Header: Tessa Rampersad
Christmas decorating changes every few years, but underneath it usually comes back to the same thing: a reason to slow down, bring people together, and mark the middle of winter with food, light, and a bit of colour. However you style it, it is still about making a place where friends and family can sit for a while, talk, and stay warm when it is dark outside.
What has shifted this year is how people want those rooms to look and feel. The very clean, minimal schemes that have dominated for a long time are giving way to something softer and more familiar. Nostalgia is in full view, and so are handmade details and natural materials: old-fashioned lights, slightly mismatched ornaments, paper, wood, greenery, and things that look as though someone actually made or kept them, rather than ordered them last week.
In this article, D5 will walk you through the main styles people are turning to this year and show you how they actually come together at home. Think of it less as a set of rules and more as a menu: you can completely embrace one style or just borrow a few ideas that feel right for your own space.
Traditional Americana, or “Ralph Lauren Christmas”
A Christmas style that has completely taken over the internet is the “Ralph Lauren Christmas”, a quintessentially Americana style that promises a nostalgic, “old money” aesthetic to those who can achieve it. It is essentially a layered, object-heavy approach built on tartan, deep colour, and classic materials, and it may come as a bit of a surprise after recent minimal and Scandinavian decorating.
The palette does most of the work. Think burgundy, hunter green, and navy as the base, with brass tones and pops of red. Mahogany and other dark woods complement these sweetly, with silver and crystal giving it the extra glam it needs to feel just right. Textiles deliver the style: tartan in various scales and colours and a substantial amount of velvet.
Tartan comes first. Use a red-and-green tartan as the main pattern and allow it to appear in different ways rather than as a single repeated pattern. It can run down the Christmas tree and stair bannister instead of plain ribbon, wrap around the base of the tree, or appear on tablecloths and napkins. The goal is to mix patterns until the space feels collected, lived-in, and inherited. Velvet is the cherry on top of the Christmas cake: cushions, lampshades, and bows help bring visual and tactile interest to the spaces, and the deeper the colours, the better.
Greenery is the second layer. Start with multiple strands of faux Scotch pine or magnolia to build thickness, then run them along mantels, mirrors, stair rails, and doorframes. Once in place, wire in cedar sprigs to fill your home with the sweet, rustic scent, and add in red roses, berries, pinecones, and magnolia flowers or leaves for some colour and dimension. Keep the lighting simple: warm white bulbs only.
Once at the dining table, lay a tartan cloth or runner first. Down the centre, place large brass hurricane lanterns in varying heights, filling them with ivory pillar candles or bowls of floating roses. Between these, add nickel or silver bowls and fill them with berries, walnuts or magnolia leaves (or a mix of all three). At each place setting, use patterned china and cut-crystal, gold-rimmed glassware for extra reflection. On sideboards and consoles, use the same materials: cluster hurricanes in threes and flank them with crystal decanters. The result will be a table that reflects the warm candlelight and gives a magical feel to your Christmas dinner.
It is the equestrian theme that holds the “Americana” reference. Above a mantel or console, hang framed equestrian pictures, place a pair of riding boots at the door, and, in a corner, leave a “forgotten” vintage polo mallet. On shelves, mingle leather-bound books, silver trophies, and small horse figurines among greenery and candles.
Windows and lighting complete the atmosphere. Fix a single velvet bow and a small bundle of pine in the centre of each windowpane. Outside lanterns are a must, and, indoors, hide strings of warm-white fairy lights behind curtains so the glow diffuses through the fabric.
Finally, add a few silver accents, such as trays, bowls, or small pieces already in the home. Combine these with roaring fires where possible, tartan blankets, and classic Christmas jazz. After all of the trips to thrift stores, Ralph Lauren itself, and your grandparents’ house, you should be left with a home that feels lived-in and comfortable, full of stories that must be shared with a brandy and some fire, and welcoming to all of your loved ones.
Elegant Christmas
An Elegant Christmas is painted in colours from the cooler end of the spectrum: silver, blue, and frosted whites set the tone, and the atmosphere feels like a martini bar with white tablecloths. This style sits in the same family as a vintage or Art Deco-inspired interior: there is shine, but it comes from metal and glass with a bit of age or patina, so the room feels dressed for a party without tipping into full-on glamour.
