Decking the Halls (and Every Nook and Cranny) with Ornaments

The holiday season is upon us, and if your home is anything like mine, the only decorating that can get done now is the quick, simple, super-easy stuff. The great news is that easy holiday decorating doesn’t have to be blah or boring. In fact, keep reading to see several simple ways I’ve used leftover and unused ornaments to create statement centerpieces and finishing details all around our home.

At the same time, these are also great ways to feature a particular collection of ornaments or even display sentimental ornaments. Actually, some of the ornaments I used were leftover, and some are specific groupings I purchased to create quick and easy holiday decorating around our home. While a couple are new this year, most of these are things I already had and just styled them a bit differently this year.

Besides your holiday Christmas tree, of course, there are so many opportunities to use ornaments for easy holiday decorating. I’ll show you several of these ideas in more detail below, but here’s a quick list to get your creativity rolling:

• Ornament centerpieces
• Ornament garlands
• Ornament napkin rings
• Ornament table runners
• Ornaments as gift toppers
• Ornament vignettes

Most of all, think outside the box and look for ways to use what you already have for quick Christmas decorating moments. As you can see from the list above, I only scratched the surface of all the fun and creative ways you can use ornaments for easy holiday decorating around your home.

Ornament Centerpieces: The Easiest Showstopper

If you’re like me, I didn’t really have leftover ornaments. In fact, our big family tree has ample space to continue adding ornaments from our family adventures and yearly ornaments for the kids. To create this centerpiece, I purchased ornaments that would all blend together to get the look I wanted. However, almost all of them were on major clearance or thrifted, so it was still a fairly budget-friendly table centerpiece.

Additionally, my bowl is HUGE, so it required quite a bit more ornaments than a typical decor bowl. First, I filled the bowl almost to the top with brown Kraft paper. Tucking in the corners around the top helps it to not be visible at the edges of the ornaments. Pro Tip: Creating faux bases for centerpieces can save you a lot of time and money, as well as items that have to be stored after the holiday.

Secondly, I created a base layer of ornaments with cheap plastic ones that were 60% off. You could also watch for after-Christmas sales to snag some amazing deals for next year’s decorating, too. Next, I mixed in some vintage and thrifted ornaments with great patina. I love how they add some variation and interest while still blending perfectly. Lastly, I added a few new ornaments that I loved. These ornaments have color variations that help pull the vintage white, gold, and mercury colors together.

Pro Tip: Use a mixture of sizes for more dimension and interest. You can create this look with a pretty serving dish, a favorite vintage ironstone bowl, a wooden dough bowl, or even a pretty basket. Any kind of vessel that holds items can work for this too. At the same time, you can use any size of bowl that fits your table or vignette. Remember, it doesn’t have to be large or include a ton of ornaments to be beautiful. Even a small bowl of pretty ornaments can add an unexpected sparkle and festive look to a simple coffee table vignette.

Ornament Garlands: Instant Holiday Chic

While I am showing you an ornament garland that I purchased already made into a garland, I have also used ornaments to create super quick and simple DIY garlands. Whether you purchase your ornament garland or make one, there are so many fun ways to style them.

This season, I used an ornament garland on my mantel, layered with winter greens. I love how it adds a touch of sparkle, a great vintage look with the mercury glass, but doesn’t take away from the statement I want to make with the French horn collection. The other way I used my ornament garland this year (I have 3 of them, so I use them everywhere) is to just lay it across winter greenery down the center of my table. So easy to do, and it took me only about 1 minute to arrange it.

Pro Tip: Turn the ornaments different directions, randomly, for a casual, effortless look. You can’t get an easier centerpiece. Okay, well maybe 4 in this post is a little easier, but not much. I absolutely love using THIS ornament garland in different places throughout our home. It has a great vintage look and beautiful colors.

Ornament Napkin Rings: A Sparkling Surprise

This tip can be especially helpful if you are hosting a large gathering because it is super budget-friendly. You can buy a bucket of inexpensive, simple ornaments and use them to make your Christmas table look amazing. It’s definitely a lot less expensive than regular napkin rings.

This might seem just too easy, but it actually looks beautiful. I tend to forget that the easy and quick ideas can be just as pretty as the ones that take a lot of time. Using a bucket of simple ornaments, scatter them down the center of the table for a casual centerpiece idea. For this table, I used a bouquet in the middle as my main centerpiece and then ornaments on each side. They add some sparkle and a festive look, but took less than a minute to arrange.

Pro Tip: For an effortless-looking style, make the ornaments random and don’t space them too perfectly or alternate the styles too exactly. Let it be really casual, as if they just rolled out of the bucket. Especially if you have place settings that are more involved, this quick and easy holiday centerpiece idea is a great way to balance the center of the table with the place settings. It also makes a nice, low centerpiece for easy of conversation.

Ornament Gift Toppers: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

You know those trees with the perfectly wrapped presents underneath, and each one looks like it took an hour to wrap? Ornaments are a perfect way to quickly create that amazing look under your tree too. You can easily tie an ornament onto a gift with twine. For an extra special touch, use pretty calligraphy to write the recipient’s name. At the same time, the pretty ornament can double as a gift tag too.

Ornament Vignettes: Unexpected Sparkling Moments

Even though these ideas are all so simple and easy, I think they still add thoughtful detail to your home for Christmas. The little things do count, and hopefully, this helps you finish off some of those details around your Christmas home in ways that are budget-friendly, stress-free, and even FUN!

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