Natural Christmas Decorating Ideas for the Home
85Have a Green Christmas
I love to decorate the house for Christmas. For several weeks, my home is totally dedicated to the holiday. I would like to show you some easy Christmas decorating projects that are simply and inexpensively made, often with objects on hand. With a bit of creativity, you can turn your home into a Christmas wonderland, or merely add a few decorative elements to liven things up for the holiday.
Using and rearranging common household items for holiday ornamentation is a frugal and sustainable practice. With a bit of ribbon (I've dragged the red wire ribbon around for 10 years), a few snips of evergreen, and some pine cones, you can create beautiful Christmas arrangements with a personal touch.
Sled in the Snow
Outdoor Christmas Decoration
Who doesn't have one of these wooden sleighs laying around? And if you do not have one, you can probably find one at a yard sale. Just prop up the sleigh, add a twist of wire ribbon and hope it snows! How easy can you get? Yet, this is one of my favorite outdoor Christmas decorations ever.
When we don't have snow for the holiday, I visit our local ice skating rink. They clean off the ice and dump huge piles of it at the edge of the parking lot. They don't mind at all if I take a few lumps of ice. I place them around the front yard, and around the sleigh and just pretend we have a white Christmas!
Christmas Sachets in a Bowl
Christmas Sachets in Silver Bowl
Last year I made these cute Christmas sachets with some fabric scraps. The green striped and green checked material have a real vintage look. The sachets are filled with dried balsam needles. You can either save the needles from this year's tree for the next year, or do what I did when I came up with the idea.
A local Christmas tree dealer had piles of fallen balsam needles. He did not mind that I took some, and was actually quite amused. I spread them out on a cookie sheet and put them in a 200 degree oven. After 10 minutes, I turned the oven off and let them sit for a time in the warm oven. It may take several spins in the oven, turning the pile occasionally. Make sure the needles are very dry before you use them.
Do not actually cook the needles. Leaving them in a hot oven could cause a fire.
Meanwhile, cut fabric squares and sew them closed, leaving one end open. Turn so the rough seams are inside and stuff with the needles. Hand sew the open end closed neatly.
Balsam needles provide that wonderful, iconic Christmas scent. I have one sachet that is 10 years old and still smells faintly of balsam.
Christmas Decoration - Glass Bowl and Pine Cones
Decorate With Pine Cones
I love pine cones and have quite a collection of all sizes and types. They make such an attractive decoration because they resemble miniature Christmas trees. These are from a white pine.
Place pine cones in an old glass fruit bowl. If you don't have one, you can find one at a thrift store. Other bowls, such as transferware, milk-glass, or silver would look beautiful as well. Add some clementines or mandarin oranges and a sprig of rosemary. And, of course, add that wire ribbon for a real holiday splash.
Bronze Baby Shoe Christmas Decortion
Bronze Baby Shoes
Here is an old pair of bronze baby shoes with a couple sprigs of juniper tucked in, placed in a setting along with a silver bowl and silver creamer, some japonica, and a pretty gold comet. A friend of mine made the stained glass star.
Silver Pine Cones in a Silver Bowl
Silver Pine Cones and Silver Bowl
I like to use a lot of silver and white at Christmas. I turn off the lights and enjoy the lights of the Christmas tree. A few candles for added warmth break up the shadows.
This old silver plate bowl filled with silver pine cones adds a bit of sparkle, reflecting the light from the tree. Just spray paint pine cones with silver spray paint.
Stage a Christmas Scene
I like to stage little holiday themes around the house, using common household items. When you set up an arrangement like this, it's good to remember the golden triangle, or rule of 3. Odd numbers work best in any design plan.
The little wooden pine tree, the pine cones, and the rosemary sprig all mimic a Christmas tree. I added those seed pods but I think they might look nice spray painted silver. The sachets offer a vintage touch, and the Christmas tree applique picks up the repeated theme.
Once you get started looking around the house for items you can use to decorate, there is no end to the cute combinations you can create. Christmas decorations can be expensive, but there is no need to spend a lot of money to make your home look beautiful.
I like a vintage look at Christmas to reflect the family traditions of the season. By incorporating old items - tea pots, old dishware, old silver plate, lace, velvet, plaid fabrics, and ribbons, you can create a vintage Christmas.