Silver is the main tone, supported by icy or winter blues, soft greyed whites, and perhaps a deeper navy if the space needs a little extra touch. These cooler tones are softened by warm light and by the texture of the materials themselves: velvet and satin ribbons in blue, silver, or charcoal contrast with the metallic objects adorning the space. Champagne buckets in silver plate, crystal stems, glass bowls and tinsel are all musts in this style, as the objective is to host loved ones in an elegant and inherited environment – even if the thrift store acted as your great-aunt Louise.
The tree is usually where this style becomes most obvious. Instead of a mix of bright colours, it relies on blue, silver, and white ornaments, with tinsel providing a fine shimmer across the branches. Bows and ribbons are loved touches: velvet tied in generous bows or left as loose bands around the tree brings depth and a soft edge to the shine. Presents underneath, wrapped in plain paper and finished with the same velvet ribbons, keep the look coherent and make the base of the tree feel rich rather than cluttered.
Around the room, greenery is kept light. If you use garlands on a mantel, stair rail, or doorway, they work well with a dusting of white, a few silver baubles or glass drops, and long tails of ribbon in cool tones, rather than the usual red berries and pinecones. Small arrangements of evergreens in silver or glass containers can sit on side tables or a console, paired with a couple of candles to give that soft, low glow that keeps the atmosphere cosy.
The dining table follows the same logic as seen above. A white or very pale cloth is seen as the perfect background for silver, glass, and blue accents: think an old champagne bucket filled with ice, slim candle holders, simple white plates, and perhaps a narrow run of tinsel or a strand of delicate beads down the centre. Napkins tied with satin or velvet ribbon pick up the colours from the tree, and a few carefully chosen glass ornaments or tea lights are enough to bring festivity to the table.
What can make or break this style is how much it might look purposeful. An Elegant Christmas is best kept natural, like the host knows how to throw a good Christmas party, so the silver must feel slightly lived-in rather than brand new, the ribbons have to have some weight to them, and the light needs to be warm against the cooler palette. After decorating your space, the room should feel ready for company while still looking like somewhere you could comfortably sit with a drink and enjoy your holiday.
Organic and Handmade, or “Little Women Christmas”
The Organic and Handmade style, also known online as “Little Women Christmas”, invites hosts to use what they already have, what they can make with their hands, and what they can gather from nature (or local markets). Instead of typical decorations, the look is achieved from simple things: dried fruit, greenery, twine, paper, old jars, wooden bowls, etc. The result is relaxed and homely, with pieces that feel as if they were made and loved over time.
Dried citrus slices (usually orange, but also lemon, lime, or blood orange) are the stars of this style, as they bring in warm colour and a soft, natural glow when they catch the light. Greenery and foraged foliage do the rest: pine, cedar, eucalyptus, small twigs, pinecones, and maybe some dried herbs or berries if you have them. Natural fibres such as jute, cotton, or linen ribbons and simple twine hold everything together and keep the look simple. Everyday containers, such as mason jars, clear glass bottles, old wooden bowls, and plain pottery, become “decor” and are filled with whatever you’ve gathered. Handcrafted ornaments, paper chains, and simple felt shapes add to this, not because they are perfect, but because someone actually took the time to make them.
To put the style into practice, start with one small activity and build from there. Dry some citrus slices, then thread them onto twine and use them as a garland. You can hang this across the mantel, along a window, over a doorway, down a bannister, or anywhere really – be creative. The same slices can be tied individually onto the tree or even used as tags on wrapped gifts. Bring in plants by placing a few branches of pine or eucalyptus in a jug, jar, or vase. Remember that the objective is not to have everything perfectly aligned, just to add enough to give some height, colour, and scent.
Garlands and wreaths can be made in the same easy way. Take a length of twine, tie on greenery in small sections, and leave gaps for dried citrus, pinecones, or herbs. The idea is to let the materials sit naturally rather than pressing them into a pattern, giving each a unique character. These can be hung over doorframes, mirrors, or bedheads, for example.
