Now that we are officially two weeks out from Thanksgiving and the weather has dipped below 65ºF in Connecticut, I’m busting out the holiday moose and flocked garland because ’tis the almost-season.
It’ll be our first Thanksgiving/Christmas in the house, and I’m celebrating by being overtly extra about everything. Did I need that Kringle Farms A-Frame sign? Absolutely not. Does it bring me joy? Marie Condo would say yes.
Pinterest is a great source of inspiration for just about all things decor-related, however, most people on Pinterest appear to have a mantel with a depth greater than 6.5″. TL;DR: We have the narrowest mantel and I have the biggest ideas.
And so, I decided to raid HomeGoods for the most extra, but thin, Christmas decor I could find, and I made off like a bandit. Virtually everything above was purchased at HomeGoods and is living proof that even when you are working with a little (mantel), you can still have a lot (of holiday cheer).
Here are some words of advice on decorating your mantel, especially if it’s a mini-one like ours:
– Make sure you have a focal point, or a framed piece of art that is large enough to serve as the centerpiece of your mantel, if you will. Without a focal point, the design can tend to look messy (think Grandma’s eclectic Christmas decor).
– Symmetry is your best friend. Again, when we’re working with a lot of decor in a small space, we want everything to look intentional. Flanking two of a few pieces on each end can go a long way in bringing the whole look together.
– Pick a color scheme and stick with it. I chose red, white, black, and bursts of green, which is about as traditional as it gets. However, I’ve seen beautiful holiday mantels in blue and white, silver and gold, black and white, etc. Whatever you choose, make sure there’s a theme or else you risk looking like Christmas threw up on your fireplace.
– Don’t be afraid to use non-holiday decor! The tall candle pillar, mini-hurricane, candle snuffer, and Jo Malone candle all came from other parts of my house (ie. I have a lot of candle things), but I felt like they added a nice non-Christmas touch to compliment the rest of the decor.
– Even when you have a small mantel, you can still layer: I couldn’t get a large fluffy garland to sit across the front of all the decor like many of the Pinterest photos I saw, but I did manage to get one strip of flocked garland in front of the Merry Christmas sign to add some depth to the look.
– Lastly, you’re never too old for plush animals to be a part of your decor. I posted this photo on my Instagram and one question I got asked the most was where I bought the “cute moose.”
I did end up finding our stockings outside of the HomeGoods fairyland. You can get them at Target in just about any alphabet letter or paw print you desire:
Knit Monogram Christmas Stocking Red – $15.00
Knit Monogram Christmas Stocking White – $15.00
Knit Striped Monogram Christmas Stocking – $15.00
Since this is our first Christmas here, and since 2020 has been a YEAR, I’m toying around with the idea of doing a post-Thanksgiving mantel in an entirely different color scheme and mood. Stay tuned for details, and in the meantime, I hope you enjoy my traditional Christmas decor!
“Christmas is not a date, it is a state of mind.” – Mary Ellen Chase
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