Add natural elements to your Christmas decor with evergreen boughs, birch branches, spray painted branches, pine cones, seed pods, and dried roses.
Take a while to play with the things that you have chosen to use. My mantle is decorated with a line of pine cones set among evergreen boughs. I thought to add some store made ornaments, but it really looked better in the simple setting with a few Christmas stockings hanging below.
How to Make an Evergreen Christmas Wreath
- Christmas Wreath - How to Make an Evergreen Wreath
It's easier than you think to make an evergreen Christmas wreath. Using materials from your yard, floral wire, and a wire wreath form, create a beautiful wreath to welcome guests for the season.
How to Choose, Store, and Decorate a Live, Cut Christmas Tree
- How to Choose, Store, and Decorate A Live Cut Christmas Tree
Tips on how to chose and store a live cut Christmas Tree - what to look for in a tree, and how to keep your Christmas Tree looking fresh all season.
How to Choose a Candle
- How to Choose The Best Candle
I can't imagine Christmas without candles. But there are so many types of candles to choose from! Here are several types of candles for your own use or to give as gifts. And if candles seem dangerous, there are flameless candles as well.
How to Wire Pine Cones for Chrismas Decoration
Great Ideas for Mismatched Dishware to Use at Christmas
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Lovely decorating ideas - your photographs are so nice! My favorite is the sled in the snow. But I also love the beauty and simplicity of the silver pinecones. Looking forward to the holidays this year! Steph
I think I'm going to Greensboro! :)
Lovely ideas here--my fav right now is the bronze baby shoe idea. Thanks so much!
Very nice. Great ideas for decorating
What a great hub! I love the wealth of ideas you give and the beautiful pictures to accompany them. Voted it up :)
Hi, Dolores. What a veritable plethora of marvelous Christmas decorating ideas. You are creative, m'dear. And the video was enchaning. Although I must admit I laughed uproariously when the speaker spoke about using your replacement dishes - odds and ends that do not match - to add color. Is she kidding? Those are my regular dishes every day - odds and ends!
Hi Dolores, Haven't been here in ages and what a great hub to return to. I loved the sachets and will definitely be making them this year.
You have some great ideas here Dolores; I especially liked the idea of going to a skating rink for ice crystals and powder to spread in strategic spots if there is no snow. I have seen beautiful Christmas trees made out of a pile of tumbleweeds sprayed white and decorated with red chili pods here in the West.
A great wonderful all about Christmas. I decorate all over our house for Christmas. I love Christmas decorating and have a big collection of santa's. My neighbor has pine tree's next to our wall when the pine cones drop I grab them up to decorate with.
Dolores, thank you for this fantastic article - it has really given me some fresh ideas for the festive season -
I really loved your natural take on decorating.Glad to be following you. Cheers.
Super cute. I love the sachet idea a lot, but the other ideas are very neat as well. Voted up and interesting!
Hi, Sally - thank you! A neighbor puts out an old pair of ice skates and it looks so cute! We have a lot of fun every year when we go to get our snow. It's so ridiculous.
Hi, Steph - I am crazy for pine cones. Last year, I left the pine cones on the mantle, could not bear to put them away. I also have a collection of pine cone Christmas ornaments. Thank you!
Hi, RT - I think I have a pair of baby shoes from the 1920's somewhere. I should get them out too. Unless my sister has them and they've disappeared into the Black Hole. Thank you!
Kay - thank you!
Angelique - I think I'll be adding to this one later. Thanks!
Hi, drbj - haha - me too. I love reproduction Victorian transferware and we use them every day. They don't match, I have them in blue, brown, and cranberry, but they go together in their own way. Thanks for dropping in!
Hi, Hawksdream - so good to see you! I thought you were outa here. I am thinking of making more. They make nice little gifts.
juneaukid - Hi, Richard! Ooh, I love the idea of the tumbleweeds, so western and so cool. We have a mystery snow man appear every Christmas on a nearby street corner, even when there is no snow. Late at night on Christmas Eve, the mystery snow man builders sneak out to create a lovely surprise for us all. Thanks!
Hi, Writer - my dear old great aunt made a pine cone Christmas wreath one year. I couldn't imagine the patience. But it paid off because she could use it every year. Thanks!
