Whimsical Christmas decor ideas are much more interesting when everything doesn’t come from the same matching collection. Old ornaments, velvet ribbon, warm lights, greenery and slightly strange little decorations make a home feel much more personal at Christmas.
Here are ten ideas I’m saving this year.
1. Start with whimsical Christmas ornaments
Glass baubles with painted details, little birds, bells, stars, fruit, tiny houses and ornaments in slightly faded colours have so much more personality than a perfectly coordinated box of twenty-four.
They don’t actually need to be old. Plenty of newer ornaments have that vintage look.
Mix shapes and finishes rather than worrying about whether every shade of red is identical.
2. Put bows on more than the tree
Ribbon is having another moment, and this is one trend I’m very happy to keep.
Tie velvet or tartan ribbon around candlesticks, wreaths, cupboard handles, picture frames or the backs of dining chairs. A few loose bows scattered around a room feel much more charming than buying another set of specifically Christmas-themed decorations.
I especially like burgundy, faded pink, dark green and old-gold ribbon.
3. Use warm lights everywhere
The right lighting does half the decorating for you.
Tiny warm-white lights around a doorway, tucked through shelves or mixed into greenery make the room feel festive before you’ve added much else. Lamps and candles matter too. Christmas rooms look much nicer when the overhead light stays off.
If the room already has soft pools of light, the decorations don’t have to work quite so hard.
4. Let the greenery look a little wild
Perfectly symmetrical garlands have never been my favourite.
Pine, cedar, eucalyptus, ivy and whatever else you can find look better when they trail, bend and stick out in odd directions. Let a mantel garland fall slightly too far on one side. Leave branches longer than expected.
Add ribbon or a few mismatched ornaments if it needs more colour.
5. Try tartan in small doses
Tartan is everywhere again this Christmas, and it works especially well with dark wood, brass, burgundy and deep green.
You don’t need an entire tartan living room. One ribbon, a stocking, a throw or a tree bow is plenty.
The darker, slightly traditional patterns feel especially good if you already have vintage or romantic pieces in the room.
6. Decorate with things that aren’t technically Christmas decorations
This is usually where a room starts feeling more personal.
Old books, brass candlesticks, framed winter landscapes, red apples, glass dishes, bells, antique-looking mirrors and little ceramic animals can all become part of Christmas decorating without going into storage on December 26.
Move things you already own around before buying another box of seasonal decor.
7. Make the tree a little less perfect
A tree gets more interesting when you stop trying to distribute every ornament evenly.
Let some branches carry several small ornaments. Leave other areas quiet. Mix ribbon with glass baubles, handmade decorations and strange little things you’ve picked up over the years.
I also love trees with ornaments tucked quite deep into the branches instead of everything hanging neatly around the outside.
8. Add candles wherever it’s safe
Christmas and candlelight belong together.
Tall tapers on the dining table are lovely, but smaller candles dotted around shelves and side tables can make the whole room feel warmer.
Use old brass, silver or coloured-glass holders if you can find them. They don’t need to match.
Battery candles work in spots where a real flame would be a terrible idea.
9. Give one little corner too much attention
You don’t have to decorate every surface.
Choose one shelf, mantel, console or windowsill and make it a bit excessive. Layer a small painting behind greenery, add candles, ribbon, ornaments and whatever strange Christmas object you’ve become attached to this year.
A packed little corner can make the entire room feel festive while the rest stays fairly calm.
10. Keep the things that make you smile
My favourite Christmas decorations are rarely the tasteful ones.
It might be an odd ornament shaped like a fish, a tiny fairy on the tree, an old decoration from childhood or something handmade that’s slightly wonky.
Those pieces stop a home from looking like a Christmas catalogue.
If you love it, it belongs.
Christmas looks better when it grows over time
You don’t need to reinvent your house every December.
Add a few things each year. Keep the ornaments you still love. Move things around. Let some decorations get a little battered.
A Christmas home with a history is much more interesting than one that arrived in a matching set.
