An Expert's Guide on How to Decorate for Christmas
The ultimate guide to festive decor.
With the right Christmas decorations and a good dose of holiday cheer decorating your home for the festive season can be fun for the whole family. In our guide on how to decorate for Christmas, take an in-depth look at all the types of Christmas decorations for embellishing every room in your home with the holiday spirit.
In This Guide
Tips for Decorating for Christmas
Christmas Decorations: The Essentials
Christmas Decorative Accents
Christmas Decorations for the Dining Room
Christmas Decorations for the Bedroom
Christmas Decorations for the Bathroom
Outdoor Christmas Decorations
How to Decorate for Christmas
Christmas Decorating Tips
Before you begin, take a look at these tips so you choose the right decorations for your home:
- To keep your Christmas decor from looking busy, choose one colour scheme or design style and try to use it consistently throughout your home.
- Vintage elements pair well with classic Christmas colours: red, green and gold.
- Modern elements pair well with a white-based monochromatic colour scheme.
- Try adding something personal this year like these DIY Christmas Table Decorations to Keep You Merry and Bright.
- Put your kids' crafts on display as Christmas tree ornaments or centrepieces.
- There's no right or wrong way to decorate for Christmas. Just go with your gut!
Christmas Decorations: The Essentials
Christmas Tree
No Christmas decor is complete without a traditional Christmas tree. Because of its size and installation needs, it's a good idea to get your Christmas tree set up first. To learn how to buy the perfect Christmas tree, check out our How to Choose the Perfect Real or Fake Christmas Tree guide.
Location: Place in the living room or other large, central spaces.
Christmas Tree Accessories
If you're decorating with a real tree, it's important to purchase a Christmas tree stand that will keep your tree watered, healthy and sturdy. Another good Christmas tree addition is a Christmas tree skirt – though not mandatory, they can be a cute, decorative way to hide your tree's trunk and stand.
Location: Use at the base of the Christmas tree.
Christmas Tree Ornaments
Available in almost every colour, shape, size and design, Christmas tree bauble and ornaments allow you and your family to get creative when decorating your tree.
Location: Hang on your Christmas tree, garlands or wreaths.
Christmas Tree Topper
Finish decorating your tree with a gorgeous, eye-catching Christmas tree topper. You can top your tree with an angel, a snowflake, or even a classic, illuminated star – it's all up to you!
Location: Place on top of the Christmas tree.
Tip: If you need some Christmas tree decorating inspiration, check out our guide on how to decorate a Christmas tree like a pro.
Christmas String Lights
There's no better way to light up your home for the holiday season than with Christmas string lights. Versatile in colour and design, there's a set of string lights for almost every location inside – or outside – your home. For a detailed look at all the different types of Christmas lights and how to hang them, check out our Christmas lights buying guide and our guide on how to hang Christmas lights.
Location: Indoors: Wrap them around your Christmas tree, garlands, wreaths, entryways, banisters, and ceiling beams. Outdoors: Wrap them around trees, shrubbery, garlands, wreaths, doorways, and lamp posts.
Christmas Decoration Storage
Another Christmas decorating essential is storage – organising and safely storing your Christmas decorations once the festive season is over ensures that they will be in good shape for years to come.
Stockings
Stockings hung from stocking holders on the mantel are as decorative as they are functional. Our stockings come with a range of themes including elves, candy canes, reindeer and St Nick himself, so you're sure to find a style that's perfect for you.
Location: Hang from your mantel with stocking holders. If you don't have a mantel, hang them on the wall or your bed's footboards.
Garlands
Ranging from simple and natural in appearance to lighted and decorated with holiday bits and baubles, garlands are a classic Christmas decoration that can be draped almost anywhere for some added holiday flair.
Location: Drape around entryways, banisters, lamp posts, and the Christmas tree, or hang over mantels and curtain rods.
Wreaths
Wreaths are the perfect way to add a holiday-themed focal point to your wall decor or entryway. Just like garlands, wreaths can be basic and natural in appearance or intricately decorated with festive accents.
Location: Centre on walls, above the mantel, or on doors.
Tip: Go beyond your front door to discover these 11 Alternative Ways to Decorate With a Wreath.
Christmas Door Mats & Cushions
Swap out your everyday door mat and cushions with Christmas-themed ones to make your home feel extra festive throughout.
Location: Place your door mat at every external entrance. Place cushions on sofas and chairs.
Christmas Figurines & Decorative Accents
Decorating shelves and other bare surfaces with festive figurines like nutcrackers and nativity characters is the perfect way to add eclectic charm to your Christmas decor. In addition to figurines, decorative pieces referencing all aspects of the holiday season (from snowmen and snowflakes, sleighs and reindeer to candy and gingerbread men) can provide your holiday decor with extra personality.
Location: Place off-centre on shelves, entry tables, side tables, coffee tables or mantel.
Christmas Dinnerware and Table Decor
If you're planning on hosting a Christmas dinner, then trading in your everyday dishes, serveware, tablecloth and placemats with holiday-themed replacements is an easy way to bring festive cheer to the dinner table.
Location: Place on the dinner table or use as decorative pieces in a dining hutch.
Christmas Centerpieces
Boxes of red and white flowers, pine, holly and pine cones wrapped in ribbons and dotted with ornaments and glitter make for the perfect festive centrepieces. These can come with candles included to help set the tone for a holiday dinner or you can purchase Christmas candles and candle holders separately.
Location: Centre on your mantel, coffee table or dinner table.
Christmas Bedding and Sheets:
Bring holiday cheer throughout your home and make your bedroom festive. Replace your usual bedding with holiday-themed bedding that will help your bedroom look and feel like Christmastime.
Location: Use in bedrooms.
Christmas Blankets and Throws
Add some additional splashes of Christmas cosiness to any room in your home with Christmas-themed blankets and throws.
Location: Drape over bedding, sofas and couches or fold neatly and place in decorative baskets and bins.
Christmas Decorations for the Bathroom
Christmas Hand Towels
A simple way to bring festive charm into the bathroom is to hang charming Christmas-themed bath towels over your everyday towel sets.
Location: Place on bathroom towel racks or use in the kitchen as a hand towel.
Christmas Shower Curtains and Bath Mats
Take your bathroom's holiday decor to the next level by incorporating a festive shower curtain and a matching bath mat.
Location: Use in bathrooms with showers.
Outdoor Christmas Lights
Though most Christmas string lights are suited for outdoor use as well as indoor use, there are several styles of Christmas lights meant to be used specifically to decorate your outdoor spaces, including icicle lights, solar string lights and lights meant for lining pathways.
Location: Line garages, entryways, gutters, and pathways or drape on trees and shrubbery.
Outdoor Christmas Decorations
Spruce up your home's exterior by decorating it with holiday-themed garden decorations including inflatable Christmas characters, illuminated reindeer figurines, holiday-themed garage murals, oversized nutcrackers, outdoor nativity scenes and life-size sleighs.
Location: Hang on the entry door or garage. Place in the garden or on the porch.
Tip: For more festive ideas and inspiration, check out:
- Which Christmas Lights Will You Decorate With This Year?
- Add Some Festive Oomph With These Christmas Tree Skirt Ideas
- Fill Your Kitchen With These Christmas Baking Essentials