Hi, Carter - glad you liked! I thought maybe this would be kinda stupid, but you see such stuff in Christmas magazines all the time. The problem is taking the pictures. They never look as nice as the actual thing. Must practice.
Hi, Om - thank you for the vote! The sachets really smell great. When I got them out to take pictures, they smelled as fresh as they did last year when I made them.
I love to take real green, gather them together to make a spray for the front door, with a red ribbon in the middle and then put real green around the front door. I don;t decorate to the degree that you do, but your ideas and decor are beautiful!
This was beautiful Christmas decorations though I am not celebrate Christmas. My friend, you have wonderful idea. I love all pictures and the video as well. Well done and vote up! God bless you.
Prasetio
Bedding - I usually make an evergreen wreath for the door but I'd love to make one of those long swags. Thank you!
Hi, Prasetio - well thank you so kindly. It's always good to have you stop by! Bless you as well!
Hi, this brought back memories! spraying the cones at Christmas with silver, I remember doing that at school! fantastic! you have made me want to go out and start collecting now! lovely!
Some great and cheap ideas here Dolores. Hard to believe Christmas season will be upon us all again in no time. What happened to the year? Oh I forgot its coz I am old and it speeds up for us folks lol
I love the Scent of the Season so it's never to early to share wonderful ideas
HI, Ethel - oh,is that it? I thought maybe it was going so fast because I am having so much fun, haha. Thanks for stopping in - I know you are one busy gal!
Annie - thank you. The scent of the season is balsam - that fresh wonderful smell of Christmas trees and the great north woods.
Great decorating ideas, I love the nature theme. Thanks for sharing :-)
Hi Delores,
Thank you for some great ideas! I have alot of family coming this Christmas..One of the rare times all the kids will be home with grandkids.. I plan on decorating up a storm.. I can not wait..Thank you for sharing.
Sunnie
Hi, Sunnie - I love Christmas, with the whole family gathered around. It seems like for 4 days, we just make one huge mess, clean it up, then start on another. Such fun! Thank you!
These are certainly some clever home decorating ideas. Thanks for sharing with us.
These are all beautiful ideas but my favorite is the sled in the snow. I love the old-time look of the sled and being in Ohio right off Lake Erie we DO get plenty of snow to make it work. This was a wonderful hub!
I love your ideas, especially the incorporation of recyling!
I just love the sled in the snow decoration! To bad we don't get snow where I live. . .
However the Christmas sachets is still something I can do. I will definitely find myself some vintage looking fabric scraps and make those darling sachets. They will make a great display in my shabby chic interior.
Dolores - I just loved reading this beautiful and inspiring hub!
Thank you,
Sannel
Sannel - the sachets keep that wonderful smell for years! Of course you can make them with dried herbs too. I saw some very similar sachets at a shop last year for $5.00 a piece! Thank you!
Had a small replica of a sleigh (unfinished). It had been sitting around in my garage. I painted it red and wrapped some old Christmas bells around it. Love it. Your sleigh example inspired me. Thanks.
I recall my mother decorating our home with pine cones, wreaths made from cedar trees, etc, and whatever she could find in the dry desert area where we lived. It made the home smell like Christmas.
this makes me feel all christmasy again, since the season is approaching & your hub being a delightful read. Thank you, i'm inspired to make xmas stay just a tad bit longer this year!!!
thanks for these great christmas decorating ideas dolores.. i love the decor with pine cones..
Wow, Delores! You are the Queen of decorating, frugality and recycle-reuse-repurpose in my book! These are so awesome one would think that they cost a fortune, and you make it sound so incredibly simple. I've liked this on Facebook and Google 1+ because I was so impressed. Now, I'm headed to our woods to starting gathering up my raw materials. Thanks for showing me how I could decorate for Christmas to my heart's content without destroying our budget.
john000 - thank you! I love the old wooden sleds. This one belonged to my kids when they were young. It once sat under the Christmas tree.
doodlebugs - I have heard that using cedar is an old German tradition and am thinking of digging up a small cedar from my yard to use as a Christmas tree this year. Then I could put it back! Now, that would be a green Christmas! Thank you!
