25 Sustainable Holiday Decorations That Stand the Test of Time

Christmas decorations that never date

As the holidays loom, the anticipation that comes with hunting out and dusting down the boxes marked 'Christmas' in storage excitedly marks the true start of festivities to come. As we move forward with new ways of living, Christmas is now, more than ever, time to be grateful for our families, friends and the beautiful planet we live on. With that in mind, we've selected some stylish holiday decorating ideas to bring joy to our homes year after year. Click or scroll through for inspiration...

Hang a reusable door wreath

Don't buy a festive door wreath that will need to be disposed of on the 12th day of Christmas, instead look for a faux wreath that can be packed away and brought down each year. If you can't bear to go without the welcoming fragrance of real greenery at the door, embellish a wicker crown with foliage and berries from your garden or local wood. Then strip it back when it's time to pack it away. 

Fill-your-own ornaments

Whether they are made of plastic or glass, fillable ornaments are fun and quick to make. The best bit is they are a great sustainable decoration that can be updated with changing trends that come and go and be crammed with combinations of color, theme or personalization each holiday. 

Light lasting candles

Add candles to holiday schemes to offer a warm traditional glow. The cozy ambience suits every Christmas decorating style and budget. Invest in good quality versions with long-lasting burn times or switch over to LED candles that look so real they even have poured wax and a flickering flame. 

Open a reusable advent calendar

What better way to count down to Christmas than with the same memory-making advent calendar that can be brought out and displayed every year. What's more, popping a tiny surprise in each box or pocket that's been carefully chosen for the recipient is so much more personal and heartfelt than a shop-bought throwaway version. 

String up classic garlands

Glittering strings of garlands are always handy to have as a go-to decoration that will transform your tree, mantel, banister and even table runner into a festive showstopper. Choose a gold tone, as it goes with any scheme and will instantly up the luxe factor. 

Fold out paper decorations

For back-to-basics, minimalist style, embrace the good old, paper decoration. From recycled paper chains to more elaborate honeycomb cut-outs these pretty ornaments are a sustainable choice that will always create a homespun feel. 

Set up the seasonal bedding

Inject the festive feeling into your bedroom with a novelty Christmas bedding set. Choose wisely by going for classic Christmas reds or neutrals such as gray and white in traditional patterns. You'll only get a month or so of use every season so shouldn't need to replace it for years to come. Always give it a machine wash as soon as it comes out of storage each year. 

Display pre-lit garlands

 A faux pre-lit garland can be adorned with any piece of furniture to add natural color and warmth. Use it to create a fabulous door frame, evoke a warm welcome on an entryway mirror, or even add atmosphere to a headboard in the bedroom. Add to the look by intertwining beautifully crafted decorations or colorful ribbons into the greenery. 

Bake with festive molds

Okay, so gingerbread and spiced Christmas goodies probably won't last longer than a day during the holidays but hard-wearing cookware molded into friendly festive characters can be used to bake up delicious treats for decades. Wrap them in greaseproof paper and store them with the Christmas decorations and they'll always be a cooking novelty too.

Hand-make crowns

We love this idea of sewing a long-lasting fabric Christmas crown to wear during Christmas dinner. Take a look at Hobbycraft for the full pattern and video tutorial. Children will love festive-themed fabrics too. 

Cozy up in amongst Christmas fairy lights

LED string lights AKA fairy lights create atmosphere and warmth whatever the season so don't even need to be packed away with the rest of the decorations. But mixing them up with other sparkling or rustic ornaments completes the magic – it just wouldn't be Christmas without them. 

Nurture nostalgic decorations

Decorations with a personal touch or inscription can be used year after to bring back beautiful memories of Christmas' gone by. Whether it's a ornament that marks moving into a new home, a lantern burn for every year you've been together or a cuddly ornament to celebrate someone's first holiday season on the planet, they will become decorations to cherish the older they become. 

Jolly up the kitchen

Swapping out kitchenware come December starts the Christmas cheer and jazzes up the heart of the home. Novelty mugs, cake tins and linens matched to the color of your kitchen should only need to be updated if you install new cabinetry and that doesn't happen often, does it? 

Choose traditional tableware

Put together a beautiful Christmas table setting that stays in style year after year. Choose traditional Christmas colors of red and green or snowy white and set a welcoming centerpiece with galvanised lanterns for a rustic glow that will never tire. 

Hang heirloom ornaments

One-of-a-kind, hand-painted ornaments that cost a tad more than a run of the mill box set from a department store are worth investing in. Not only will they most likely act as a unique focal point, if looked after, can be handed down the generations and become priceless to your family. 

Dress rooms with top-to-toe greenery

Just like the great outdoors, a Christmas decorating scheme inspired by a woodland winter landscape will never go out of fashion. Choose decorations with organic color tones in natural materials and use them to adorn as much natural greenery as possible. 

Say it with a seasonal sign

Spell out a Christmas greeting for a fun way to spread the Christmas message. Unleash your artistic side; chalk up an attractive welcome with illustrative holly on a blackboard, switch on a glowing sign in the porch or get together at the kitchen table and cut out letters to hang over the mantel that you can display each year. 

Focus on familiar faces

Santa and his reindeer, winter creatures or more fairytale folk such as the Nutcracker soldier are classic characters that will always make children and adults alike feel warm inside. Whether they make appearances as tiny tree decorations or larger novelty statues by the door these seasonal celebrities will always be welcome stars of the Christmas show. 

Call in cozy cushions

Christmas pillows and cushion covers will give your living room a merry makeover and get your sofas and armchairs ready for the holidays. As long as you pick out the soft furnishings to match your decorating scheme they too can be used year after year. 

Lift the Christmas Eve box lid

The Christmas Eve box is a fairly new festive tradition but we guess that it is here to stay. Goodies that go inside on 24th December will probably change as the year's pass but the box can be used over and over and will become as familiar as Christmas stockings and sacks on the mantel.

Deck the mantel with Fair Isle stockings

Hanging stockings from the mantel on Christmas Eve for Santa to fill is probably one of the most iconic scenes of the festive season, so recreating the setting for tradition's sake is a must. Knitted Fair Isle patterns are ultra authentic and will never go out of style.

Make decorations with love

DIY tree decorations are given so much TLC that spots on the tree must be reserved for them forevermore. Due to their hand-made quality, they may be more delicate than other ornaments so always handle and package up with care to keep them for as long as possible.

Rustle up rustic wall art

Create beautiful wall art to switch up your gallery walls at Christmas. This traditional wood slice will give your backdrop a winter-wonderland twist that you'll always be proud to display. For a full how-to tutorial visit Rust-Oleum. 

Compile Christmas collectables

Look out for Christmas trinkets that you can add to every year. It could be a flurry of snow globes, a host of heavenly angel ornaments or,  we love this idyllic row of Scandi-style, house-shaped lanterns that could grow into a whole festive ceramic village. 

Cherish traditional colors

Red, green and gold are probably the most iconic holiday colors and so will fill your home with traditional festive vibes from now until eternity. Think berry colored fabrics and rich green foliage mixed with luxurious metallics and you can't go wrong. 

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