Even though Christmas comes at the same time each and every year–we’ve all been there. You check the calendar and start to panic because Christmas is right around the corner. Or, did you just get a phone call that Christmas had to be moved to YOUR house and well, you are NOT ready.
Don’t panic. Even if you’ve almost run out of time to deck your hall, here are some quick and easy decorating ideas (or a Christmas miracle) from Forbes Home to get it all done.
1. Put Your Wrapping Skills to the Test
A quick and easy way to make any room in your home look ready for the holidays is to add a few wrapped presents and make them part of the holiday display. However, if you haven’t made it to the wrapping stage of Christmas yet–wrap a few pictures on the wall in your favorite wrapping paper. Then add a few bows or a ribbon and hang the picture back on the wall for a quick and easy holiday upgrade.
2. Use Printables
How about decor and cute ideas for kids all in one? Printables are the way to go. “As a mom of two little ones, time is usually not on my side, so I usually have my go to plan for the ultimate last minute decor setup,” says Karima Ibrahim, blogger and event stylist at Celebrations in Cinch.
“One quick and budget friendly way to get a beautiful and customized decor in minutes are printables. Printables can come in the form of signage or a printable bundle may also offer activities and can offer both the customized look to match your theme and and double as activities for the little ones. Ensuring a high quality print is the key and after a few quick cuts you have instant decor ready to go!”
3. Display Christmas Plants
Love the look of a poinsettia? Grab a few pots of this Christmas flower and place them throughout your home for instant pops of color. Transform any planter or pot by wrapping a festive ribbon around it. From a centerpiece on your table to filling the corners in your home, Christmas plants are an easy Christmas decor hack.
4. Choose a Natural Theme
Before you start your last minute decorating–choose a theme that’s easy to tackle. “Keep it simple! A string of warm, white lights goes a long way,” says Jeaneen Russell, a content creator at @home.with.jeaneen. “I’m all for neutral holiday decor which can be as easy as placing white taper candles in gold candle holders on your table, or decorating your mantel with a fresh pine garland—it smells great and you can let it dry out and it will still look great for weeks! I get mine every year at Trader Joe’s.” When it comes to decorating your Christmas tree, Russell says her motto is less is more. “Pick a color theme and choose your favorite ornaments to match it.”
5. Use Holiday Cards as Decor
If you’ve been saving all of the adorable holiday cards that you’ve received from friends and family–put those cards to work and make them part of your Christmas decorations. With all of the festive colors and smiling faces, you can make a beautiful display by hanging the cards from an extra wide ribbon down a door frame or from the cabinets in your kitchen or attach the cards to string and hang them on a wall. If you’re feeling really creative, place the cards on the wall in the shape of a tree.
6. Greenery and Bows on Everything
This dynamic duo makes holiday decorating a breeze and will have your whole home feeling festive in no time. “Collect small cuttings from your garden, especially from evergreen shrubs, and use them to make festive little bouquets to display throughout your home,” say Linda Schuster Vartanian, Interior Designer at @Decoratordiva1. “They will work beautifully on your Christmas tablescape too.”
Schuster Vartanian says choosing a beautiful holiday ribbon and a quick DIY can lead to stunning holiday displays. “Use ribbon to tie bows of all sizes and place them on everything. From vases to your dining room chairs. They look pretty and so chic, especially in velvet.”
7. Last Minute Curb Appeal
Start the festive decorations at the front door by hanging a holiday wreath. Even though this tip is so simple, it makes your front door so much more festive. Grab a premade wreath or jazz up a simple greenery wreath with a bow, flowers, or small pieces of decor that match your holiday decor theme. Keep the greenery going by placing a few sprigs of garland on your porch and finish by adding a few pinecones. If there’s no time to hang lights, a spotlight on your door is a nice touch to brighten up your home.
8. Create Vignettes
“Create holiday vignettes with your favorite Christmas collections,” says Amanda Barkley, floral designer. “Do this by using glass cake stands, glass cylinders or old candle holders in various heights and give those Santas, nutcrackers or snowmen a place to shine!” Barkley says be sure to make these finishing touches for your holiday display “Finish the look by placing the stands inside a fresh fir wreath that sits flat on furniture. Tuck in loops of ribbon and ball ornaments.”
9. Use Sweet Treats
If baking cookies for the holidays is one of your favorite traditions, display your beautiful baked goods and let them double and decor. Set out a few cake stands and layer up your cookies. A delicious gingerbread man on your kitchen counter is a sweet way to decorate.
10. Fill Your Home With Sounds and Smells of the Season
Turn up the Christmas music on your smart devices so the sounds of the season are playing in every room in your home and will instantly put everyone into the Christmas spirit. Don’t forget to light a few holiday scented candles so that your whole home smells like pine or other festive aromas.
11. Let There Be Light
“I always love to add candles and twinkle lights,” says Schuster Vartanian. “They are the jewelry of the room. They create ambiance, sparkle and whimsy. Place the lights everywhere, and your home will turn into an elegant, warm and glistening Christmas home.”
12. Repurpose Christmas Ornaments
If you’ve got a few extra ornaments that didn’t make it onto the tree, place them in a large glass bowl for a quick and easy centerpiece, or fill smaller bowls with the ornaments and a few sprigs of greenery and you’ve got an inexpensive decoration that only takes a few minutes to make. “Bright colored, inexpensive ornament balls in a clear glass container is always a quick and fun festive look! Add some battery operated twinkle lights and you’ve created a look for day and night!” says Barkley.
13. Turn It On
Find a Holiday TV Special or movie and turn it on for background ambience. No fireplace? No worries. Every cable/dish company offers at least one roaring yule log channel (mine offers both modern and classic versions). The best thing about televised fireplaces: no muss, no fuss, and no fire hazard.
14. Tiny Tree Time
You weren’t planning to host, so you didn’t get a tree. Your nearby grocery store absolutely still has small trees in their floral section. Some even already come partially decorated. Place it on top of a cabinet or side table with a festive throw around the base. Ask guests to bring a favorite ornament to place on the tree. It will make the whole event extra special. After the holidays, you can even plant it outside and start your own living Christmas tree tradition.
The Bottom Line: Use What You’ve Got (or what you can get quickly and easily). Your decor can and should suit your own style. The point of the holiday is being together with friends and family, not whether your home looks like a Hallmark card. Save that for movies and TV morning shows with big budgets and a crew of Santa’s helpers working for union wages. You do you, and they’ll love it.
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Photo Credit: limpido / Shutterstock.com