Last Updated on December 13, 2024
Yes, I know it’s a little early for holiday mantle decor, but Christmas trees and gingerbread houses are beginning to pop up on social media. That means December and the holiday season is closer than you think. So let’s get a jump start on planning out some affordable Christmas mantel decor before the good stuff sells out — especially the good faux garland. Be sure to bookmark or pin this post so you can refer to it when it comes time to decorate.
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Deck Out Your Fireplace Mantel For Christmas
First things first, be sure to click over to Wayfair for their Big Holiday Sale. Snag all your holiday decor essentials and get up to 60% off and fast shipping! But don’t wait; 10/18 is your last chance to save!
Now, let’s talk garland. I’m using this faux pine garland from Wayfair. Don’t wrinkle your nose at me over my use of fake plants. I only use faux greenery in my holiday mantel decor because every time I use live garland, the needles fall off, and I wind up with a sad-looking mantle and a mess to clean. I’m also not a fan of the sticky sap left behind.
While unboxing this pine garland, the size of the pinecones made me nervous. They are the size of my palm. I thought maybe they were too big, but once I popped them on the mantel, I realized they were actually the perfect size. Any smaller, and they’d be lost in the needles.
RELATED: Have you heard of a tacky Christmas tree? Well, it’s trending hard on TikTok, and apparently, I have been embracing tacky Christmas for years. Peep the post and get inspired.
To get my garland nice and fluffy, I twist and bend the branches to help transform it into what a real bough from a pine tree would look like. Now, here is the super secret sauce to fluffy garland – double up on the boughs. Yup, I lay two chunks of garland together. If they begin to fall off the edge of the mantel, twist the two together. The intertwined branches will give it weight and help keep the garland in place on the fireplace mantel. Here’s a photo of doubled-up garland on the left and one single bow on the right.
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Secret Styling Tip To Make Your Faux Garland Look Real
Once your garland is in place with a twist or two, I start to bend and twist (not to be confused with the bend and snap) the individual branches from the bough. This will give your garland a more realistic look. I chatted about this in my post about styling faux plants to look realistic. Unless you twist and turn those branches, it will look like it just came out of a box.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t need all of the pinecones to be facing the front. It’s OK to have some twisted towards the back, twisted up, and some twisted forward. This, too, will give your garland a more realistic look because when you look at a pine tree, not all of the pinecones are facing you, right?
Keep It Cozy With Candles
To add some layers to your holiday mantel display, I like to add candleholders and LED flameless candles. I used these chunky wooden candleholders from Wayfair in different heights. This adds depth and keeps the eye moving.
I understand that real candles add a glow that is very difficult to mimic with LED flameless candles, but ever since I accidentally forgot to blow out a candle and let it burn overnight, I don’t trust myself. Flameless candles ensure that I will not burn down my home.
Make Your Holiday Mantel Meaningful
Finally, I add a touch of nostalgia with my homemade crocheted Christmas stockings that my mother made for my family. My mom originally made these stockings for me, my dad, and my sister when I was little. Back then, I thought all stockings looked like this because she also made them for close friends. I never really realized how special they were until only a few years ago. Side note: she hates crocheting these, lol. They’re pretty time-consuming, and if someone has a name that has a lot of loops, it isn’t easy to make.
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Extra Flair For Your Holiday Mantel Decor
If you want your Christmas mantel decor to have an extra pop of color, feel free to add velvet wire ribbon and either wind it through the garland or check out my easy bow-making tutorial. Just remember to stick with a color scheme to keep your display cohesive.
I finally purchased the leather baskets I’ve been eyeing at Wayfair. The smaller of the two is a great addition to the fireplace hearth and perfect for holding all my cozy throw blankets.
I hold my stockings in place with these weighted mantel hooks (similar — I purchased mine years ago). I like using these over command strips because the weights also hold my beefy garland in place. This is perfect if the depth of your fireplace mantel is on the shallow side.
And that’s it! Affordable, simple, and easy-peasy holiday mantle decor.
Discover More Holiday Decor Ideas And Inspiration
Try these easy holiday decorating ideas for your home this Christmas season.
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Get inspired by these holiday gift guides and discover unique gift-giving ideas.
If you’re looking for Favorite Things party gift ideas click on that link, and for more favorite things gift ideas, click this link.