3 Things You Need to NOT Do with Christmas Decor

Up your Christmas styling game by avoiding these 3 common mistakes in Christmas decor! Enjoy decorating for Christmas in a unique and beautiful way!

The truth is that I firmly believe there is no wrong way to decorate YOUR home. It is your home after all! It really is all about personal preference and taste and style.

When it comes to Christmas, I feel exactly the same way about Christmas decor. Perhaps even more so, because Christmas is often a sentimental season. You may have pieces in your Christmas decor that just don’t go with anything, but they are special to YOU.

And that makes them go with everything.

Now that I have that disclaimer out of the way, I will say that there are some fun decor tips I’ve learned along the way and in case you want to switch things up for Christmas this year, perhaps you will enjoy them too!

I’ve never taken any decorating classes. These are just my own preferences, based on studying the details of spaces that inspire me or catch my eye when browsing!

If you are a professional decorator and I’ve got this all wrong, please be gentle in telling me so! ????

The great thing is, even if you do all the things I’m saying to not do in your Christmas decor, I’ll almost assuredly never know. So don’t worry! It’s a judgement-free zone over here.

Like I said, these are my preferences for my own home and maybe it will spark some creativity for you too. I always love a good challenge to think differently about something!

You too? Then let’s get started!

#1 Thing to Avoid in Christmas Decor

Too much symmetry.

I have been so guilty of this. In fact, it was a not-so-kind Instagram follower (who probably doesn’t follow me anymore ????) who made me really think about this a few years ago!

There is something very safe and comfortable and quite honestly, beautiful, about symmetry! To a certain measure, every space should have some symmetry. It’s just great design.

The Symmetry Challenge

Here is my challenge this Christmas: find some ways to bring some asymmetrical design into your space. Look for balance between symmetry and asymmetry.

Let’s take this apothecary, for example.

There is a lot of symmetry. The cabinet and mirror are centered on the wall. The lights, topiaries, and chairs are all very symmetrical. No problem there!

But what if I centered the sign, put the same number of vintage candlesticks on each side, and a garland down the middle.

Like this:

I mean, it’s not terrible! I love all the pieces and plan to use all of them in my Christmas decor!

But it feels a little too staged, a little too perfect, a little too planned for my preference.

Instead, I’ll off-center the sign to break up all the symmetry. That will allow me to bring in the unexpected touch of the horse and trees.

It still feels very safe and comfortable because it is framed in a traditionally symmetrical design.

But off-centering the large decor piece makes it stand out, while allowing other vintage pieces to also be featured. I also love that it makes it just a little different. It seems like a lot of people have a big Christmas sign centered on their wall, table, or mantel. Switch it up a little and see if you like it!

And if not? No worries. Center up that sign and enjoy it!

#2 Thing to Avoid in Christmas Decor

Avoid a “Too-Perfect” Tree

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the nostalgia and sentiments of the holiday. It makes me feel sad when I see people packing up meaningful pieces in exchange for a perfectly themed tree.

Christmas moments and memories are meant to be cherished and enjoyed. Of course, that looks different for each family, different seasons of life, and style preferences.

But if you have Christmas pieces that hold a special meaning or remind you of special memories, USE THEM!

Tip: Have a designated tree for all those handmade, sentimental ornaments.

I do love a pretty tree where all the ribbon and ornaments coordinate and it just looks so magical! If you want to create a tree like that, wonderful! Designate a tree somewhere in your home where you can still hang all the sentimental ornaments.

For our family, we use our big, main Christmas tree for those items. I want our tree to tell a story. It is truly a reflection of our family and special memories we are making together.

One of my absolute favorite times of the season is putting our tree up as a family. I love to hear my children’s chatter as they discuss all the little things they remember about various trips or special ornaments they have received!

One way that I make sure this tree still keeps a cohesive look is to keep all the ornaments in neutral or natural colors, such as woods, whites, and metals. I am mindful when choosing special ornaments to keep them in neutral tones.

We have ornaments including my very first Christmas ornament from 1982 to picture ornaments of our kids to crafted ornaments to special ornaments we’ve collected from family trips and they are so fun to pull out each year!

When we take family vacations, we try to always pick up an ornament as a family souvenir. By hunting for ones that can blend on our tree, we preserve the special memories and keep a cohesive look on our tree that will be timeless, no matter what colors we want to use in our Christmas décor.

I also keep these ornaments fairly neutral because someday, it will be fun to pass on our special family ornaments to our children. No matter what their Christmas décor is or what the trends may be (it definitely will change many times over the years!), neutral pieces can always blend in.

Take care to avoid making your décor too perfect or so thematic that you can’t use the pieces most special to you and your family!

