Clicky

ADVERTISEMENT

Holiday decorating: Tips and ideas to make it fun

For many of us, holiday decorating is more stressful than fun. My goal with this column is to show you how you can make your holiday decorating fun and easy.

I know I’ve had lots of fun gathering ideas and inspiration for you. Grab a coffee, tea or hot chocolate and get ready to be inspired!

Let’s begin with some outdoor festive fun.

ADVERTISEMENT

Front door welcome

Your front door and porch area are the first “welcome” that family and friends receive when they come to visit. Why not make it the warmest welcome you can?

Festive hoops, instead of wreaths, are a new trend. Here are a couple of examples that provide a fresh, new look for your door.

holiday decorating

ADVERTISEMENT

With these double glass doors below, we didn’t want to hide the glass so we selected two vertical swags to really show off the entranceway.

sue pitchforth

Note that we also added some great festive finds on the porch to really liven up the space.

ADVERTISEMENT

In this example below, the homeowner selected a wooden star with greenery as their door decor. With the unique detail on the door, it’s the perfect touch.

holiday decorating

If you have space, be sure to add extras to your porch — a small tree, lanterns, planters, chair with cushion or a new welcome mat.

ADVERTISEMENT

Designer tip: Once you finish your Christmas planter, be sure to create a vignette around it to really make a statement on your porch.

sue pitchforth christmas

Christmas gnomes are all the rage!

Christmas gnomes are so much fun and they each have their own personality. You can purchase them or DIY your own. Here are four festive gnomes to inspire you

ADVERTISEMENT

holiday decorating

Be unexpected

Get creative and use something you normally wouldn’t decorate for Christmas. I wanted to do something different in my backyard this Christmas, so I decided to decorate my vintage bike, which makes its home in my garden, leaning against the fence.

I had so much fun creating a Christmas bike. It is the perfect focal point in my backyard. Luckily, I had the basket to decorate with greens, then decided to have some fun decorating the seat. Notice the scarf that I added for some extra fun. I just love how it turned out.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sugar cone project

One of the things I love to do with colleague Lana Doss of The Fine Gardener is to co-host workshops. In this one, I want to share how much fun we all had creating a front door sugar cone swag.

I had no idea that there were such large pine cones available! You learn something new every day. Follow along as we create our own festive project.

Mini glass arrangements

This past year, succulents of all kinds — whether real or faux — have been very popular when decorating homes. Why not continue the trend in a new way during the holidays by adding some festive touches?

ADVERTISEMENT

The dollar store is a great place to pick up small ornaments, ribbon, berries, pine cones and more. Be creative with your container.

As you can see, just by adding a few festive touches you can create a new look. These make a perfect hostess gift as well.

After the holidays, just remove the Christmas decor from the vase and continue to enjoy the arrangement throughout the year.

ADVERTISEMENT

I hope these tips and ideas have inspired you to add some fun to your festive decor this season. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from my home to yours.

About the Author

Sue Pitchforth Decor Therapy Plus

Sue Pitchforth

Sue Pitchforth of Decor Therapy Plus is an international award-winning designer, TV personality and professional speaker. Her approach to design is refreshing, emphasizing budget-friendly options that yield luxurious results. Believing “home” is an expression of your life and personality, Sue says people usually have a lot of what they need, they just don’t know it. She is passionate about creating spaces where homeowners surround themselves with things they love that reflect who they are. Based in the capital and recently appointed Ottawa ambassador for the Canadian Association of Property Stylists, she is an industry leader offering her unique staging and design from a distance virtual services.

ADVERTISEMENTS

THANKS FOR VISITING!

Join our mailing list and GET YOUR FREE Homeowner’s Mini-Guide
Whether searching for your first home, preparing to upsize or downsize, or mulling over a renovation, this guide provides valuable resources and tips.