Holiday decorating is one of the best ways to spread seasonal cheer. When done right, your home can become a winter wonderland full of delight. There are key areas in every home that can really shine with a little holiday decor. Here are 12 of the top home hot spots perfect for holiday decorating.
The Front Door
The front door is the first thing guests see when arriving at your home. Make sure it makes a statement by decorating it to the nines. Consider wrapping the door and door frame with a giant ribbon. Hang a large wreath festooned with ornaments and pinecones. Adorn the door with twinkling string lights. Top it all off with a big red bow. This creates an incredibly inviting and cheery holiday welcome.
The Fireplace
The fireplace naturally becomes a focal point during the holidays. Play it up with stockings hung across the mantle with care. Fill it with wrapped gifts, pinecones, evergreen branches, candles, and holiday knickknacks. Don’t forget to hang twinkling lights along the mantle and top it with a holiday banner. This instantly makes the fireplace a dazzling display.
The Staircase
Staircases are ideal for holiday decor. Wrap pine garlands or ribbons up the railing. Outline each step with twinkling string lights. Use clips to attach ornaments along the garlands and lights. This creates a magical staircase that seems to float and glow, perfect for setting the holiday mood.
The Windows
Hanging lights in the windows is a hallmark of holiday decor. Opt for large bulbs or icicle lights rather than mini lights, as these show up better from the street. For extra elegance, hang sheer back curtains and top the windows with large bows or holiday swags. This provides sophisticated seasonal flair visible both inside and out.
The Kitchen
As the heart of the home, especially during the holidays, the kitchen deserves special decoration. Hang a Christmas quilt runner down the center of the table. Decorate counters with a runner, evergreen branches, cute salt and pepper shakers, and a small tree. Hang oven mitts and towels with holiday themes. Place seasonal cookie jars, candles, and bowls of candy canes around to set the festive mood.
The Dining Room
Make your dining room the belle of the ball by starting with an elegant evergreen centerpiece piled with ornaments. Drape garlands around the table edges and down any buffet tops. Use decorative holiday dishware like red and green plates and cups. Top the china cabinet with arranged tchotchkes, candles, and holiday figurines. This transforms your dining room into a classy spot for celebrating the season.
The Living Room
The living room sees the most foot traffic, so deck it to the halls. Hang stockings above the fireplace if you have one. Put up a brightly lit tree in a prominent spot. Arrange meetings of plaid throw pillows and red blankets on the couches. Top side tables with mini trees, village scenes, and snowglobes. Fill mantles and shelves with gleaming snowmen and carolers. Make it inviting and cozy for comfortable holiday gatherings.
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree acts as the shining centerpiece to anchor your decor. Go bold with bright lights, chunky handmade ornaments, and voluminous ribbons and bows. Arrange wrapped gifts artfully under and around the tree. Make it the crowning jewel of your home’s holiday decor.
Outdoor Trees, Bushes, and Plants
Your outdoor landscaping provides a festive framework on which to display outdoor decorations. Wrap larger bushes and trees with strings of multi-colored lights. Use tree branches like hooks to hang wreaths, garlands, and ribbons. Place illuminated wire deer, candy canes, and Christmas trees around beds of evergreen shrubs and flowers. This brightly lights up your home’s exterior with seasonal cheer.
The Driveway and Walkway
Make even functional spaces like driveways dazzle by outlining them with mini lights. Line the walkway with luminaries or lanterns. Hang wreaths and swags on any gates, garage doors, and lamp posts. Place decorative candles and light-up sculptures along the corners to light the way in festive holiday fashion.
Outdoor Bushes and Plants
Use your outdoor bushes and plants as the perfect anchors and background for outdoor holiday decor. Wrap trees and bushes with warm white string lights. Weave in pine garlands for layers of texture. Tuck in sprigs of holly or evergreen branches. Top with bows or ornaments. The lights and greenery make your plants part of the magical holiday display.
Along Fences and Railings
Any fencing, deck railings, or porch railings provide ideal places to hang holiday decorations. Affix wreaths, garlands, and ribbons with festive bows. Outline all the edges with string lights. Top posts with shiny Christmas balls or lit stars. Use decorative clips to attach ornaments, candles, and pinecones wherever possible. This transforms plain railings and fencing into dazzlingly lit holiday accents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are some quick and easy ideas for holiday decor?
A: Some quick and easy holiday decor ideas include hanging wreaths on your doors, wrapping stair railings with ribbon and lights, displaying candles in your windows, setting out decorative holiday pillows and throws in living spaces, and topping tables and counters with mini trees, snowglobes, and other festive knickknacks.
Q: What are good places to hang Christmas lights outside?
A: Great outdoor places to hang Christmas lights include outlining rooflines and windows, wrapping trees and bushes, draping lights on fencing or railings, lining sidewalks and driveways, and decorating lamp posts and mailboxes.
Q: How can I make my home smell like the holidays?
A: To make your home smell like the holidays, display scented candles like pine, spice, and sugar cookie around the house. Simmer a pot of mulled cider or spices like cinnamon sticks on the stove. Bake up some fresh holiday cookies or quick breads for festive aromas.
Q: What are unique ways to decorate a Christmas tree?
A: For unique ways to decorate a Christmas tree, use all one color or ornament theme, upside-down ornaments, handmade decorations, items collected from your travels, geeky ornaments for your hobbies, or passed-down antique ornaments for an old-fashioned look.
Q: How can I decorate my home on a budget?
A: To decorate your home for the holidays on a budget, opt for DIY decorations using items from around the house, keep your color palette simple to reuse items each year, work with what nature provides like pinecones and evergreen branches, and hit up discount and dollar stores for great deals on decor.
Q: Where can I buy nice holiday decorations?
A: Great places to buy quality holiday decorations include large retail stores like Target and Walmart, craft stores like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby, Christmas specialty stores like Bronner’s, department store holiday sections, discount stores like HomeGoods, or online retailers like Amazon and Wayfair.
Conclusion
Decorating your home for the holidays can be tremendously enjoyable. Focus on key hot spots like doors, fireplaces, windows, and staircases to maximize visual impact. Inside, deck out spaces like the kitchen, dining room, living room, and Christmas tree. Don’t forget to take your decor outside too, using trees, plants, fences, and walkways. With a little creativity, even small budgets and tight spaces can pull off an abundance of holiday cheer. May all your holiday decorating endeavors fill you with seasonal joy and comfort.
