Christmas doesn’t have to be complicated. Looking for simple Christmas decor ideas? I’m sharing 15 simple and easy ways to decorate for Christmas.
When I asked for Christmas questions? So many of you responded with how to keep it simple when you decorate for Christmas.
Simple, easy tips for decking the halls and making it merry.
As the current owner of 37 Christmas totes, I’m not sure if I feel qualified to answer this question.
But I want to try.
I want to try because sometimes Christmas can get a little overwhelming.
I want to try because sometimes all the bows and ribbons and greenery and trees and wreaths and ornaments can be a bit much.
But most importantly? I want to try because I want to celebrate what is truly important during the Christmas season.
So today on Day 8 of the series “12 Days of Getting Ready for Christmas” with my wonderful friend Leslie from My-100-Year-old Home let’s celebrate the simple.
Here are 15 ideas for keeping Christmas simple and easy.
Before I share decorating ideas, I wanted to share a little bit of my heart.
There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on right now.
Truth?
I love hustle and bustle—and if hustle and bustle is your thing I am right there to celebrate with you. But hustle and bustle is not for everyone—especially when it gets overwhelming. I love writing this blog so much and my mind is spinning with ideas and projects and Christmas decor (I was just putting up a tree topper five minutes ago)—but here’s the thing.
All these ideas and projects I share?
They are here for inspiration.
And sometimes I worry it’s too much. I want only to celebrate—not to overwhelm.
Take the ideas that work for you and your beautiful home and celebrate YOU.
And now?
Here are some simple Christmas decor ideas that are creative (I tried to think a little outside of the box) and easy (just in case you don’t want to pull the 37 totes down from the attic) that you can use to decorate with for Christmas.
15 Simple Christmas Decor Ideas
1. Vintage Ice Skates
So many of us have a vintage pair of skates laying around.
These are mine from when I was little and didn’t live in Texas.
The amazing thing about skates? They are so easy to decorate with. Hang vintage ice skates by the laces on a wreath or on a wall, then fill them with greenery and festive berries.
2. Edible Gingerbread House
The only thing that’s better than a simple Christmas decor idea?
Eating your Christmas centerpiece. Create a gingerbread house as a centerpiece and a dessert all in one.
You can see how I created this gingerbread house here.
3. Reverse Secret Santa
Regular Secret Santa involves gifts and planning and money.
What if you flipped the script?
Instead of receiving gifts, what if you created a “Reverse Secret Santa” instead? Everyone exchanges names and secretly does acts of kindness for someone in the group without revealing their identity.
4. Add pinecones
Yep.
That’s it.
That’s the decorating idea.
Walk outside and find some pinecones and add them to a stack of books and some wooden beads.
5. Make a village out of Christmas cards
Every year tons of Christmas cards show up in the mailbox. What do you do with all those Christmas cards? Toss them? Save them?
Why not craft with them?
Make an entire village of houses out of old Christmas cards.
You can see all my Christmas card recycling ideas here.
6. Christmas Book Club
Celebrate the holidays with books.
Start a Christmas book club with friends and family.
Choose a festive book to read together and discuss it over the holidays.
7. Make a snowball pom pom garland
All you need to make this pom pom garland is yarn.
And these instructions.
It’s the perfect craft to decorate with during winter and Christmas.
8. Alternative Advent Calendar
Celebrate and decorate all at the same time.
Create a unique advent calendar filled with daily activities or acts of kindness.
Each envelope contains a suggestion to make the holidays a little brighter for someone else.
9. Christmas Recipe Swap
Invite friends and family to a Christmas recipe swap.
Each person brings their favorite holiday dish.
And then?
They bring a recipe to share. Your gift could be empty recipe holders to add all the recipes to.
10. Pom pom dollar store stocking
You’ve probably seen these red stockings with white trim everywhere.
Why not decorate them with some easy yarn pom poms?
11. Snowy Window Panes
Here’s a simple Christmas decor idea that doesn’t take up much decorating space.
Apply frosted glass spray or use window clings to create a snowy effect on your windows.
Your home will look like a winter wonderland.
12. Felt and branch Christmas trees
I made these trees several years ago with felt and branches from the yard.
It’s such an easy craft and so inexpensive to make.
13. Frame vintage Christmas carol pages
I’ve heard of wrapping frames with Christmas wrapping paper and adding a bow.
