These are some of the most beautiful and gorgeous Christmas mantel decorating ideas that will give you some great ideas when decorating your own holiday mantel this year!
Christmas is a magical time of year. It happens to be one of my favorite holidays and a time when I absolutely love to decorate my house.
There seem to be two key areas where my love for holiday decor shines the brightest – the Christmas tree (of course!) and the fireplace mantel.
I often start brainstorming Christmas mantel decorating ideas a few months early, just to get the look perfect.
After all, the mantel and hearth is the heart of your home!
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Not everyone has a mantel of course, but many of us have a gathering area around a front window, a shelf, or other spot in our home where we hang our holiday stockings and put out our favorite decorations.
These Christmas mantels (and faux mantels) are a focal point of your holiday decorating.
The most important part of decorating a holiday mantel is that you have fun doing it and love how it turns out in the end!
If you follow those two simple guidelines, your mantel will be a holiday hit!
How To Decide What To Put On A Christmas Mantel
Decorating a Christmas mantel can be so much fun and a great way to add festive vibes to your home.
Start by deciding on a theme or color scheme. Traditional red and green, snowy white, or even a rustic theme can guide your choices. This will give your mantel a cohesive and polished look.
String a garland or place a wreath above the mantel for that classic Christmas touch. You can go with traditional evergreen or get creative with materials that match your theme.
Twinkling lights or fairy lights can instantly make your mantel feel magical. Weave them through the garland or place them around candles for a warm glow.
Aim for balance in your arrangement. If you have larger items on one side, balance it out with smaller items on the other. Symmetry creates a visually appealing mantel display.
Remember, there are no strict rules when it comes to decorating your Christmas mantel. Have fun, be creative, and let your personality shine through!
More Christmas Decorating Ideas + Inspiration
- 12 Beautiful Christmas Wreath Ideas
- How to Decorate A Christmas Tree – Step By Step Guide
- The Best Prelit Affordable Christmas Trees
- How to Hang Holiday Garland Without Damaging Your Mantle
- 20 Amazing Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas
- Blue and White Christmas Porch Reveal
- Metallic Christmas Home Tour
- Cozy Christmas Home Tour
- Best Storage Containers for Christmas Decor
- How To Organize Christmas Decorations
Tips To Hang A Christmas Garland On A Mantel
Hanging a Christmas garland on your mantel can add a beautiful festive touch to your mantel but it can be tricky sometimes to get them to stay in place and look full.
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Before hanging, lay the garland along the mantel to get a sense of how it will drape and if any adjustments are needed. This way, you can ensure it looks balanced and hangs evenly.
There is a great trick I shared on how to hang garland without damaging your mantel. Using these specific hooks and techniques has saved me year after year!
Also, if your garland is artificial, take some time to fluff and shape it. This will make it look fuller and more natural. Arrange the branches and any decorations evenly along the length.
Using these tips should help you get your garland looking perfect on your mantel!
What Decor To Put On A Fireplace Mantel
There are so many fun pieces you can add to a Christmas mantel but here are some tried and true pieces that will make it shine every time!
My Favorite Decor For A Christmas Mantel
So now that I’ve given you some ideas of what you should have on hand to decorate your Christmas mantel with, I thought I would share some of my favorite pieces to do this with.
These are all classic and timeless decor pieces that can work with any holiday color combination.
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20 Gorgeous Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas
I’ve compiled a list of 20 amazing Christmas mantels to give you ideas and inspiration as you work on your own holiday mantel display.
Find elements you love to recreate in your space or take one of these Christmas mantel decorating ideas and let it spark your imagination!
Creative Christmas Mantel Decor Ideas
These darling mini gingerbread houses are such a whimsical touch for a Christmas mantel!
Mixed with candle sticks and a beautiful garland for a simple and elegant holiday look.
Touches of rich navy blue in the stockings hanging from the mantel coordinate perfectly with the navy ottomans.
Twinkle lights are twined through the garland for a little sparkle.
Using white to accent green holiday decor makes it feel more modern and is a great way to accent the other Christmas decor.
Silver candlesticks add a touch of glam to the mantel.
This simple mantel still is packed with lots of style.
Beautiful chunky knit brick red stockings are hung on each end of the mantle that has a gorgeous mixed greenery garland strung up.
The burgundy color is popped on this mantel with the beautiful ribbon and ornaments.
Gold bells drape over the side and stockings are hun on the other side to balance the look.
These snowy white layered wood Christmas trees mixed with boxwood stems are gorgeous on this mantel. Gold candle sticks and white stockings accent the holiday look.
Dried citrus has become so popular lately for holiday decorating and it is fun to do with the family.
This mantel used dried orange slices to make a garland to drape across the mantel, then tied coordinating ribbons on the ends to tie the colors together.
Gathering fresh greenery and pinecones from the outside is a beautiful look.
Inspired by nature, this mantel is accented only with vintage finds and mercury glass ornaments.
This gorgeous red and green mantel is accented with frosted cranberry picks and lots of faux green foliage picks.
Simple white fur stockings hang across the mantel.
Tieing beautiful gold bells to the ends of a holiday garland is such a gorgeous touch to enhance a Christmas mantel.
I also love the gorgeous satin ribbons that adorn the ends giving it an elevated touch.
This beautiful cluster of wreaths is a striking display along with the fireplace filled with logs.
Simple gold candlesticks complete the look.
Another gorgeous take on using gold bells is to line them up on a rod and use them as the main focal point above the fireplace.
A simple garland with some ribbon is all you need to accent it.
This is for everyone who does not have a fireplace mantel. How gorgeous is this bottle brush display?!
With a simple garland and some beautiful bottle brush trees, you can easily turn a console table into a holiday mantel.
This citrus garland mixed with gold bells and linen stockings has all the Farmhouse vibes!
Adding various greenery to your garland is a great way to add a whimsical touch to a holiday mantel.
Use cedar, eucalyptus, and pine for a beautiful look.
This mantel I created a few years back was full of bronze and gold metallic accents.
I coordinated the colors with ribbon that I used throughout the living room, dining space, and kitchen.
I love how elegant this simple garland is swagged across the mantel to one side.
When doing this you want to make sure it looks really full with multiple garlands for big impact.
Here is another gorgeous example of how to create a Christmas mantel when you don't have a fireplace mantel.
The oversized ribbons in various shades of blue along with the layered garland on top of the console table is perfect!
This color scheme of soft blue and light green is so unexpected and fresh looking!
An easy way to pull this look off is with color-coordinated ribbons and ornaments while keeping the rest of the holiday decor neutral.
This is such a dramatic holiday look and the layered hues of bronze and creams are stunning!
The coastal looks the best, now granted I love costal, however, it looks simple and less cluttered than the rest. It is beautiful
So many beautiful mantels! Thanks for the feature! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Thank you so much for the feature! This is a great round up!!