6 CREATIVE WAYS TO USE CHRISTMAS GREENS
Are you decorating for Christmas? I bet most of you have already started. It’s a very busy time of the year. Not only are we decorating and buying gifts and wrapping them too, and attending parties and having parties and…. the list goes on. We are also still going about our daily lives and routines. I don’t need to tell you that this is a busy time of year… ooops, looks like I already did!
This year I’m all about making Christmas easy and doable and oh, so beautiful too! So today I’m going to share 6 ways to use greens creatively and without much effort! Let’s get started!
Today is HOME STYLE SATURDAY! I’ve pulled out one of my most revenant archived post about using Christmas greens as we decorate! Lots of tips for you today!
Make sure to stop by the blogs at the end of the post.
In the past several years I’ve gotten rid of all my big bins of Christmas ho-ho-hum in the basement and opted for taking a more organic, lightly decorated approach to StoneGable! It’s quite freeing and I love the more natural way of decorating!
I hope these 6 tips will help and inspire you!
1. USE FAUX GREENS
There I said it (clasping hands over mouth)! Yes, when possible use faux greens. I adore the look and smell of live greens, but hate the clean up and smelly water to change and upkeep. Make Christmas a whole lot easier on yourself and buy faux greens… the best greens you can afford. I’ve collected good faux greens little by little when they go on sale and use them over and over. This is a very good investment! These greens will last for YEARS… and no dropping needles or yucky water!
SG Tip: buy a long garland of beautiful greens when they go on sale and cut the garland apart. It is far more economical than buying individual sprays or spikes of greens.
Another SG Tip: don’t be afraid to cut greens apart. Keep all of them from year to year in clear plastic shoe boxed by size of greens. You would not believe how many times I use just the littlest snippet of greens here and there.
The only exceptions to buying faux greens are boxwood, outdoor wreaths and Christmas trees (and I’m on the fence about the trees, some faux trees are really gorgeous)! Sometimes you can’t fake the beauty of the real deal!
To see how to make a gorgeous Christmas wreath by starting with an old motley fake one click HERE.
2. PLANT A TREE
Plant sweet little Cyprus trees in pretty bowls and use them to decorate! They need very little upkeep and will last all season! They are a big WOW factor Christmas decor! Depending on where you live, they can be planted outdoors after the Christmas season! I found these little trees at my local Lowes.
I planted these tiny trees in white cereal bowls and added fun stars with a little sparkle to the top of them. Just think of all the interesting ways you could decorate with them.
3. HANG BOXWOOD WREATHS FROM SILKY RIBBONS OR BURLAP
Say no to the bow! Boxwood wreaths are so elegant, they don’t need any extra froo froo. Just hang them from a great ribbon! Now that’s Christmas perfection!
I’ve been using black and white with reds and greens for Christmas for several years.
You can buy preserved boxwood and they will last for years and years, but even on sale they can be a tad expensive!
4. MAKE A LITTLE CHRISTMAS TOPIARY
Make a little topiary and “plant” it in an unexpected “pot”. Add Christmas balls and berries. It’s just a little green thing but it sure packs a punch of Christmas cheer!
I put this topiary in a tiny blue and white sugar bowl. Super sweet… pun intended! To see an easy way to make a Christmas Topiary click HERE.
5. DON’T FORGET THE CHANDY
A little green on a chandy goes a long way! Just something simple to lift our eyes up to look around the room. When a chandy is turned on, the greens throw off beautiful shadows and give everything a soft romantic feel… like an evening walk in the woods! So pretty!
I’ve used a plain faux green garland around the bottom tier of my kitchen table chandy. Lots of texture and interest going on here so I’m keeping it simple.
6. TUCK GREENS IN UNEXPECTED PLACES
Small snippets of greens can be tucked here and there around the house in all kinds of places and in so many containers. Be creative! Make sure to put some greens in every room. And if you use faux greens, you don’t need to tend them. Don’t forget the bathroom…show it a little green love!
Teacups and greens were made for each other. The white cup and saucer is a fun and festive when filled with greens and holly and placed on a chair with a big Christmas package! Sassy!
Do you have special ways you like to use greens. Share them with us.
Now, let’s get busy decorating for Christmas. And let’s make it easy and merry and fun!
Join the other HOME SATURDAY BLOGGERS for lots of ideas and inspiration!
Shabbyfufu | How to Gold Leaf a Thrift Store Candelabra
So Much Better With Age | Two Flocked Christmas Trees
Stone Gable | 6 Creative Ways to Use Christmas Greens
Cedar Hill Farmhouse | Christmas Style Turquoise and Pink
Designthusiasm | Rose Gold Christmas Vignette
Maison de Pax | Traditional Green and Red Front Porch for Christmas
Savvy Southern Style | Christmas House Tour
You might like to pin this to your Christmas Pinterest board. And don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest HERE.
