It’s that time of the year again when families around the world are getting ready to celebrate one of the most important festivals of the year – Christmas. Even if you’re not religious, it’s a wonderful opportunity to get together with family and friends and bring a little joy and colour into the winter months.

This year, things are very different for everyone, and for many Christmas is going to be much more of a low-key affair. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to skimp on the Christmas decorations. Looking for some ideas on contemporary Christmas décor? Or perhaps you want to go minimalist or try a more contemporary look this year? Here are a few tips from Crate and Barrel.

Keep things minimalist for Christmas

The temptation to go completely overboard at Christmas and fill the house with tinsel, fairy lights and baubles is strong, but if you prefer the minimalist look then you can still decorate your home beautifully and celebrate at the same time. 

Simple white LED fairy lights can be draped around mirrors to give a sparkling effect, while the alternative to a full-size Christmas tree is an elegant vase of dried grasses intertwined with more white fairy lights. The LED lights are eco-friendly and energy-efficient, and they don’t get hot either so they’re safe for decorating a child’s bedroom, or winding up the hand-rail of your stairs, for example.

Do it yourself – create your own Christmas memories

If you’re on a budget, or you love that home-made look, then you can always make your own DIY Christmas decorations. From the classic paper chain to gingerbread men to hang from the tree, your own, personalised Christmas stockings to hang from the fireplace, or a delicate fairy to pop on the top of the tree, DIY decorations are a great opportunity to get the kids involved in some creative crafting. 

All you need is some paper, some scissors, some glue, and some glitter (although a warning – you will probably still be finding glitter in July, so it’s a good idea to put some paper down before you start work to catch as much as you can!). Then it’s your chance to let your imagination run wild. Download some stencil designs from online crafting sites and have hours of fun. Check out some storage solutions at Crate and Barrel so everything can be put away neatly for next year once you’ve finished. 

Modern Christmas designs

It’s tempting to ‘go traditional’ with the decorations, but contemporary Christmas décor is just as stylish as those classic designs. They also fit in better with our modern homes, so unless you really want to create that classic homestead Christmas look, try bringing things up to date by choosing a colour theme that’s a little different from the usual red and green. White is a great colour for modern homes, so combine white lights with white tinsel and co-ordinated decorations. 

Remember it’s not just the living room and the kid’s rooms you’re decorating at Christmas, so think about outside decorations too, which will make visitors feel welcome and put them in the festive spirit from the moment they arrive at the door. A classic Christmas wreath is a great idea, or choose a more modern design for a contemporary twist. Dot fir-tree shaped candles around the house (making sure they’re extinguished properly before everyone goes to bed on Christmas Eve), and co-ordinate your table décor to pick up on themes throughout your house.

The most important thing, though, is to have fun! Find all your Christmas décor ideas at Crate and Barrel.