Around the house, keep using simple vessels rather than new decorative objects. A mason jar filled with dried orange slices and a few pinecones can live on a kitchen shelf or bedside table. A wooden bowl with mixed cones, twigs, and a little greenery can sit on a dining table or coffee table. Because the containers are plain, the natural contents become the focus. For wrapping and smaller details, use brown paper or plain fabric for gifts, then tie them with twine or cotton ribbon instead of shiny bows. Add one or two stitched or felt ornaments to the tree or doorknobs, and remember that none of these need to match, as the mix of textures and shapes is what makes the room feel lived-in.
Lighting should stay soft: warm fairy lights on the tree or around a window are enough, especially when they shine through dried citrus slices. You do not need to light every corner, as a few gentle points of light are all you need to bring out the colours and textures of the natural materials.
After turning yourself and the family into little elf helpers that specialise in dry fruit, paper garlands, and felt cutting, you’ll have a house that looks ready for the season. Nothing will feel forced or staged, as each piece will show the work, love, and care that went into making it. To finish, you can put a small pan of water with cinnamon and any other spices or peels you like on the stove, just for the smell, so there is a warm scent in the background.
Scandi Folk Christmas
Scandi Folk Christmas takes the familiar ideas of Scandinavian design and softens them, so things feel more like an ordinary home in winter than a fully styled interior. Instead of sharp minimalism and empty surfaces, this style relies on simple materials, small handmade details, and gentle light as seen in Scandinavian folklore. The look is, therefore, rooted in traditional Nordic customs, especially Swedish ones, where paper, wood, greenery, and candlelight do most of the work.
The best place to start is with the paper stars. These can be flat-folded stars or lantern-style stars that hold a bulb inside, and they usually hang in windows, above a dining table, or from the ceiling. When lit, they give off a soft, warm glow and act as the main proof that the house is dressed for Christmas.
From there, bring in wood and natural materials. On the tree, replace tinsel and shiny plastic with wooden bead garlands, simple wooden ornaments, and straw figures such as the traditional Yule Goat. These pieces are small, light, and a bit rustic, which suits the style. You can apply the same idea around the room with carved or hand-painted wooden objects on shelves, side tables, or windowsills, keeping them modest in size so they do not overwhelm the space.
Instead of heavy, structured garlands, think of sprigs of fir, pine, or spruce in ordinary jars, jugs, or vases. A basic wreath on a door or wall, or a simple length of greenery laid along a shelf or table, is enough. The key is not to fuss with it too much: branches can keep their natural shape, and gaps do not need to be filled. As an extra touch, small candles somewhere near these pieces give an immediate sense of winter.
Candles and textiles then make everything feel warmer. Choose candleholders in plain wood, simple ceramic, or clear glass jars and group them in small clusters on tables or window ledges. Use linen or cotton in neutral tones for tablecloths, runners, cushions, or throws. Soft knits also work well draped over the back of a chair or folded in a basket. Make sure each of the fabric elements is practical, as the key here is to ensure the decorations are as much a part of our daily lives as possible.
To keep the overall look consistent, hold back a little. Instead of decorating every corner, choose a few clear spots: a window with a glowing paper star, a tree with wooden beads and straw ornaments, a simple vase of evergreen branches with candles beside it, and a small group of handmade decorations on a sideboard. The style is found between minimal and maximal: there is enough to feel seasonal and cosy, but not so much that the space feels crowded.
90s Nostalgia
90s Nostalgia Christmas is all about colour, memories, and a bit of cheerful mess. It directly contrasts the pale, tidy styles that have been so popular for years and instead leans into what many people remember from growing up: multicoloured lights, shiny tinsel, decorations that feel slightly chaotic, and objects that have clearly been used and kept rather than recently bought in-store. The goal is not to create a perfect scene but to make the house feel like those older family Christmases where nothing matched and everything had a story.
Start with the lights, because they set the tone. Swap cool, blue-tinged LEDs for warm, colourful strings that give off that soft orange-red glow you might remember from the mid-90s. Look for vintage-style or Tru-Tone lights that are designed to mimic older incandescent bulbs in both colour and warmth. Once these are on the tree, you already have the right atmosphere, and you can build from there without worrying about getting every other detail “right”.
Next comes tinsel and metallic garlands. Instead of placing them neatly, let them fall in generous loops and waves, even if the result looks a bit uneven. The shine and slight clutter they create are part of the style, so don’t think too much about it. You can use classic silver tinsel, coloured metallic strands, or a mix of both, as the important thing is that they catch the light and add a bit of sparkle and movement to the branches.
