gingerbread house on Christmas tree
Life,  Projects

Do You Need Christmas Decoration Inspiration?

Good morning! Are you decorating for Christmas yet or need a tad more Christmas decoration inspiration to get started? I am with you!

If you are like me, I could just look through Christmas decorating ideas all day long.

Anyone who knows me knows that I go into FULL ON CHRISTMAS DECORATING MODE!

Christmas Decorations don’t need to be expensive or hard.

Here’s some Christmas Decorating Tips to get your started!

  • First, Look through your Christmas bins to remind yourself of what’s there. Seriously, I always find surprises that I may not have used last year. That includes gift wrap, too!
christmas gift wrap station
  • Next, find photos of your home decorated for Christmas in previous years. That’s always a great way to inspire me!
Christmas stairway
Champagne Decorated Mantel
christmas tree made from a pinecone

Here’s a DIY Pine Cone tree that has been a favorite Christmas decoration that will be used again this year. These were tucked in on the buffet around the small Christmas trees.

  • Look for free classes at your extension office to help extend your budget and/or add a new skill. Make a plan to sign up if you have a free extension class to create a fresh greenery wreath. Fresh greenery provided is always a win. TIP: Use Wilt Stop spray to preserve fresh greenery.
Fresh Christmas wreath

Dining Room Christmas Decorations

Before beginning to decorate, it helps to look at photos of previous year’s decorations.at last. A great reminder of things I want to include in this year’s plan and still change it to include new touches.

If you followed along previous years, one of my favorite recipes and activities are those adorable tiny gingerbread houses.

Here’s the link for the tiny cutters if you’d love to make them. Just click on the photo!

Those gingerbread houses will continue to be a part of the hot chocolate bar. Tradition of making tiny houses instead of large ones began last year. So much easier to make and enjoy eating!

hot cocoa bar with gingerbread houses

Tiny gingerbread houses were used to decorate trees on the buffet.

Don’t they look perfect?

gingerbread house on Christmas tree

Three wreaths were added to the front of the hutch doors. This was the calmer version of the table before the red ribbon and glam and glitter arrived for Christmas Day!

Next, I used the houses in a wreath in the center of each place setting. Everyone loved them!

This was the calmer setting before Christmas glam and glitter were added.

Before the red ribbon, chargers and poppers took over the view.

Christmas place setting with red popper

Do you love the “surprise” of a different look when the gathering arrives? I do! Are you that way, too?

Which Christmas table do you love better?

Those tiny gingerbread houses that were added to the lazy Susan decorations in the center of the table? or Christmas ribbon and ornaments around the center wreath that surrounded a large Christmas bowl with pinecones adding a bit of glitz and glitter to the setting?

Christmas table centerpiece with gingerbread house
I’m in love with the red design on the white bowl centerpiece. It’s a favorite!

Those houses just tied the entire table together.

An overhead view gives you the entire table.

We love Christmas morning “poppers” with gifts inside at each place setting. These offered fun crowns and toys that were enjoyed by all.

Felt stockings replaced the burlap silverware holders to the left of the plates. White cloth napkins were added instead of the printed ones. White plates were removed with red chargers added under clear glass luncheon plates that made Christmas morning more festive.

over head view of Christmas table

Since the round table has a built in lazy susan, placemats provided an easier table covering than creating a new tablecloth.

Candlelight on the table always makes things more warm and inviting.

Chair wreaths were added.

The red ribbon from the centerpiece was added to wreaths and attached to the backs of the dining room chairs and the island chairs. The chair wreaths were the same as the wreaths on the hutch tying both areas together.

christmas wreaths on chairs

The island is always put to great use during Christmas entertaining.

The island often serves as both the buffet and the seating for the littles.

Island chairs with Christmas wreaths

I think they love having the food right in front of them!

Christmas place settings with nutcrackers.jpg

Favorite traditional Christmas placemats that have napkins that form the legs of the nutcracker and the bottoms of Christmas trees are used for their place settings.

Can I tell you that I purchased these when my boys were little and they still look brand new? I’m still so in love with them.

The nutcracker poppers always work well with their place settings and chair wreaths always contribute to the theme from the dining table.

Those small gingerbread houses were added to the centerpiece on a red and white runner with pine cones, candles and red glittery ornaments finishing the island decorations.

The other side of the island provides the brunch buffet space where those French Muffins are ALWAYS served on Christmas morning!

french muffins

Christmas Inspiration that hopefully inspires you!

This year inspiration takes me to use more golds, greens and champagne tones.

Those same wreaths will transform with new ribbon and pine cones, in new ways throughout the kitchen.

Adding copper will help transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Perhaps my favorite inspiration for decorating each year is simply looking back through photos to see what I have done and what I have to create new decorating ideas.

Are you that way, too?

Not as much of a “theme” decorator as some and perhaps more traditional at heart.

And, yes…I’m a bit over the top when you see each room’s decorations. Just can’t get enough of the festive and warm feeling it all brings to our home!

Are you a tree up before Thanksgiving or after?

I’m finding myself moving quickly to the BEFORE group. More time to enjoy all the atmosphere that brings joy.

Happy Christmas Decorating, Friends!

As an Amazon, LTK and Walmart affiliate, this post contains affiliate shopping links to help you shop for some of the items that I have found helpful. Simply click on the link to shop! No additional cost for you, but may provide a tiny commission to the blog.

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