How to Quickly Transition to Winter Decor

So all of the hoopla from the holidays is over. You have rang in the New Year and your tree is ready to come down.  Now you're wondering what to do with your décor until Spring. Winter in colder climates does not offer much in the way of inspiration for your décor. There’s no colorful flowers to emulate, and very few options in the way of foliage.

What seems like something that could be quite tricky after the massive amount of decorating and decor that goes into decorating for fall and then for Christmas, can be really quite simple.   It could possibly only entail switching out a few items from your Christmas decorations.

To decorate for winter you want to eliminate the things that are overtly Christmas such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, shiny ornaments, packages, etc. What that leaves in your Christmas decor are some wonderful items that you can use throughout the winter months. For example, pine branches and pine cones make a beautiful transition into the winter months and can be displayed until the end of the winter season.

Some other items that make a lovely display for winter after the Christmas holidays are  decorative dear, snowmen and other greenery. Try to create a neutral palette using the colors that you see outside, including whites, pale greens and tans.

There are some that caution on using the color red because it is so indicative of Christmas and that after-Christmas decorating should eliminate items of this color. If that is what you want for your décor, then it's perfectly acceptable. I personally like to have a splash of color in all of my décor regardless of the season.  That color usually is red. So for my after-Christmas winter decor, I still include the colors of the Holly berries with little pops of red here in there.

Decorating for winter could be just a matter of switching out a few items in the displays that you already have up for the holidays. For example, for my winter table display, I took all of the items out of this tray that were specific to the holiday season. I removed the poinsettia, and I switched out the winterberry fern for a more season neutral plant. In the pictures, I show the difference between having the red candle and switching it out for more natural color. Either would be beautiful for the winter season.  It’s a matter of personal preference.  I left the red candle because I love the pop of color and the smell!

For my buffet display I only switched out a few items that were very specific to Christmas. I removed the vintage snow people that were holding Christmas packages. These were my grandmother's and we're always a part of her Christmas decor. I display these somewhere in my home every Christmas as they make me happy to think of the years that I spent celebrating Christmas with her. I also removed the farmhouse sign with the “joy” picture. This was just something I created on my printer and added a piece of red wrapping paper behind to add a little balance of red to the buffet.  I could have switched this out for yet another printed picture, but I had used it for fall as well, and decided I was ready for a change.

 

Buffet

Lastly I removed some of the Christmas balls and the red berries around the blessed candle and removed some of the red foliage and the red and white bow from the tall flower arrangement. The only other change that I made was adding the small black Lantern to add a little balance and also bring the color black over to the right side.

It is Scandinavian tradition to scatter small areas of light around your home in the winter months, whether its by candlelight, string lights or other small display lights.  It’s thought that this add warmth to your winter home and the light of hope for the spring to come.  You can include this tradition in your winter décor.  I love the candles, tea lights and string lights that have the timer function.  I set them for the evening hours that we are awake and they bring a beautiful ambient glow to each room.  It makes the house look so enchanting.

Decorating for winter and removing the decorations for Christmas doesn’t have to be challenging. Take some time in the days leading up to when you take your tree down, and simply remove the items that are blatantly Christmas. What's left is a good basis for your winter decor. Take some time to look at what you have left, and then just add a at a few neutral items to balance out what you already have.

Just remember, when it comes to your home and your décor, it’s about what makes YOU happy.  It’s about what brings YOU joy. Spending time trying to recreate what is in a magazine or on Pinterest, is simply duplicating what brings somebody else joy. Use those pictures as a guide but add things that have meaning to you. Chose items that belonged to someone that you love, or items that you've made, or items that make you think of a time, or a person or a place, that brought you joy. Your home and its decor should make you smile and give you a feeling of happiness and contentment.

Wishing you a blessed New Year.  Looking forward to spending time with you in 2021.  It’s going to be a great year!

Leave a Reply