Try these quick and easy Christmas Decor Ideas to refresh your home in minutes. Imagine walking into your home and feeling instantly joy and holiday spirit. The colors are vibrant, the patterns are eye-catching, and the overall atmosphere is inviting and warm.
Life gets very busy between Thanksgiving and New Year, so who has time to create elaborate wreaths, set up Victorian Christmas villages on the mantel, or tie up 50+ custom ribbon bows for a picture-perfect Christmas tree? Not us, right?
But despite our busy lifestyles and all the hurdles the end of the year presents, we all long for that warm, cozy place filled with homemade cozy decor in anticipation of a Christmas miracle…
So, let us help you transform your home into a winter wonderland – quickly, effortlessly, and on a budget with a few simple Christmas decoration ideas.
Living Room Christmas Decor Ideas
- Use decorative removable pillowcases or throw pillows to quickly add festive decor;
- Decorate your mantel as a festive focal point of your house;
- Add a quick DIY Holiday Jar;
- Add a festive centerpiece to transform your dining room;
- Use Christmas cards arriving in the mail for quick and easy festive decorations;
- Keep it simple and use a minimalistic approach to Christmas home decoration;
- Use homemade printables and rustic decor items for Christmas decoration.
1. Holiday Decorative Pillows
Use decorative removable pillowcases or throw pillows to quickly add festive decor to your living room.
Imagine walking into your living room and feeling instantly refreshed and rejuvenated. The colors are vibrant, the patterns are eye-catching, and the overall atmosphere is inviting and warm. It may seem like you’ve just walked into a brand new space, but in reality, you’ve only done one simple thing – you’ve changed the pillow covers.
IKEA has lots of genius ideas to help you decorate on a dime and with Nordic simplicity. If you concentrate on the space that will be used the most during the Holiday Season – your living room – you’ll save time and money.
You can change the color scheme of your whole space in just 5 minutes by using removable (and washable!) decorative pillowcases in your preferred colors. So that your decor can change with the seasons, decide on a couple of neutral colors (white, grey, or black) for the pillowcases that will stay and complement them with other accent colors.
For example, all neutral-colored pillows you can keep all year long and just change one or two accent pillows. So, use red for Christmas, green for spring, red, white, and blue (or nautical theme) for summer, and earth tones for a cozy fall.
Source: IKEA
To complement the look and make it uniquely yours, invest in one exquisite pillow that you can create yourself or order on Zazzle. This will be your special item that will reflect your family history, roots, or traditions.
Next, it is time to decorate your mantel as a focal point of living room decor.
2. Mantel Christmas Decor Idea
The fireplace brings families together during the holidays and lets you create many special memories that kids will remember when they have their munchkins! Here are a few simple homemade Christmas decoration ideas that are easy DIY projects for the whole family.
Source: Winter DIY Mantel
Too traditional, ornate, and over-the-top decorations may not be your style. Consequently, they take so much time when you obviously don’t have it (and space to store it). So, why not try an understated Nordic-style mantel?
3. NOEL Nordic-Style Decor
What a wonderful idea – Christmas in letters! Do you know that English speakers borrowed the word noel from French? It can be traced further back to the Latin word ‘natalis’, which means “birthday” as a noun. English speakers started using the word to refer to Christmas carols in the 18th century.
To help you win the Christmas trivia competition here is something to remember: the earliest use of Noel (spelled Nowell) to mean “Christmas” can be found in the text of the late 14th-century Arthurian legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Just 4 letters that you can pick up at your local Michaels store (or order online) and decorate or paint yourself, one simple wreath, one candle, and a star (antique gold will look classy too) – that’s all you need to create a simple but meaningful display above your fireplace or in the hallway. Try letters in different sizes and finishes as you can aim for an elegant or rustic look.
No fireplace? Decorate your entrance hall to welcome guests and family. Just use one of the plastic battery-operated candles to make it kid-friendly and avoid accidents. You can also spell JOY, SNOW, or XMAS – let your imagination guide you. ‘O’ in ‘SNOW’ can be a small (or medium) wreath – just a hint!
4. Homemade Christmas Holiday Jar
Another great idea for homemade Christmas decorations is a quick holiday jar. This DIY project will take just a few minutes (great!) and you can use the items you already have at home. it is so simple yet elegant!