Clayton - thank you! I hate to be thinking of Christmas too early, but with hubs, you gotta get them out way before the holiday.
nanette - thank you!
Donna - thank you so much. I have a blog where I am trying to post frugal ideas for the home.
It's hard not to feel the holidays with these photos and ideas that you've shared. I am one of those who really treasure the holiday season. The white snow, colorful decorations and happy people just makes it so wonderful.I think you are one of the very nice ladies who would be fun to spend holidays with! Thanks for this :)
This is what I call creativity at it's finest! I love all of these natural Christmas decorating ideas. Very beautiful, and my favorite is the sled in the snow, and the glass bowl and pine cones. Love the silver one too. Thank you for sharing.
inivestinggreen - thank you!
adrienne - glad you enjoyed!
Lovely hub, some great ideas here.
I love the pine needle idea! I've never heard of that before. Aren't you worried that they will get too dry in the oven? I didn't know you could do this.
The sachets definitely add to that Christmas smell! Nice ideas!
Good Hub --- Good Info --- Good graphics & video.
Thanks, this is just in time for Christmas in a couple of months.
Ms Louise - well it wasn't pine needles but balsam needles. But I wouldn't actually cook them. Just heat the oven to a low temperature for a few minutes then turn the oven off. If you leave the oven on, you could set the needles on fire! I better add a warning. Thanks!
itops - thank you.
Night Magic - thank you!
Very artistic...love Christmas decorations and I enjoyed this hub very much! Thanks for these great ideas. :D
ripplemaker - thank you. I love the idea of reusing things, rearranging things with some added greens or decorations you have on hand - it's green and cheap and creative.
Love the sled. It almost makes me what some of that white stuff. Almost - not quite.
What a wonderful hub this is ....and perfect timing as we just got through taking down our Halloween and our making our Christmas plan. Some of the suggestions I really like are the suggestion of using the sled as well as the pine cone suggestions...both of these items are either sitting in our back shed or sitting in the front yard waiting to be picked up. Thanks for sharing all these great ideas.
Hi, Cogerson - thank you. I love Christmas, but this year, I feel like Scrooge. Early November and I heard Christmas music being played at a store, and saw a Christmas commercial. Way too early. It makes me want to simplify and give all hand made gifts.
Thanks for sharing this great hub. I am all in for the natural abilities of life. Christmas is a beautiful time of year and the more natural it is close to nature the more I love it.
I really like the shoes :)
What a terrific hub. Now to just find some pine cones...
To make the house smell like Christmas simply put a pan on the stove with some cinnamon! It would complete the whole atmosphere.
Wow I love your hub. You have so many wonderful christmas crafts, can't wait to try a few. Vote up!
Christmas decorating is a favorite of mine! Thanks for sharing your great ideas!
lavender - oh, me too. I really need to add more pictures, but I have to take them first. Thank you!
skymaster - I may have a pair of bronzed baby shoes from the 1920's, must dig them out. Thanks!
modern - there are so many cool things you can do with pine cones. I know someone who glued pine cones all over the frame of a mirror, and it looks so pretty! Thanks!
Kikalina - oh the smell of cinnamon is so wonderful! Thanks!
Lucy - thank you!
Better Yourself - some years I go crazy and decorations are all over the place. It's great fun if you have the time and are in the mood - thank you!
I wish folks would decorate more like this instead of buying something from the store and making it more commercial. Your's has a real 'home like' feel.
Very creative! I am going to try some of these this Christmas!
Kim - a few days ago, I went into one of my favorite stores and was amazed at the Christmas decorations. They were all schlock. I could not find one thing that did not looked like over priced trash. The place used to have some nice items. In these hared economic times, I can't see spending your money on cheesy merchandise and using what you have is sustainable. Thank you!
Transfer - thank you!
bookmarked. wonderful hub.
Dolores Monet, I LUV this! Great Hub! Nice festive and practical Christimas Decorating suggestions! You are so creative! Thank you for sharing, Peace & Blessings!
DeBorrah - thank you so much. In the stores, Christmas stuff is all over the place so early. I love the gift giving and decorations of the holiday, but it seems so materialistic. I think we can find and create an atmosphere for Christmas without buying a lot of junk, just reusing what we have. And remember that Christmas is about giving, not driving ourselves crazy. Peace and Blessings to you too, dear!
