Pulling out boxes of Christmas décor is the first signal that the festive season has started. If you look forward to decorating every year (from the start of December or even earlier), start by heading into the garden!
Natural Christmas decorations save money and are a great sustainable alternative to the traditional decorations you may have considered using. Plus, natural décor brings a touch of the outdoors inside when work in the garden dies down over the festive season.
These DIYs are easy to complete and add some creativity to your holiday décor.
Spices As Decoration
Choose holiday spices for immersive decor with aesthetic appeal and a delightful scent.
Choose spices for decor that immerses your guests in the holiday season. They don’t only come with aesthetic benefits (who needs plastic stars when you can use star anise?) but also produce a wonderful scent reminiscent of traditional holiday dishes.
Hanging Twig Tree
Create a last-minute festive tree by quickly tying together twigs or branches of different sizes.
If you’ve left your tree to the last minute this year, you can pull one together in a matter of minutes, ready to hang near your dinner table. Grab twigs or branches of different sizes and tie them together at an equal distance apart. Cover with more natural garden decorations for a festive tree that doesn’t cost a cent.
Homemade Christmas Tree
Create a DIY Christmas tree using twigs and twine on a cone frame.
Another last-minute Christmas tree alternative you can keep as décor is a cone-shaped tree made from twigs and twine. Mold malleable branches or vines around cone-shaped objects or make a frame from sturdy wire.
Wrap twine around the structure to keep the branches in place and leave them to dry in place. Once fully dried, cover with lights, ornaments, and dried flowers to suit your décor theme for the season.
Twig Stars
Transform leftover twigs into DIY stars for tree decorations or table accents.
Have any leftover twigs from the previous crafts? Put them to good use by making your own stars to hang on your tree or dot around the table. This is a great activity for kids, although they may need a little help with the knots on each end.
Pine Everywhere
Pine branches and pinecones offer a quick and versatile option for festive garden decor.
One of the easiest garden décor options, especially if you’re short on time, is pine. Pinecones are a Christmas decoration staple, but you can also use pine branches in arrangements around the home for a festive feel and scent. Pop them onto place settings or pair them with other herbs to create a wreath.
Branch Runner
Create a rustic table setting by replacing linen runners with garden-sourced leafy branches.
To add a natural touch to your table décor, forego linen runners and use leafy branches from the garden instead. Thinner branches with flat leaves work best to avoid cluttering the center. You can use other centerpieces to anchor the branches in place, like vases of flowers or wooden rounds covered in candles.
Wooden Placemats
Christmas tables receive an added rustic charm when adorned with wooden placemats.
A staple of rustic décor, wooden placemats are perfect for any Christmas table. They contrast perfectly with classy crockery to create a natural but high-end feel, or they can be combined with other rustic elements for laid-back table décor. Sealing them beforehand will help them last longer, allowing you to reuse them year after year.
Wreath Centerpiece
A DIY wreath as the centerpiece can serve as a cohesive centerpiece without leaving gaps.
Round tables can be slightly harder to decorate than long tables. To avoid any gaps in the center of your table, make a DIY wreath the centerpiece of your table.
You can combine most foliage from the garden (I like using woody herbs for added scent) along with other decorative elements like candles. Place it in the center of the table, laying flat, and work outwards to create a cohesive look.
Pinecone Trees
Pinecones are popular for festive décor due to their shape, especially when painted white.
There are many reasons why pinecones are popular for festive décor. But one of my favorites is their shape. Stand them upright, dust the ends with a bit of white paint, and dot them around your table to look like a collection of tiny snow-covered Christmas trees.
Painted Pinecones
Decorate your Christmas table with painted pinecones for a distinctively customized holiday flair.
You can also add pinecones to arrangements placed on your Christmas table or around your home for their interesting geometric look. Painting them in bright and festive colors adds a unique touch that can be customized for different color palettes.
Candle Wraps
Enhance dinner table candles with garden elements like cinnamon stick wraps.
Candles are a must-have on any dinner table, but there are ways to spruce them up even further with elements of your garden. Herbs and spices are great for candle wraps as long as you can keep flammable parts away from the flame. These wraps use cinnamon sticks, but you can also use herbs like sage or rosemary to add more greenery.
