Don’t let the Christmas tree have all the fun this holiday season! Explore these easy decoration ideas to bring holiday cheer to your windows. From DIY Christmas window decorations for the whole family to classic holiday decorations repurposed in new ways, we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire you.
What colors are trending for Christmas?
Be on the lookout for our Holiday Color Trend Tips sprinkled throughout! We have fun window decorating ideas for Christmas that suit all styles, whether your home is decorated in sunny seaside, rustic farmhouse, bold and bright, or subdued neutrals.
Dreaming of a White Christmas?
Bring a little snow to your window holiday decorations this year with decals or one of our favorite simple holiday decorating ideas: hand-cut snowflakes. Making paper snowflakes makes a great family night Christmas decorating activity. Just put on a classic Christmas movie and get started with these paper snowflake patterns. They’re cheap to make and easy to store or recycle when the holidays are over. Your winter window wonderland will be totally unique and memorable!
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: When decorating with all one color, such as a flurry of white snowflakes, vary the size, shape, and pattern to add interest.
A STAR-STUDDED VIEW
Make your holiday windows shine by decorating them with pretty star lights. This simple decoration will bring a warm glow to your home, both inside and out. Have a window seat that could use some Christmas cheer? Decorate the entire window with different sizes of sparkly stars, add a white fur throw, and you will be in a cozy paradise.
EMBRACE A METALLIC COLOR PALETTE WITH SILVER ORNAMENTS
Metallic tones are always in style for the holidays! To use this trend in your windows, hang Christmas balls and glass ornaments from matching ribbons or thin string. You can stagger the heights of the ornaments by using varying lengths of ribbon to add visual interest.
Clear or semi-transparent glass ornaments can catch and reflect light for a stunning effect. Mix in jingle bells and tin ornaments for a little extra metallic touch. If you are looking for more of a vintage feel, a classic mercury glass Christmas ornament fits this color palette and brings charm. For added elegance and to complete the look, decorate gift boxes under the Christmas tree with wrapping paper and ribbon that echo the larger displays and ornaments.
If you want to break away from the crowd and create something truly unique, try upcycling some of your old Christmas ornaments. Spray plastic ornaments with metallic spray paint to turn tired and old into something new and joyful!
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: Can’t decide between silver or gold? Go platinum! This tone falls between silver and gold and is an excellent way to add a soft, metallic touch to your holiday decorations. It’s also trending as one of the top neutral tones for Holiday 2020.
SPARK JOY WITH A POP OF COLOR
If a completely metallic color palette is not your thing, brighten up your windows with colorful ornaments instead! Make a DIY garland to drape along your window frame. String your favorite ornaments on a string, ribbon, or tinsel garland, adding as many or as few as you want to achieve a full or minimal look. This whimsical style is an easy and inexpensive way to customize your Christmas window décor. This method works with other styles of ornaments, too! Try it with colorful gingerbread men, bells, or candy canes to change up the look.
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: The best part of this DIY idea is that you can use any ornaments in any color palette that you like. Go for the full-blown rainbow look, choose a traditional red and green theme, or create your own blend to coordinate with the rest of the room.
CREATE A GREETING CARD DISPLAY
Are you looking for a fun way to display all those Christmas cards you receive every holiday season? Add some holiday cheer to your windows! Simply string up some baker’s twine or red ribbon from one side of the window to the other, then use mini clothespins to attach your holiday cards. Stretch them across a wide window, or layer several strings to cover a narrower window from top to bottom. This is a fantastic way to showcase your collection of greeting cards so you can enjoy them throughout the season.
LET IT GLOW, LET IT GLOW, LET IT GLOW
Create some Christmas magic in your bedroom or living room. Use long strings of small LED lights, sometimes called fairy lights, behind sheer curtains to create a soft, diffused glow in the room. You can use twinkle lights to mimic the movement of falling snow or still lights for a calm and warm setting.
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: With neutral color palettes being so popular in home décor right now, adding string lights behind your soft curtains is a perfect way to create a winter wonderland without going full red-and-green traditional Christmas décor.
HOLIDAY DECOR WINDOWSILL DISPLAY
Wondering about the best way to decorate a windowsill for the holidays? There are so many wonderful options!
Choose your favorite pieces from your Christmas collection and arrange them appealingly. Stick to a particular theme or color scheme to create a cohesive look. Include a variety of decorations in different sizes and textures for interest. Candles or lanterns add a nice warmth to your display.
Do you have a Christmas village collection you love? Cover a wide windowsill with a snowy white blanket and you have the perfect location to display it.
If you prefer a clean, uncluttered look, keep it simple with a mini-Christmas tree or classic potted poinsettia plant for your holiday windowsill décor. Just remember—if you have a house with pets, keep that poinsettia well out of their reach, as they contain a sap that’s mildly toxic to cats and dogs.
