55 Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas
Ring in the holidays with a stunning mantel and fireplace design. Whether your style is minimal and modern or timelessly traditional, festive up your fireplace with our Christmas mantel decorating ideas and inspo.
Freshen Up Your Fireplace for Christmas
The holidays are upon us — time to deck the halls! What better area to showcase your seasonal style than your living room's natural focal point: the fireplace? From magical mantels to farmhouse-style fireplaces, keep clicking for our best fireplace Christmas decor and DIY holiday mantel decorating ideas.
Add Woodsy Touches
Is a roaring fire not in your fireplace's future? Take a cue from designer Caitlin Wilson and fill the firebox with stacked wood. The woodsy display is the perfect backdrop to buffalo-check + faux fur stockings and a fresh cedar swag. Our friends at HGTV Magazine take you on a tour of this cheery holiday home that was made for big family get-togethers, below.
Mantel + Tree: Keep Colors Consistent
If your Christmas tree and mantel will be near each other, as they are here, create a cohesive look by selecting a single dominant shade. Our choice? Restful shades of blue that we repeated in the stockings' embellishment, tree's ornaments and even the gift wrap and bows. Picking a palette, then using variations of that same color again and again, is the easiest way to create a cohesive design.
Get Festive for (Nearly!) Free
Get crafty to get your fireplace ready for the season's festivities. To create the pom-pom trees, temporarily attach a pre-made garland to the overmantel using removable hooks (or thumbtacks) attached to the wall in the shape of a tree. You can even simplify the process by outlining cone-shaped trees for an easier fix. Finish dressing the mantel with clipped evergreen branches, topped by your most colorful wrapped gifts.
Take an Understated Approach
Designer Lauren DeLoach brings holiday flair to the stately cast stone fireplace in this traditional den using a trailing pine, cypress and eucalyptus garland interwoven with a rosy velvet ribbon. Snowy faux-fur stockings shine against the organic garland and bring interesting asymmetry to the display.
Plan for Pets
Decking out your fireplace for the season is fun, but keep furkids' safety in mind and place any potential nibble hazards like poinsettias, amaryllis, holly and mistletoe far out of reach. Inquisitive pets could easily knock over a lit candle, so either position candles where dogs and cats could never reach them or sub battery-operated candles for real flickering flames.
Creatively Customize Plain Stockings
Whether creating holiday heirlooms for your family or giving as a handmade gift, these personalized stockings look just like the hand-stitched version but come together much quicker and without needle and thread. Get all our embellishing tips, plus learn how to easily fake the look of cross-stitched monograms, below.
Add Organic Opulence
Traditional baubles and bows are replaced by sleek, staggered iron candlesticks, wintry white tapers and an aromatic eucalyptus garland on this contemporary mantel. The lush display celebrates the season in a subtle, sophisticated way that enhances the neutral interior without overpowering the design with out-of-place colors or clashing textures.
Incorporate Just a Pinch of Kitsch
While the bones of this Victorian-era fireplace — arched brick surround and oak mantel — look much as they did when the home was constructed in 1890, the current owners gave it a bit of modern-day fun with an oil painting of Venice's Grand Canal and '70s brass reindeer. Mismatched stockings, a glittered "Happy Holidays" banner and a fresh evergreen garland bring the Christmas cheer.
Upcycle a Very Merry Village
Start saving those cardboard delivery boxes for an almost-free DIY that's fun to make with your littlest crafters. Learn how to use our free template to turn leftover cardboard, puff paint and vellum into a sweet gingerbread village that you can display year after year, below.
Mix In Vintage Finds
Whether you inherited family favorites or thrifted them, there's no denying the timeless charm of Christmases past. Give your mantel a blast from the past by mixing in a few antique or vintage finds, like these flocked deer. Often referred to as Kunstlerschutz, vintage German flocked animals are a sweet addition to holiday vignettes. Also frequently known by the name of their most famous maker, Wagner Handwork, the handmade flocked creatures from the midcentury can be hard to find in good condition but, even with some damage, their charm is undeniable.
Cue All the Colors
Who said Christmas colors were set in stone? Just like the rest of your home, trust your gut and use whatever colors you want when decking out for Christmas. Or, like blogger Kara Whitten use *all* the colors, courtesy of a forest of candy-colored acrylic trees.
Or, Try Trad and True
Designer Kerrie Kelly's inspiration for this beautiful design: tradition. "Plaid, personalized stockings and shades of blue, red and green were a must," she says. Take her cue and give your mantel classic appeal by incorporating elements that never go out of style, like assorted plaids, monograms, chinoiserie and lots of fresh greenery.