Frozen Berries
Utilize frozen berries as a festive and decorative addition to your drinks.
Even in the middle of winter, you’ll still need ice to chill your drinks or celebratory champagne bottles. Turn your ice into a decorative element by freezing edible berries from the garden throughout the year.
Red berries add a festive touch to all your drinks and a summery element that will brighten up your dinner table. If you haven’t already started making fruit-filled drink ornamentation this year, don’t worry; cranberries are in season in the winter and are a quick and beautiful pop of color in a mixed drink!
Create A Winter Arrangement
Create long-lasting festive table arrangements using winter garden elements like branches, berries, and fake snow.
Flex your creative muscles by creating festive table arrangements with elements from your winter garden. Branches with berries, silvery foliage, and some lovely pinecones create an arrangement that will last throughout the festive season. Dust the tops with some fake snow for an extra wintery touch.
Winter Branch Display
Creating festive Christmas decor is easy with minimalist arrangements of branches and foliage.
Decorative Christmas arrangements don’t have to be complicated. A set of simple branches and foliage can make just as much of an impact, especially in minimalist interiors. This arrangement also uses small string lights around the branches for night-time interest and an extra festive feel.
Keep It Simple
Simplify minimalist interiors with garden-inspired decor like a simple sprig of rosemary or pine.
Speaking of minimalist interiors, it’s also easy to use décor from the garden while keeping it simple. Using basic linen with a subtle touch of foliage can have more impact than expected, highlighting the natural elements and allowing them to stand out as a singular central detail. A single branch or pinecone as a place setting is enough to add a festive touch.
Tiny Herb Wreaths
Creating mini Christmas wreaths from rosemary or woody herbs is both adorable and practical.
There is no place setting more adorable than a tiny Christmas wreath. If you have a rosemary bush (or any woody herbs), they’re also so easy to make.
Snip a long stem off the plant, wrap it around your hand, and tie the ends together with twine. They can double as meal toppings, too, so the herb leaves don’t go to waste.
Festive Garland
Combine Christmas ornaments and garden foliage for a festive and natural fireplace or doorway decoration.
To decorate your fireplace or doorways, combine a few Christmas ornaments with foliage from the garden. This combines the festive décor you already have (perhaps a few ornaments that didn’t fit on your tree) with garden elements to soften the décor and add a more natural feel.
Orange Garland
Create a festive orange garland by slicing and drying fall oranges, then string them together.
Orange garlands are an ideal holiday craft that can serve as natural décor across the festive season. All you need to do is slice some fresh fall oranges and dry them in the oven or dehydrator to preserve them.
Thread strings through the center and tie them all together to create a bright and cheerful garland. This is another great activity to include the whole family in.
Candle Trays
Enhance candlelit table decor by adding a few leaves to the tray.
Trays of candles make wonderful table décor, especially for evening dinner parties. But they can feel a little basic if that is your only décor. The simple addition of a few leaves at the base of the tray provides some natural contrast to take your tablescape to the next level.
Miniature Christmas Tree
Adorn mini cypress shrubs with string lights for a compact, festive twist on traditional Christmas trees.
If you don’t have the space for a full-size Christmas tree, you don’t have to ditch the tradition altogether. Small potted shrubs or trees like cypress are perfect alternatives to larger trees, especially when decorated with small string lights. Before decorating, use small pruning shears to trim the shrub into the perfect shape.
Festive Houseplants
Choose long-lasting festive houseplants like poinsettias or amaryllis for enduring natural holiday decor.
If you want natural décor that lasts longer than the Christmas period, choose festive houseplants. The poinsettia is a classic, but festive bulbs like amaryllis are also great options. And if you already have a few houseplants, you can decorate them with lights and bows to salute the season, or if you’re feeling whimsical, a few tiny Christmas hats.
Final Thoughts
There is no need to spend on standard Christmas décor each year when you have an abundant garden to harvest from. Use these ideas to bring the outdoors into your holiday celebrations.