Cyprus trees in cereal bowls….lovely!
Oh, so inspiring! I’m off to buy faux greens!
I am starting my decorating today! I have always loved your idea of buying garlands and cutting them up into smaller pieces as “fluff” or just to tuck in here and there. That was one of the best tips I have ever received! This is the most wonderful time of the year!
I stopped subscribing to bloggers I had followed for years because I found that I was not reading their posts, or reading them and not getting any new ideas. However, I still enjoy seeing all the lovely ideas you share and have used many of them in our home. Thank you for sharing your creative mind and beautiful home with us!
Love all your ideas! We own a condo that
We visit on weekends. I have decorated my condo in creams colors and very natural. my Christmas decorations as well! I love it!
But my home is the old traditional Christmas designs. I have a wonderful collection that I don’t want to part with.
As I get older I do want a little les until the kids notice and are not happy! What is a women to do! LOL
I look forward to more post over the Christmas season!
Great ideas – thanks for sharing.
Good morning, friend! We are kindred hearts! Yesterday while decorating I wound faux holly branches around my chandeliers and am planning on touches of greens in each room! I’m also using greens/ holly branches hung in the corners of mirrors. I’m trying to create an unusual way to display greens, gray and red twigs on our front porch. I guess I’m looking for a container different than I typically use. Oh, my, I’m already brainstorming! The idea which literally just popped in my mind is a warm wood colored box! Any other brainstorming ideas?
Years ago I made a pillow from an old white sweater – one of your ideas. This year I tied a pretty red ribbon around it and tucked in a bit of faux greenery. Voila! Thank you for your wonderful ideas
That sounds so pretty, Jeanne!
I love decorating for Christmas! Today we start!
Great tips, as always.
Simple and elegant! Perfection!
Love it, Yvonne!! Such great tips! I have been going through my Christmas things too. If it doesn’t make me happy anymore it has to go! Excellent idea about the evergreens! Going to try that! Thanks for the ideas!
Thanks for sharing your ideas! Now, off to decorate!
You have made me a believer in faux greens, flowers and fauna.. Sometimes I like them better than the real thing, LOL! Thanks for all your tips and ideas.
Everything is so beautiful. Lots of ideas!
I am in love with that topiary tree in the teacup!
Love your front door! Nostalgic elegance for sure! Love the silver tree and pearl accents on the one tree. So gorgeous and chic… Thanks for sharing. You have my wheels turning for many decorating ideas….
I love the idea of adding greenery to the chandelier. Great ideas, as always.
How elegant. I have used faux greens for years. The trees no longer look like toilet bowl brushes as my Mom’s did! The uses for greenery are endless.
How cute are those little Christmas trees from Lowes? I am stopping there today and getting some! Then the greens in the chandy! I have a sphere fixture that will look lovely with some greens tucked in. You once again inspire! xx-hb
I have so many holly bushes in my yard (more than 2 dozen!) and never thought to use them in Christmas decorating! Heading out today with some clippers! 🙂
Love that faux green. For years we would go out and drag home a real tree! We would worry about the dogs and cat thinking they were outside! Yikes, no more! We found a beautiful good quality faux tree and just love it. No mess, no needles, no fire hazard and no accidents from cats trying to climb to the top of a real tree! I started decorating with faux greenery and love it as well!
Thank you for the tips on using greens! I’ve been using snippets of greens, to an extent, for several years, but you gave me some great tips to expand the greenery! Love your blog!
Such lovely idea for greenery. Can you share how you store your greenery after the holidays?
I love the boxwood wreath hung from the black and white ribbon and the creamer with the candy canes and faux greenery. I now do both of these in my home.
Love the cyprus trees and topiary.
Add lots of ribbon too.Simple and
elegant.
I put lots of faux greens all over in unexpected places my favorite is a small grouping tucked in above a picture frame I put them on everyone if I can but I will warn you after Christmas it looks sparse. I just love it. I just feel a bit of Christmas spirit should be sprinkled all over the house. It doesn’t look gaudy just a soft touch
More great ideas. Where did you find the chandelier lamp shades? Thanks!
And I thought I was already excited to start decorating for Christmas! Love all the ideas with the greens! I, too, am looking to keep things simple this Christmas, so this was just the inspirational post I needed. Thanks Yvonne! Happy decorating everyone!
Nice ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Desi
Love all your tips. Thank you for sharing. Starting Christmas decorations today so your tips were just in time!