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Don't Forget the Hearth
While the mantel may be the focus of your holiday decorating, adding a few festive touches to the hearth will pull the look together. For ours, we cozied up the stone with a faux fur throw topped with fabric-wrapped gifts. Battery-operated candles and string lights wrapped around logs in the firebox bring the sparkle without the risk of fire.
Work Around the TV
While hanging the TV over the mantel may not be everyone's cup of tea — for many rooms, it's simply the best placement. So, work with what you have and keep the mantel decoration simple with fresh-cut greenery and poinsettias so the decorations don't distract from your family's favorite holiday flicks.
Include Santa's Helpers
Designer Brian Patrick Flynn opts for an unfussy mantel in this waterfront Washington home so not to distract from the dreamy views beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. A plump pair of bearded elves stand watch over Christmas gifts on one end of the contemporary marble fireplace, while two silver reindeer prepare for flight above the sweater-knit stockings.
Go Au Naturel
Fresh-cut evergreens reign supreme on this Christmas-clad organic display. Fragrant and free, the foraged greenery creates a lush blanket beneath mercury glass decorations and a grouping of shimmery champagne bottle brush trees. Learn how to make your own fresh (and free!) garland, below.
Or, Mix Fresh With Faux
While real snowy branches would quickly create a wet mess indoors, faux flocked pine branches are an easy way to work a little frosty winter magic into a fresh or faux mantel display. Just tuck them into your display, then when the season's over, pack them away to use again next year.
And, Light It Up
Tiny battery-operated LED twinkle lights are easy to work into your mantel display and will add a magical glow without the worry of candles or the need for an electrical outlet. Just twist the lights around fresh or faux garlands and tuck the battery pack out of sight in a handy location so you can turn the glow on and off as you wish.
Work In Fresh-Cut Flowers
A bunch of amaryllis blooms create a striking arrangement in a low ginger jar on this mantel. Cut amaryllis blooms are becoming popular for use in arrangements and can last up to two weeks under the right conditions. Be sure to cut them in the just-opening bloom stage, use flower food and replace the water every few days to discourage bacteria.
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And, Pile On the Poinsettias
Although not technically a flower (the 'blooms' are actually a type of leaf called a bract), poinsettias have been associated with the Christmas season for almost two centuries. Incorporate potted versions of these beauties into your mantel display for a pretty splash of color that'll brighten things up all season long.
Long Mantel? Spread Out the Cheer
One characteristic typical of older homes is a massive fireplace and surround — which makes sense because a roaring fire was a necessity in the days before central heat. If you're lucky enough to have a room-defining fireplace surrounded by low shelves topped by a continuous mantel, like this one, max out the holiday cheer with more-is-merrier decor spread along the mantel. Take a tour of this 130-year-old home, below.
Deck Out the Outdoors, Too
If you're lucky enough to have an outdoor fireplace, spread holiday cheer to every area of your home by dressing the outdoor mantel, too. This dreamy display, created by Courtney of the French Country Cottage blog, is topped with fresh evergreen boughs, green apples, artichokes, pinecones and fresh cranberries strung into a garland.
Black + White: Pick a Classic Color Combo
While designer Nicole Botsman loves to use lots of color in her clients' homes, her go-to color combo is classic black and white — so it's no wonder that's the palette she chose for decking out her own home for the holidays. Recreate her graphic tone-on-tone look (even if the rest of your home rocks the rainbow) by decorating your mantel simply with a fresh evergreen garland, black candlesticks fitted with white tapers and a pair of wooden nutcrackers spray-painted bright white. Take a tour of Nicole's home, featured in HGTV Magazine, below.
Honor Your Home's Location
This soaring stone fireplace serves as the festive focal point of this mountain home. A flocked pinecone and evergreen garland adorns the reclaimed wood mantel while birch branches stand erect against the fireplace façade. The leaning wood accentuates the height of the room and draws eyes up to the striking cathedral ceiling, overhead.
Create Timeless Appeal
Glossy magnolia leaves, burlap stockings and vibrant holly berries trim this Craftsman mantel with classic Christmas appeal. The foraged evergreen and magnolia branches provide a striking, symmetrical base for the glamorous mercury glass vases, felted wool garland and faux antlers that line the mantel.
Make It Fiery + Festive
This stacked stone outdoor fireplace is prepped for Christmas Eve festivities with a star marquee and a dramatic, draped evergreen garland wrapped with embroidered navy ribbon. A mix of matte and gloss ornaments pile in clusters across the mantel and surrounding surfaces to energize the alfresco gathering spot with cheery color.
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Or, Opt for Pretty + Peaceful
Designer Emily Henderson created this funky focal point for the overmantel by attaching boards to a hula hoop and hot-gluing ornaments around. She keeps the mantel minimal with bunches of fresh silver dollar eucalyptus.