#3 Thing to Avoid in Christmas Decor

Avoid the Urge to Buy Too Much New Christmas Decor Each Year.

I get it. It is all so pretty and so cute and so tempting! I love to stroll the aisles of both big box stores and small shops to browse the Christmas selections. It’s fun to see the new trends.

And certainly I pick up an item here and there, don’t get me wrong! It is so fun to switch up little things here and there.

This is how my Christmas décor is curated and collected over time, rather than a trendy, perfectly styled display of whatever is new for the year.

There is something I absolutely love about finding a piece that I know I will use for many years and adding it to our family’s Christmas collection. I do try very hard to avoid over-buying or spending a lot on anything too trendy.

If there is a certain trend that I love, I may add a few budget-friendly items, knowing that these will probably not be timeless pieces that I’m still using in 10 years, or even 5 years, for that matter!

Tip: Consider investing in neutral pieces for your larger Christmas décor items.

You can easily and inexpensively add small accessories in different color palettes or styles. This saves you a lot of money over the years and also storage space. If I purchase a large item for Christmas décor, I need to know it is a piece that I’m going to be able to use for many, many years!

The other thing I do each year is empty my Christmas totes completely. If I don’t use an item and it’s something I can part with, take it out right then and add it to a donate or yard sale box.

There is no reason to store a lot of extra Christmas décor, unless of course, it has special sentimental value. If that is the case, see #2! Use those special pieces throughout your home to add to the curated and collected feeling. It is so extra cozy!

My one exception to that rule are Christmas signs. They aren’t too difficult to store between the rafters in our attic and I may use different ones on different years, depending how I style a space. (That being said, I have a couple that I’m noticing I haven’t used in several years, so I’ll be adding those to my pile to donate.)

As you’re decorating for Christmas this year, I hope these three things help you to be able to appreciate, love, and enjoy your decor more! This is such special time of the year and our decor should just be an extension of our thankfulness and joy for the true meaning of the season!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media! You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Blessings,

Gallery

15 Comments

Bev on at

You are amazing and a wealth of knowledge!
Ruth on at

Wonderful ideas. Love the asymmetrical tips
Brenda on at

Robyn, that was very helpful! I tend to be symmetrical so I’m definitely going to try your suggestion when I style for Christmas this year! Thank you!
Your home looks so cozy and beautiful!
Karen on at

I just love your styling tips , your home decor & the homemade items but most of all the uplifting reminder to have faith !
So happy I found you they rehab vintage
Dee on at

For decades I have kept upwards of twenty totes of Christmas decor. Much was inherited when my mother passed away [she had a great eye for all things beautiful]. Much has been added through two marriages. To manage the abundance and incorporate new items I separated the items by themes and then changed the theme I chose annually. Now that I am nearing retirement I will need to pair down. My point, your tips here will help me to make good choices of what to keep and cherish and what to purge. TY
Brendt Blanks on at

Robyn,
These tips are so good! I am guilty of probably too much symmetry at times, so this a great reminder!
Your home looks STUNNING!!

Wishing you a wonderful rest of the weekend.

xoxo,
Brendt
Kristin | White Arrows Home on at

This is such a great post! So glad you joined us for Welcome Home Saturday.
Jillian on at

What pretty rooms. I just love ivories, whites and neutrals. So warm and inviting. The rug under the white sectional above is great and wondering if that is something still sold? I am rug hunting these days????
- Robyn Huff on at
  
  Thank you so much! I got it at Revival Rugs. It’s so great!
  
  Try this code “10OFF-ROBYNSFRENCHNEST” for 10% off.
  
  Blessings,
  
  Robyn
  - jillian on at
    
    Thanks for your reply and the code!
Leslie Watkins on at

Such great ideas. I think I stopped in my tracks when you said empty totes completely…perhaps that’s why I still have things I don’t use…they just stay shoved back in without using them! That’s going to happen this year! Thanks for always inspiring! Happy Thanksgiving!
Leslie Watkins on at

My favorite tip is emptying out the totes completely. I so need to do this each year. I have totes that keep accumulating that need to be opened and emptied. Your home looks amazing! Merry Christmas, Robyn!
Wanda Walton on at

I just love your home the way you have decorated for the holidays. I live in an apt but I do go all out in decor at this time of year. I use a neutral scheme all year but especially love it in the winter/holidays season ! Thanks for inspiration & have a wonderful holiday season !!
Rachel Harper on at

So many great tips Robyn.
Anna Price on at

Hi Robyn – This was such a helpful post. I appreciated your tip on symmetry – or rather on trying not to have too much symmetry. Also, I like the idea of cleaning out your Christmas totes and donating any stuff you don’t use.