must have missed it, but how did you make the "Dollar Brush Trees"?
Love the ideas. I'm going to decorate a pine tree I've had since it was a baby, dug up from my parents' yard and given to me in a small pot. It's now about 5 feet tall. And this year will be decorated with pine cones with bird seed & PB, and some cranberries, apple cubes and orange slices.
Thank goodness the ants have gone into their deep dens!
Jan in Waterdown
Nancee, I think Karen bought those bottle brush trees at her local Dollarama, one of her favourite sources of inexpensive decor. It's truly amazing what can be found there. Lovely idea on the outdoor tree! In my neighbourhood, the raccoons would be thrilled outta their little minds . . .
Karen
She did indeed. You *can* make bottle brush trees but when you can buy great ones for $1 why would you? ~ karen!
Marina K
Linnea's Lights make the best smelling, incredibly fragrant candles. I have one in lavender, and it perfumes the entire room, even with the cover on. Not cheap at USD34, but absolutely worth it.
http://linneaslights.com/
Mary W
I have my grandmothers (I'm almost 70) rolling pin she used everyday to make biscuits. It was carved by my grandfather who was a woodworker machinist. I want to hang it up over my sink on two hooks to use as a towel bar - with your cool chef's knife showing. Just haven't done it - why? Maybe I will this year. Love the twig idea and think it would look cute during the year as well - like a picket fence with a bird on it, or a May pole or flag poles appropriately adorned. Course that wouldn't be rustic. Timers are like having a maid (for cheap) and just the sort of self indulgence my knees would welcome. Appreciate your bedroom change-out view. Yes just a few things do make a huge difference. I use a Yankee Candle called White Christmas. Before I shower for bed, I light the candle in my bedroom, turn down the covers, turn on a night light, then when I've finished getting ready to sleep I blow out the candle. It sweetly scents my bedroom as I drift off to sleep in a light, refreshing, Christmas smell. Maybe not the same as Idris but still pleasurable.
My granddaughter keeps her playhouse in my living room window which I had extra wide sills made just for the kids to use. Karen, you inspired me to decorate it for Christmas with some tiny bottle trees I have owned in a craft room drawer for 3 years. Lot of good they are in there. I have a white tray that will hold bottle trees, ornaments and "stuff" that she can move around and play with on a child's table right in front of her playhouse. They love to move decorations around and I'm one granny that loves to watch them do just that. Out from the drawers come those "special" things that I haven't used waiting for the perfect time - which is now before they get sold at a junk sale when my body gives out. Your post today is very inspiring to me and obviously to the rest of the readers! THANKS.
Jan in Waterdown
You sound like the special kind of Grandma every kid would love to have . . . especially at Christmas. You are in the business of creating beautiful memories for your little ones and instilling kindness in their wee hearts. Keep up the good work for all our benefit. Wish I could give you a hug . . .
Mary W
Jan, I felt your hug and thank you so very much. What a sweetheart you are for taking the time to respond. I will think of you when I put up the wreath in her tiny playhouse. Have a great day and even better year.
Patricia Marino
Your post made my day ♡
Lauren from Winnipeg
Have you tried Voluspa candles? Gorgeous scents and beautiful containers. They are the only candles that I have found that make the room (and adjoining rooms-but we have an open style home) smell like your nose is pressed up to the wax. They also burn nicely and have a long life. They are truly amazing. Chapters/Indigo have them.
Patricia
Coal and Canary candles are great - they're soy based, made in Canada (yeah Wpg!) and smell so nice while burning in a not too obnoxious way. And, they have 3 special Christmas scents. I can personally vouch for Ginger Bell Rock.
http://www.coalandcanary.com/#!shop/c1zy9
Patricia
P.S. Tip #2 is my favourite - have followed this religiously ever since you posted it previously.