For the Kids
To create a playful, kid-friendly mantel, designer Brian Patrick Flynn used saturated colors inspired by modern artwork by Jenny Andrews Anderson. From a grouping of stockings to metallic orb ornaments, the mantel is layered in a variety of rich purple tones.
Make It Farm(house) Fresh
This vintage farmhouse mantel is fit for the holidays with a weathered, handwritten sign nestled between a staggered pine tree duo, potted in natural woven baskets. A pair of holly-red stockings on iron hooks dangle against the antique mantel and pop against the bright white shiplap walls.
Go Faux
No mantel, no problem! If your home doesn't have a hearth, fake it with this DIY project. Customize your homemade mantel with colorful paint and pretty knobs or hooks for hanging stockings.
Or, Chalk It Up
Chalkboards can hang over the mantel or, in this case, stand in for it entirely. This clever faux mantel wall hanging is a smart solution for apartment dwellers or renters.
Cue the Candles
Tree branch candleholders are as rustic as holiday accessories come. To create them from fallen limbs, simply gather assorted branches sized at least two inches in diameter. Use a hacksaw to cut off any severe curvatures along each branch, and then trim the solid, straight portions to several different heights. Using paddle bits of various diameters, drill a hole into the top of each cut section to accommodate candlesticks, pillar candles and votives.
A Classic Christmas (Color) Story
Classic Christmas colors are celebrated in this cozy living room. Fiery poinsettia blooms fill the firebox with color while a twinkling pine garland wraps the mantel above with woodsy texture. Personalized, sweater-style stockings dangle from iron reindeer and alternate in color across the stacked stone fireplace surround.
Scandi Stockings + Boho Beading
Store-bought stockings are stored away and replaced with our DIY Scandinavian-inspired stockings to complete this trendy mantel design. Silvery eucalyptus branches add softness and texture above while an airy, bleached-wood garland swags across the fireplace surround to create a layered and dimensional display.
Go Rustic Chic
A black and white photograph depicting a snowed-in cabin brings a touch of rustic charm to this mantel. It's displayed above a lush green garland dressed with red and white plaid ribbon and faux cranberry picks. For a botanical boost, potted junipers are added to either side of the photograph, adding an aromatic effect to the room.
Or, Layer Grocery Store Greenery
To create a full, fresh garland — without worrying about sticky pine sap, rely on silver dollar or seeded eucalyptus. Bunches of this long-lasting greenery can be found at your local grocery store and, bonus, it smells amazing and will fill your living room with a fresh, clean scent.
Try a Fresh Color Palette
Green is nowhere to be seen in this Santa-ready sitting room. The traditional holiday hue gets the boot and is replaced by a moody, midnight-blue alternative for an unexpected fireplace display. A saturated blue garland shines against the classic mantel and enlivens the space with twinkling lights and a mix of glossy and matte maroon baubles.
Wrapped in Ribbon
This traditional fireplace was transformed for the holidays with a faux greenery garland, gold and silver metallic accents, splashes of red and vases filled with ornaments. Our favorite touch? The ruby ribbon tied into a classic holiday bow on each shaded sconce.
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All That Glitters
A glamorous garland falls over the edge of this ornate mantel for a striking seasonal display. The garland boasts bronze berries, golden ribbon, glossy amethyst ornaments and glowing string lights intertwined with a variety of faux evergreen branches.
All Natural
To get festive for free, head outside with some clippers to gather cedar branches. Accent the DIY garland with white pillar candles and fresh roses for an organic, natural look.
Collected Charm
A mix of rustic and vintage items give this mantel a collected-over-time look. Instead of evergreen boughs, woodsy tree cuttings and spruce clippings add seasonal liveliness.
Joy to the World
For strong, graphic impact, designer Britany Simon created a lighting installation from three cardboard letters and industrial globe string lights. Once illuminated, the trio of letters instantly becomes the room's focal point.
Traditional Trimmings
This formal, wood-trimmed living room is prepped for Christmas morning with a slew of snow-white stockings, a texture-rich cypress garland and twin Old World Santas standing guard on the mantel. A shimmery champagne wreath dangles from a gilt mirror to complete the fireplace display.
Garnished With Greenery
Add a natural touch to your mantel with a fresh boxwood topiary and wreath. They're easy to assemble and can be left plain or embellished with holiday ornaments and trim. Our tutorial, below, shows you how to craft them yourself.
Haute Stocking Hangers
Sometimes it's all about the small details. This mantel's blue, silver and white color scheme stands out against the warm natural stone, but the real stars of this scene are the customized chalkboard stocking hangers. Make your own with our instructions, below.
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