Decorating your personal space for Christmas can feel intimidating and overwhelming, especially for perfectionists or those who are known to be purveyors of the holiday. Thankfully, holiday home décor can be broken down to a few simple elements that when tackled one by one, can make holiday decorating feel less like a task and more like an activity you can enjoy with loved ones. From figuring out how to style your tree to adding that personal touch to your outdoor display, decorating for Christmas should be fun and less stressful. After all, the holidays somewhat serve as a well-deserved break from the craziness of the year that's passed.
So take a breath, make yourself some hot chocolate, play that Jose Mari Chan tune, and let this short read help you design a festive space you'll be proud to show off on social media.
The Christmas Tree
All great holiday set ups start with beautiful Christmas trees. Standing tall and typically front and center, Christmas trees can make or break your holiday décor at home. The right baubles and decorations can turn a simple tree into a festive centerpiece, and can influence the rest of your themed décor.
In terms of make, you can pick between a real plant and an artificial tree. Real Christmas trees are beautiful in their slight imperfections and help create a raw, understated design. Moreover, real plants have a wonderful natural scent — however subtle — that few fragrances can recreate.
Artificial trees, on the other hand, are symmetrical and come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. High-quality artificial trees are durable and can be reused year after year, especially if you opt for a traditional green. Some trees are already pre-lit, but you can also go for plain janes that you can style however you want.
After deciding on the base, you can focus on the accents that style the tree. A cohesive design can be achieved with the right topper, tree decorations, garlands, and baubles. Use different-sized ornaments in varying shades of the colors in your scheme to create layers and texture. Style your tree with ribbons and flower picks, to complement your standard Christmas balls and lights. If you're big on personalizing your tree, throw in a few customized ornaments that represent every member of your household.
For color, you can always go the traditional route and decorate with classic reds and greens. On the flipside, you can take a risk and opt for less popular, just-as-festive color palettes like blush and gold, or deep purples.
The Christmas Lights
No Christmas display is complete without lights. These festive bulbs just create an aura of vibrancy and joy that's special to the holiday season.
String lights are able to bring that glow indoors when strung around a Christmas tree, sprawled out a mantel display, or hung on stair banisters. Battery powered lights allow you to brighten up virtually any part of the home without a need for a nearby outlet. In your outdoor space, fairy lights and Christmas lanterns can outline your walk path or hang on your stoop. Lit outdoor trees or blow-up figures are also attention-grabbing touches you should consider if you have enough space in your front yard.
The Christmas Ware
Christmastime is best spent with family and loved ones, and your themed home décor should extend to the activities you enjoy as a group, like eating meals. Food is at the core of every holiday, and Christmas is no different.
Therefore, it only makes sense to impose holiday charm in the busiest areas of the house. Themed cutlery and linens, for example, not only amp up the festive aura of a home, but also serve a clear purpose in the space. The same goes for holiday rugs, table runners, and bedding.
Pro tip: For the dining space, stay away from glittery ornaments lest you want your dishes to sparkle in mealtime. Stick to holiday placemats and napkins that pair well with centerpieces of foliage and Christmas lights.
The Christmas Village
... or anything personal that makes your holiday display unique to you. If you grew up building Legos, a Christmas village set is a quaint décor option and exhibits your love for structures. A nativity scene is niche to Catholic homes, while colorful parols or Christmas lanterns are quintessentially Filipino.
The idea is that your Christmas décor should reflect you and your family's personalities and the things you love about the holidays. At the end of the day, this entire set up settles in your house throughout Christmastime, so why would you take the easy way and only decorate your home with catalog pieces?
- Stick to a color palette. Don't jump the gun and decide on a theme and color scheme before making any décor purchase. The classic approach will tell you to buy red and green ornaments, while a snowy Christmas take will demand whites and silvers, maybe touches of brown. Following a color palette and theme will help tie the entire space together — especially if you're going all out and decorating every corner — and make sure your pieces match.
- That said, don't be afraid to mix and match. What's great about the holidays is that every culture has particular traditions and symbols that signify this blessed time. If you grew up Christian (like many Filipinos), you may find yourself reaching out for ornaments with angels, hanging up an advent wreath, even setting up your very own belen. These symbols can easily be integrated with more secular designs like snowmen and elves, so long as the décor comes in complementary hues or similar makes.
- Get an expert's opinion. Christmastime is fast approaching, and some just don't have the luxury to think through their holiday displays, buy the right décor, and set up their spaces in time to enjoy Christmas Eve dinner. Luckily, many make a living from holiday styling and can allow you to try out whatever style is trending or matches with your current interiors. Another perk of letting a professional decorate your space is you don't have to keep Christmas décor in your person; this is particularly appealing to those who live tiny and have little space to work with.
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