I reported that Chinese scraper site about three weeks ago, and it looks like they coped this article too. I thought you might want to let you know, since you should look into getting their theft of your article removed, if you can. I have not have any such luck: http://www.holidaygiftstar.com/christmas-decoratin
Hi Sweetie Pie - good for you and thank you for telling me this. I'll look further into it. But it seems like the article is not copied in total, word for word which I've had problems with in the past. Many have used the whole thing including pictures which was infuriating yet ridiculous because there was a picture of my hand pointing at something which I did to be kind of silly.
It used your pictures and several paragraphs word for word. It only changed a few things here and there. I am still not amused this site is taking hubbers content, and nothing is being done. It is hawking dodgy Christmas products out of China, too.
Gorgeous! What awesome ideas, Dolores. I voted up and awesome. I'm going to have to think about doing the silver pine cones and the Christmas scene. :)
Sweetie Pie - oh I agree, it is infuriating and, for awhile, I spent way too much time being infuriated, and often filed complaints. One site, run by a supposedly bone fide expert in a medical field, I emailed to report this. The expert of course, did not write the articles, but hired somebody else to do it, and the person just went around copying other people's stuff. So one must take even 'expert' sites with a grain of salt.
kittythedreamer - hi! Thank you. I keep telling myself I need to post more stuff, like my faux birch branches. Someone I know took a bunch of silver painted pine cones and outlined a mirror with them. It looked beautiful, quite well done.
Great hub and very creative ideas using what you have and turning them into unique Christmas designs. Your pictures are especially good. Thanks and Happy Holidays.
I love using pine cones for decorating. There are so many things you can do with them to create budget friendly holiday decorations.
Great ideas and photos. Thanks for sharing. I like the sachet idea. I always hate having to throw away a live tree after the decorations are pulled down. Now I can recycle a bit of it by making sachets.
Too bad you don't have a retail shop. I'm sure it would be beautiful and inspiring.
cabmgnt - thank you!
RetailRich - thank you kindly. The dream of many middle aged women, to have a cute little shop - the trouble would be getting people to buy stuff nowadays.
These are excellent ideas! This type of decorating makes me think of Pottery Barn - the kind of gorgeous, rustic decorations that you love but don't feel like spending $70 on for a plate of pine cones. I have been trying to find my own way to decorate the house for the holidays using frugal, crafty, DIY tricks and all of your natural tips are absolutely fantastic! Thanks so much for this hub!
emsherman - thank you. I really should post more ideas, but my recent pictures just have not turned out the way I wanted them to, and you really need the images.
Great HUB! Wow! The video from Replacements was really helpful too - I have clear plates I don't use to the fullest extent and I love flowers - never thought of adding in the flowers underneath. Fun!
Nice article with many great ideas; I really like the "Christmas Sachets in a Bowl," very pretty.
GmaGoldie - oh I liked that video too. I love the videos and can really spend way too much time watching them while I am trying to put a hub together. Thank you!
Coolmon - thank you. I want to make more this year, they went over quite well as Christmas gifts last year.
Dolores!
I have already commenting on this wonderful hub. However, I just wanted to congratulate you on your hub of the day!
By the way, now when I'm back in Sweden, I can make the sled in the snow decoration! Yippie!
All the Best!
What a lovely hub - Christmas is my favorite time of year and making decorations remind me of when I was a child. We would collect pine cones and spray them silver and gold and collect sprigs of holly. I haven't done anything like it since and this hub has inspired me to get my child involved in making some of your wonderful ideas!
Congratulations on Hub of the Day. This article was awesome and had some easy yet unique natural decorating ideas. I chuckled when you said you sometimes go to the ice rink to get clumps of "snow" to decorate the yard! Being a former upstate New Yorker who now lives in Delaware I can understand the desire to add just a bit of the white fluffy stuff. I don't miss driving in the storms but there's nothing prettier than glistening snow during the holiday season.
I love the "staging a scene" with natural items -so simple and yet so creative!
I love your ideas! I actually have one of our old wooden sleds on the front porch, but I did paint it with our name and a snowman. We also kept one with the original paint job out in the backyard.