For this homemade Christmas decoration DIY you would need:
- Apothecary jar or a clear glass vase;
- One drinking glass;
- Battery-operated LED microlights;
- Salt (regular table salt);
- One Christmas ornament;
- A couple of greenery branches from your yard;
5. Festive Living Room Centerpiece
Every festive holiday table needs a centerpiece. It doesn’t have to be over-complicated, expensive, or time-consuming. You may already have all the necessary pieces. If not, just pick up three green (or red!) pears on your next trip to the market.
Bonus: use them afterward in your pear and Gorgonzola salad. Pick a simple square or rectangular plate, add a few green and silver Christmas tree ornaments, and add cuttings from an evergreen tree (cypress or pine) – you are done in under 5 minutes!
Even a few clippings from a live Christmas tree would do the trick. For an after-dinner treat for your family and guests, sprinkle some foil-wrapped truffles along with the ornaments. The simplicity of this elegant centerpiece is stunning!
Source: yourcozyhome.blogspot.com
6. Christmas Greeting Cards Display
As the Holidays approach, you are getting more and more greeting cards and photo Christmas cards from friends and family. So, why not use them as decor that will bring warmth and holiday spirit into your home? As an added time bonus, it takes almost no time to display these gorgeous cards with this budget-friendly Christmas decor idea.
Check out our blog post on the funniest and cutest Christmas Photo Cards Ideas:
17 most creative and funny Christmas photos (plus sayings and quotes)
If you have a blank wall and a roll of twine, you can easily make this homemade Christmas decoration to display all these holiday cards arriving in your mailbox.
Source: Holiday Card Display Tutorial
7. Simple Holiday Cards Display
We love this simple and classy way to showcase all your Christmas cards – it will fit effortlessly with the modern farmhouse style. After New Year, you can use it to display your favorite photos, kids’ artwork, etc.
If you don’t want to spend time on mounting boards, you can use some of your existing floating shelves or arrange wire to form a Christmas tree shape on your blank wall.
Source: lizmarieblog.com
8. Minimalistic Outdoor Christmas Decor
When holidays are quickly approaching, it is so easy to get overwhelmed and get carried away with a myriad of plans and to-do lists. The solution? Keep it simple.
If you love neutral colors, simplicity, and clean lines, opt for Scandinavian Christmas decor. You don’t have to rush to IKEA to buy the latest Christmas collection – just use a few things that you probably already have and add homemade Christmas decor, as this simple outdoor holiday planter. Love this minimalistic porch decor – a white lantern, a simple green wreath, and a DIY doormat!
9. Simple Scandi Winter Decor
If you keep decor to a minimum, it is only logical to continue the trend inside. A simple handmade felt garland on pure white walls will look clean, yet festive.
Originating from the Nordic countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, Scandinavian design is loved for its minimalistic approach to decorating. It emphasizes using natural elements, clean lines, and neutral colors to create a sense of warmth and serenity. Also, during the winter months, when the weather is cold and the days are short, this style of decorating is truly magical in its simplicity.
Below, you will probably recognize these simple Christmas trees from IKEA’s holiday collection. If you feel stressed and overwhelmed, it is only logical to combine DIY decorations with a few simple items you can pick up at the store.
The best part: it is easy to transition minimalistic Scandinavian decor from Christmas to winter. With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season behind us, many people are ready to transition from the loud and busy atmosphere of Christmas to the calm and cozy vibes of winter.
And what better way to do so than with the simplicity and elegance of Scandinavian decor? With this in mind, keep your color palette simple: white, green, and dark grey with some natural wooden textures.
10. Living Room Christmas Decor Idea
As Gemma, a designer behind the blog The Sweetest Digs, explains: “This year was all about neutrals, simplicity and small moments. Not every corner of our house is decorated. I like clean, un-cluttered spaces and if there are too many things, I start to get anxious.”
11. Hip and Modern Christmas Tree
Take a look at this take on a traditional Christmas tree! Love it – it takes only 5 minutes. Even if you don’t have a perfect luscious fur tree, this simple trick will make it look modern and hip.
12. Traditional Nativity Mantel
This traditional DIY Silhouette Nativity is a great way to embrace Christmas traditions. Doreen, the designer behind this easy DIY, created an affordable downloadable e-book with all printables and instructions.
We hope you like this collection of quick and easy Christmas decor ideas. As a result, you will simplify your life during a busy yet joyful Holiday time.