After a hectic Thanksgiving that didn’t turn out the way I had wanted… It was so nice to sit and ready your post and ideas. Thank you again.
Beautiful ideas! I am a big fan of those boxwood wreaths. I usually mix real and artificial in my home but I wait a little while with the real greens so I don’t have to keep vacuuming up needles! Have a wonderful weekend!
Shelley
I guess I’m pretty traditional. I am not a fan of trendy colors for Christmas. I love pink and I love turquoise, just not my ideal for Christmas. I can do silver, gold, white but not trendy colors. Glad there are people who do. It makes a more surprising holiday.
I’ve been wrapping CHRISTMAS presents today !
Was about to say I loved the little live cypress trees best–but I saw the topiary in the sugar bowl: LOVE IT!
Love your ideas, love the topiary in the blue and white sugar bowl, Wild Turkey? Yes I start decorating today, a little today, a lot tomorrow, hung up a beautiful Santa painted on a old door panel on the living room wall so our 3 1/2 year old grandson could really know Santa was watching!!!!LOLO and then a sign I made for our back porch that has on old fashioned wagon on it with the saying “Christmas is an Enchanted Place in your heart!!!!
Always love the special touches you add to your packages…and the Cypress trees are adorable. I have one that I moved outside two years ago but left it in it’s little plastic pot. It has stayed small and has done great!!!
Love the brilliant ideas for using fresh greens, and that sugar bowl topiary is the cutest.
Pat
Sweet ideas for decorating with fake greenery. Hobby Lobby here I come.
I started it today to decorate the Christmas tree and work on the wreath that I hung on the front door. Thank you for your ideas and you made me smile when I saw that are you put some green on the “chandy”and I said: what? and then I saw the picture and I understood what you were talking about. You are so cute and have amazing ideas and love them all. Thank you!
I love your topiary! The black and white ribbons you used on the other items really make each piece. Love your ideas.
The little trees in white bowls are so lovely! And your front door…. oh my goodness, just stunning.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas. I really like the topiary in the teacup and plan to try that. I’ve seen a lemon cyprus tree at the grocery store and hope to buy one next trip. I saw that someone asked about ideas for putting greenery on the front porch. This isn’t original, but I found some red and black buffalo check boots at the thrift store and stuck greenery in those next to my childhood sled on the front porch. I even found the red and black buffalo check fabric to drape over the swing. The grands were really perplexed about the greenery in the boots and asked about it.
I love the front door, the silver wreath and the red ribbon, just beautiful.
The wreath idea of building new onto old is genius! I use wreaths for all seasons so storage becomes a problem. My latest trial is hanging them from s-hooks on the rod in an unused closet – either by season or size. All don’t fit in the space, but it’s working well so far. There’s still lots of room under them for storage of other articles.
You never cease to amaze me with your creativity!?
These are such special touches to any decor!❤️❤️❤️
Time to get started. I am inspired.
Grateful all the inspiration you give. Love the Cyprus trees … I have these cereal bowls! Blessings to you and your family this holiday season.
Yvonne, love your little ideas with greenery especially the little cypress trees. Thanks for sharing.
Once again you’ve inspired me! Off to my garden center for some greens and tiny trees.
Nice ideas on the faux greenery. Some of it looks so real that you can’t tell.
I’m definitely using the greens in mason jars with candles and cranberries! (On a prior post of yours.) Also plan on putting fauxs on some white pieces I have. Thanks for the share!
Love the simple beauty! I’ve been purging more and more of the old boxes of decor we drag down from the rafters every year.
Your ideas always inspire me. Thank you for making my life easier.
Great ideas. I hope to put some to use once I get my Thanksgiving decorations put away.
Love your blog, you have such beautiful pictures. My neighbors save me the fresh greens they cut from their live trees and I use them through the house to have that wonderful pine scent since we have an artificial tree.
Thanks for the good suggestions. I really like your use of evergreen on your chandelier.
I love the mix of colors with the white items you have collected.
You have great ideas… changing up some decorating this year & will use them…Thanks
Great looking wreath! Going to give it a try!
Love all your ideas
Hi Yvonne, I would love to know where you got the snowflake stands. I’ve seen them in years past but never picked them up. I searched for them on goofle, oops google, but could find. Please let me know if at all possible. Thanks!
So festive!
I nearly cried when I discovered that my two beautiful boxwood wreaths had mold on them in our storage unit we pay for monthly. I had wanted them for years and finally broke down and bought two last year at a wonderful price.
Alas, I shall wait to replace them once we move again, and I will just admire yours from afar.