When it comes to Christmas decorating or styling your home to celebrate Hanukkah or any other winter holiday, going in with a plan will make things easier and improve the overall finished look. The following nine tips and ideas will help you create a magical holiday atmosphere inside and outside your home.
1. Choose a Color Scheme or Theme
Start by selecting a color palette or theme to guide your decorating decisions. Traditional choices like red and green, blue and white, or silver and gold create cohesive color schemes throughout your home. This year, however, less common combos using earthy colors, jewel tones, and soft pastels are trending. If sticking to a set of colors isn’t your thing, selecting a Christmas theme might be better. You could embrace family heirlooms for a nostalgic, retro look or spend time crafting with friends and family to create homemade garlands and wreaths for rustic farmhouse charm.
2. Create Festive Vinettes
Spread cheer in every room by setting up decorative Christmas decor displays throughout your home:
- Replace everyday display items with a collection of nutcrackers or vintage Santas
- Wrap photos on a gallery wall in holiday paper
- Place small tabletop trees or stacks of wrapped boxes in unexpected places
3. Incorporate Natural Elements
If you live in Park City or are spending the holidays here, using natural elements as touches of holiday decor just makes sense. Use thin branches, pinecones, and holly berries in arrangements or wreaths. Style your mantel and banisters with fresh greenery, then mix in ribbons and lights. Create table centerpieces with birch logs, citrus fruits, and candles. You might even want to add small tree cuttings to wrapped gifts, napkin rings, or flower vases for a festive and fragrant touch.
4. Illuminate Indoors and Out
Lighting plays a crucial role in creating a warm and cozy atmosphere any time of year. When it comes to indoor Christmas decor, you can increase your home’s glow with fairy lights along railings and window sills and illuminated figures on side tables or atop serving trays. Some outdoor Christmas decor ideas to help you add extra sparkle include putting a pre-lit tree on your porch, building a branch arch and wrapping it in lights, or even stacking a bundle of firewood and adding some glowing faux gas-lit lanterns nearby.
5. Add Cozy Textiles
With a chill in the air, it’s important to ensure each seating space and cozy nook is complete with holiday-themed throws. While swapping out living room pillows and blankets is by no means a new idea, it’s a simple and effective way to increase comfort and create a place where people want to gather with gratitude.
6. Delight the Senses
This might be our favorite tip because the smells and sounds of the season add just as much holiday spirit as the sights. In addition to baking cookie favorites like classic peanut butter blossoms, traditional gingerbread men and women, and oh-so-delicious chocolate peppermint snaps, simmering a bouquet of cinnamon sticks, orange peels, and cloves produces an exquisite fragrance in any home. A little light holiday music in the background or the sound of a crackling fire will incorporate yet another layer of sensory delight.
7. Repurpose Everyday Items
Part of the fun of the holidays is spending time with friends and family. Any of the following crafts can be a creative way to enjoy an afternoon together:
- Fill glass jars or vases with miniature ornaments, pinecones, and fairy lights
- Use satin ribbon and a wreath form to create holiday door decor
- String wooden beads along yarn or twine to create a rustic tree or railing garland
8. Coordinate Gift Wrapping
Once you’ve gathered plenty of treats and treasures from Park City’s most charming local businesses, you can wrap them to make presents part of your decor. Choose wrapping paper that compliments your color scheme or theme, and add coordinating ribbons and gift tags. Place wrapped gifts around a Christmas tree or on a decorative ladder. You could even wrap empty boxes and stack them anywhere you want to add a little extra holiday cheer.
9. Get Outside
Sure, the way your home looks for the holidays can be delightful, but a lot of what makes the season special is how it feels. With so many unforgettable holiday activities in Park City, be sure you take a step back from the hustle and bustle of the routine and enjoy life outside. Whether that means winter recreation like skiing, snow tubing, or sleigh rides, or enjoying a meal at one of Park City’s most unique restaurants, what matters most is sharing meaningful moments with the ones you love.
The Best Holiday Decoration Inspiration Comes From You
Decorating for the holidays is part letting your individual style inspire you and part displaying cherished items that conjure special memories. Don’t be afraid to mix old elements with new ones to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that reflects the joy of the holiday season. Whether you let snow do the heavy lifting for a white Christmas or hire professionals to decorate your home, we hope the end of the year is both magical and memorable.
One last tip: If you’re looking to put your home on the market this winter, be sure to check out our post on the dos and don’ts of holiday decorating when your home is for sale.