Ornaments are where the 90s feeling really appears. Bring out big, colourful baubles, plastic decorations, crazy shapes, and anything that might seem a little “too much” by current standards. Food baubles and candy-inspired pieces work well here too, as they bring about the kind of fun decorations that used to appear on family trees. Place them without worrying about symmetry: cluster a few on one branch, hang small and oversized pieces side by side, and allow gaps in between. The result should feel busy, as if it has been built up over many years.
To get the right mix of objects, look at what you already have before buying anything new. Ask family members if they still have old boxes of decorations, or check local vintage and charity shops for second-hand ornaments and lights. Slight fading, scratches, or worn paint are not problems in this style, they can actually bring more character to your space. Each piece should ideally remind you of someone, somewhere, or some time, even in a small way, so the tree becomes less a display and more a collection of memories.
Extend this approach beyond the tree so the whole room carries the same feeling. Run metallic garlands along the mantel or across doorways, and string colourful lights around windows or door frames. You can repeat the idea of “too much is fine” here: if it looks a bit busy, you are probably on the right track. Remember that nothing has to match: the house can handle clashing colours for a few weeks if what you’re putting up feels nostalgic.
What holds the look together is the attitude behind it: 90s Nostalgia Christmas does not try to be sleek or carefully edited, and it is not concerned with whether everything is on trend. Instead, it gives priority to objects that mean something, lights that feel warm rather than sharp, and decorations that might once have been considered slightly embarrassing. If you focus on those things, then your space will naturally move towards that lived-in, slightly chaotic Christmas many people remember.
Forest-Inspired Style
Forest-inspired Christmas decorating gets its inspiration from the woods rather than from anything shiny or showy. It is based on greenery, wood, pinecones and simple, natural textures, so the house feels warm and a bit like a cabin or woodland retreat.
The main colours of this aesthetic are deep greens, browns, warm neutrals, and soft berry tones. Gold, if chosen, looks better as muted bronze or aged metal. For fabrics and details, go for burlap, jute, linen, rough wood, paper, and twine to ensure the space won’t feel polished or fragile.
But first, greenery. Use fir, pine, or cedar branches (real or good-quality fake ones) along mantels, window sills, stair rails, and door frames. Tuck in pinecones, small branches, and twigs to make them look a little irregular, just like what you’d find in the outdoors. A simple bowl or basket filled with evergreens and cones can create the same look on coffee tables or sideboards, so let your imagination run free.
On the tree, keep the decorations as organic as possible. Hang pinecones on string, wooden ornaments, dried orange slices, small birds or woodland animals, and any handmade pieces that feel natural. If you like traditional baubles, choose a few in soft, matte finishes and mix them with other natural elements so the tree does not slide into a mainstream look.
Lighting should be soft and warm, so go for warm-white fairy lights or small lanterns instead of cold, bright LEDs. Wrap the lights around the greenery and the tree so the glow appears to be coming from within the branches rather than in front of them. Also, candles can help you bring this style to another level, so add some in simple glass, metal, or wooden holders to not only get some extra warmth but also to fill up your space with your favourite smells.
As mentioned, fabrics like burlap, jute, or plain linen for tree skirts, table runners, wreath bases, or bows are a must in this style. They help keep the look relaxed and rustic and can be complemented by made-at-home pieces when possible, such as dried fruit, cinnamon sticks, simple paper ornaments, and thrifted wooden items. The trick here is to let slight imperfections set the vibe of your home.
For the table, wood is essential as the base. Wooden boards holding food, a centre decorated with greenery, pinecones, and a few berries, and candles in simple (wooden, maybe?) holders. The rest of the tableware should be kept fairly simple, so bring in texture through napkins, placemats, or a runner rather than through patterns or shine.
Put together in this way, a forest-inspired Christmas feels calm, cosy, and close to nature. The house looks dressed for winter without feeling staged, and most of what you see could realistically have come from a walk in the woods or from things you already own. The only things missing are the comfy extras we all love: a soup boiling in the kitchen, fresh chocolate chip cookies cooling down, and hot wine with cinnamon being served to everyone who came to visit.