Sannel - well thanks to you, I now realize that I did have a hub of the day! Wheee! Going to put the tree up today!
Emma - isn't Christmas a great time to let out our inner child? I remember when my mother made ice candles with wax, and some sort of Christmas tree with folded ribbon. Thanks!
HappyBoomer - thank you! We have a great time, picking up snow from the ice rink and get a lot of double takes from passers-by when we have a warm Christmas.
Maren Morgan - thank you! I keep wanting to try and make those little hard paper houses, but have not had the time - ow that would make a cute scene!
amberld - thank you! A neighbor hangs out a pair of white ice skates for a Christmas decoration. It is so simple, yet looks so nice, as if she's going to snatch up those skates and slide away!
Wonderful suggestions! I love the idea of decorating with already owned/easy to acquire items that can work for many occasions instead of purchasing lots of holiday specific items. Congrats on getting Hub of the Day!
randomcreative - thank you! Of course, when you've lived in a home for many long years, you'd piled up all kinds of stuff to use! I just shop around in the basement! Ha, ha!
Pine cones are the best materials to use for Christmas decor' Good hub.
These are great! Congratulations on hub of the day.
great ideas for decorations ! it is so cold outside here in chicago that i am thinking how i can manage to do outside decorations !!thanks
Dolores - These are such wonderful Christmas decorating ideas, both in their simplicity and natural beauty. Plus, they are all very budget-friendly. I love how your pictures show off each idea perfectly. This is very deserving of hub of the day. Congratulations.
Dolores Monet: Thank you for sharing this and congratulations on Hub of the Day. This reminds me of my youth....although I do have a pine cone on my mantle that my sister gave me last year. I love bringing nature inside...and outside as well...the snow made me miss my Virginia Christmas celebrations of my childhood. I have 2 oitted NOrfolk pines for my Christmas tree this year one aobut 4 feet tall; a second from last year about 12 inches high for my baby grandson. Happy Christmas to YOU and your family.
You have so many good ideas here! Creating some beautiful decorations is a lot more fun than buying them - love the baby shoes!
Sometimes simple is better and is usually cheaper. It's great to use what we have already. This simple acts allows us to appreciate what we already have. Great hub:)
Very beautiful and creative. Thanks for the great ideas. Happy Holidays.
Wonderful ideas for Christmas decor. Now I know what to do with all the pine cones my daughter and her friends gathered.
Congrats on Hub of the Day! It's a well deserved hurrah! :)
These are great ideas. Congratulations on hub of the day
Love these elegant, easy, inexpensive ideas! Thanks so much for sharing-- I think I'm gonna go decorate our home some more now! :)
DIY - yessiree, pine cones are the boss! Thank you!
Flora - thank you very much!
Chicago Guy - we were on top of things here - it must have been 65 degrees when we put up the lights, having a very warm late fall. Keep warm and thanks!
ktrapp - thank you - I was disappointed in how the pix looked so it's nice that people like them!
pstraubie - love those Norfolk Island pines. I kept one alive for years, due to the great light in our old digs. Killed it after we moved though. Thanks!
SilverGenes - thank you!
thoughtfulgirl - I have some faux birch branches that I made one year but just can't get the right picture. Wanted to include them here but.....thank you!
PattyWorld - thank you! My family would laugh to hear me say simple is best, even though I think it is. This place can seem a bit much over the holidays. Merry Christmas!
Infinite Research - there are so many tings you can do with pine cones, even just scattering them around looks pretty! Thank you!
Hi, RT - thank you (bows to the kindness of my fellow hubbers)
mlj - thank you!
MarriageOnABudget - thank you for stopping in and commenting!
Congratulations on the Hub of the Day - well deserved. I enjoyed the video and picked up a few tips and who would have thought I could drag my old sled from the garage and use it as a decoration now that the kids are grown and gone. I'm not much of a decorator so I appreciate all these tips.
Voted up
Great ideas !
Sally's Trove 7 months ago
These are such beautiful and smart Christmas decorating ideas, Dolores. My neighbor has one of those old sleds, props it up and adds a bow, as you do, and then hangs a pair of old white leather ice skates by their laces over the steering bar.
Very cool, scavenging ice from the ice rink. Love it! Up and beautiful.