BOWS: NOT JUST FOR GIFTS
Instead of using traditional curtain tie-backs or hooks, tie a festive bow around your curtains using a Christmas ribbon. A 2- or 3-inch ribbon works excellent for this, especially in a velvet, burlap, or plaid pattern.
When setting your Christmas table, don’t forget to decorate your dining chairs with festive accents. Wrap a burlap bow around your chairs for a chic country look, or use a ribbon and tie an ornament in a pretty bow.
In holiday decorating, the living room and dining room tend to get most of the focus. This year, spend time decorating the bedrooms and stairs to spread the holiday cheer throughout your home. Add bows to the banister and headboards for a festive touch your guests will love.
Bonus: use the same ribbon throughout your décor and on gifts to tie rooms together!
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: Plaid is always popular during the holidays, with Buffalo Check remaining a classic favorite in classic “lumberjack” red and black, or the modern neutral tan and white.
SIMPLY RUSTIC
This rustic look will work well in so many types of décor styles for the holiday season. Attach simple wooden cutouts onto pieces of twine in varying lengths, then hang them from the window frame to create a beautiful border along the top of your window. Echo the look on your windowsill with a similar style and shape of decor, then scatter some pinecones to add a touch of nature. Even if you don’t have a wintry landscape outside your window, you can easily create the feeling indoors through your window decorations.
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: When going for a rustic feel, play with texture instead of color. Bring in different natural materials for variation and keep the color palette neutral.
GREENERY GALORE
You can’t go wrong with classic holiday greenery to decorate your Christmas windows. Hang wreaths using wide holiday ribbons in red or plaid. Choose one large wreath as a focal point, or use several mini wreaths to beautify doors and windows. Drape window sills, ledges, and even curtain rods with greenery garlands.
Adding a dining room table centerpiece only takes minutes and makes a big impact on the overall décor. Use fresh greenery to get that delightful fir smell in your home, or opt for realistic-looking faux greenery that can be used year after year. Don’t forget the outside of your home! Greenery is perfect for decorating outdoor windows and doors as well.
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: Greenery is a great way to add color to a neutral or monochromatic room. The dark forest greens make a beautiful accent for white walls, neutral furniture, and subdued farmhouse or Scandinavian décor styles.
NATURE-INSPIRED CHRISTMAS
To embrace an eco-friendly Christmas style, use nature-inspired elements to dress up your greenery. Decorate a wreath with pinecones, seed pods, and cinnamon sticks. Add a pop of natural color with wintry fruit such as faux pears and dried orange slices. Mistletoe, holly, ivy, poinsettia plants, and Christmas cacti are all festive options to bring nature indoors to celebrate the holidays.
SHOW OFF YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE
Don’t be afraid to position your Christmas tree in the center of a large front-facing window. There is nothing quite like being welcomed home by festive tree lights peeking through your window to put you in the holiday spirit. Plus, it adds some major Christmas curb appeal and helps spread joy throughout your neighborhood.
HOLIDAY COLOR TREND TIP: Whether you choose to decorate in all-white lights or you prefer multi-colored strands, a Christmas tree is the ultimate holiday window decoration to dress up your home.
GIVE YOUR WINDOWS SOME HOLIDAY SPIRIT
The window coverings you choose can contribute to your home’s holiday cheer, and nothing says you have to keep the same window coverings up every day of the year. If your home has drapes or curtains, consider taking down your everyday drapes and hanging unique holiday drapes in a festive color, texture, or pattern.
Depending on your home’s color scheme, a deep red can look great through Thanksgiving and Christmas—even through February for Valentine’s Day! Patterns with rich brocade, red and green plaid, or white with gold accents all have their place in holiday decorating.
GOLD-WRAPPED WINDOW DECOR
Speaking of gold, try adding some glamor to your window treatments by changing up the hardware for the Christmas season. This small detail can make a big difference to tie your décor together and help make a room feel special and complete.
ADD SEASONAL LAYERS
What if you don’t have drapes but opted for something like cellular shades or classic blinds to cover your windows? You can add curtains just through the winter months and enjoy the added benefits of greater insulation on your windows by doubling up with two window treatments. Take a look at our favorite no-fail window treatments to pair and layer.
Want to change your window coverings to match any season or holiday? The innovative window fabric line by ADO offers a fabulous assortment of materials and colors that can be mixed and matched according to any holiday season or everyday occasion.
READY TO CREATE YOUR FESTIVE HOLIDAY HOME?
Schedule a SAFE & CONVENIENT Virtual Consultation with one of our Window Covering Experts. It’s free and you’ll be working directly with a dedicated designer via video chat. Plus, you still get to see samples—once you have a few favorite styles picked out, we’ll send swatches of shades, blinds, and drapery fabrics to your doorstep. Learn more or call us at 800-828-2003 to set up your Virtual Consultation!