But what if you just framed a little Christmas instead?
Use existing frames and cut out a favorite Christmas carol and frame it.
14. Mix it up with greenery
If you are lucky enough to have mixed greenery in your yard?
Cut a few branches and add them to a planter or urn.
A sleigh or sled or wheelbarrow like this also works well, too.
15. Put anything under a cloche
And this?
This is my simplest tip ever.
Find something that is special to you and put it under a cloche.
It instantly looks even more “specially.”
So how did I do?
Did it work?
Did it help?
I may or may not be back to a little 0ver-the-top celebrating tomorrow, but today it was so much fun thinking outside the box and celebrating all the simple. 🙂
And now?
Leslie from My-100-Year-Old Home is answering another question about table decorating ideas.
She’s sharing 7 creative ideas to set a Christmas table here.
Awww so many cute simple ideas. But it wouldn't be Christmas if it were easy. 😊 some of those idea are really cute. Thanks
Last year I bought a bracelet advent calendar to see if I wanted to buy some for my granddaughters. I actually opened it myself and had more fun. Didn't need the little bracelet but it was so much fun to open a surprise every day. So this year I made a homemade advent calendar for my daughter. She is a single mom and is always thinking of her children. I got some small burlap bags and put things in them that were fun (movie card) or necessary (Tylenol). On the last day for Christmas I put her gold nugget baby ring in her bag. She was born in Alaska. I'm hoping it brings a tear to her eye. I love the cloche idea but they are so expensive. Do you have a source?
Diana, what a great idea!
"Find something that is special to you and put it under a cloche." I am totally doing this!
These are some great ideas. But I am blessed to be old.(77) and not in the greatest health. My daughter decorates our tree after Thanksgiving Dinner and my granddaughter, who majored in Interior Design in college, puts out my other decorations.
As always you have great ideas for simple holiday decorating. Love them all! Thank you!
This is my preferred way to decorate for Christmas ⛄🎁 🎁. So happy to see you embrace it as a style for those of us with no room to "store"Christmas. It does also lessen the time needed to put and take down. This then leads to more time to enjoy! PS...my Christmas cards have been addressed for a month
I think this was a "blessing" blog post with so many people struggling financially and others possibly not wanting to go all out at the holidays with the way things are going all over the globe. Thank you for so many "simply" cute decor ideas.
Such cute and easy ideas. Thank You for sharing these. Your thoughtfulness made my day brighter. Big Hugs,
Thank you, this was so thoughtful of you to do this post. I just don't decorate like I used to, cause I can't seem to get everyone here at the same time. Some come Thanksgiving and others come Christmas.
This is perfect KariAnne! So many people have such a hard time with emotions this time of year. Grief can be overwhelming for so many. These are great small ways to still express the joy of the season!!
I loved how simple and inexpensive some of your ideas were. I scored 4 felt Advent calendar Christmas tree hangings after Christmas last year for our 4 Maine grands and bonus grands (steps). Busy collecting fishing lures, pierced earrings, and marked down Halloween candy for some of the pockets! I love making projects for our church's Christmas fair which is Saturday! Baking tomorrow!
Be sure to heat the pine cones in a low oven to prevent a live arrangement. Also you can put the greenery in a large plastic bag and spray disinfectant on the greenery in the bag and close it overnight. Afterwards dip greenery in floor wax and it will stay green and together longer.
Great blog entry - I am about up there with the totes and my craft area looks like Michael's. I can't believe how time flies after Labor Day. Like Laura above, make sure you do not bring any heebie-jeebies in the house. After we had a red spider infestation from a live tree, I ditched live trees. I use the floor wax hack for magnolia leaves to last longer.
I love the keep it sweet and simple Christmas motto! Try moving in December!!!! Talk about overwhelming, but I'm trying to be extra positive as we are getting a brand new house for Christmas this year!! 😍 At least we hope and pray for no more delays! Honestly, I've come to terms with limited, if any of my decorations, being pulled out of boxes when I won't be exactly sure where those boxes are in the pile of our life possessions! 🤔🤣 We are blessed beyond measure and to have my loved ones around me filling my new home with love and the real reason for the season is such a gift! It's going to be the best Christmas ever.....even if we have to sit on a cardboard box and sip our cider in a Dixid cup!!🤣
Dixie cup, I mean!!!!