25 of the best Christmas decorations to brighten up your home this festive season

Choosing the best Christmas decorations to put in your home—be they tree decorations, festive lights, or items for your table—is one of the main jobs of the festive season, and it's always lots of fun.

Whether you're looking to add to your collection of decorations or you're planning on elevating your Christmas tree decorating ideas with more stylish options to replace older pieces, there are plenty of new Christmas decorations for you to browse online this year. Unlike buying the best artificial Christmas tree or the best real Christmas trees for your home, Christmas decorations are much easier to purchase, being more compact and easier to post.

Included in our round-up, as chosen by our Homes Editor, is a mix of both fun decorations that tune into this year's trends, and classic decorations that will stand the test of time. Having a base of timeless decorations allows you to begin decorating instantly—whilst buying newer on-trend items each year will help your decor not to look out of date. If you are looking for inspiration, you'll find our guide to the best Christmas decorations out there for 2021 useful.

Best Christmas decorations 2021

From baubles to garlands and lights, we’ve selected the very best Christmas decorations to make your home feel festive.

Christmas tree decorations

Whatever your preferred Christmas decorating ideas, every tree needs baubles! And these are the perfect chic, minimalistic tree decorations, for those who prefer that kind of theme for their decor. This is a pure white ceramic bauble that you can customize with whatever you prefer—be it your name or a loved ones, if you’re after a festive Secret Santa present. You can also get the text in a variety of different colors, choosing from gold, rose gold and black.

Just because it's a Christmas decoration, it doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to an elegant investment piece that'll stay in your family for years to come. This Swarovski crystal star decoration is stylish and beautiful to look at, but it's worth noting that you'll have to pay a bit more for such a special item. It might also be one you want to keep away from kids or pets, to avoid damaging it.

This unique stack of books Christmas tree decoration would be the perfect addition to an already colorful tree—or, a great gift for a literature lover! It's bright and fun, and comes with a festive touch in the form of glitter embellishment and a red and white ribbon to hang with. Just be careful when hanging up, as it's made from 100% glass.

This minimalist White Company tree decoration is a great pick for those who are embracing neutral decorating themes over the holidays—we reckon this would go beautifully with other silver, white and wooden decorations. It's certainly on the smaller side, but nestling a couple of them into your tree will give it lovely stand-out pops of white—which would look even better if you have an artificial snowy tree, which is a super popular trend this year. 

If you’re after a unique Christmas tree decoration, this fun Audrey Hepburn ornament is both chic and a fabulous talking point. Featuring the iconic movie star in her signature Breakfast At Tiffanys glasses, bun and black dress, this decoration is made from glass and measures in at 13.5cm in height. Plus, if Audrey isn’t your style, there are a range of other stars available to buy in ornament form—from David Bowie to Anna Wintour.

And if this decoration has inspired you to catch up on some classic films, see our guide to the best Christmas movies on Netflix!

This elegant gold deer Christmas decoration was featured in the John Lewis advert, so it's no wonder that it's gone on to be a bestseller! An ornate, geometric design, it'll go with both traditional tree decor and more modern decor, depending on your preference. And while it's made of plastic, it looks far more expensive! 

Christmas decorations for the table

A Christmas table would be nothing without some fun place settings, so why not treat your loved ones to these adorable ‘Gonk’ place name decorations? Choose which adorable gnome figure you want (there are four different, equally sweet variations), and type in all of the names you want delivered. You can purchase up to 56 of them at a time, which should be plenty to account for all of your Christmas guests! Kids and adults alike will be delighted by these adorable, rustic, and fun-looking place settings.

If you're after an easy decoration item to adorn your table with, this impressive, show-stopping centerpiece is a fantastic choice. It's pricey, but you can simply place it in the center of your table, scatter through a few candles or fairy lights, and your table is set and ready for your guests to arrive—no problems. 

And if you want more inspiration to help you decorate your table, look no further than our guide to the best Christmas centerpiece ideas.

No festive table is complete without a table runner, which is essential for both decor and practical purposes. This one from Macy's comes in classic festive colors such as red, green and white, and is a great easy-care option given that it's machine washable. Layer other decor items on top, such as candles, mini trees, and fairy lights, to create a beautiful table.

No list of the best Christmas decorations is complete without a set of mini trees! For a simple, affordable Christmas table decoration look no further than these fun mini pine trees—which have a snowy, festive look that’ll easily add some cheer to your dinner set-up. You’ll receive three mini-trees for the price, and they’d look just as lovely on their own at your table, as they would paired with some other mini Christmas decorations—why not create your own mini Christmas village? Plus, if you don’t want to keep them on your table, they work equally well on a fireplace or entryway table.

Add a touch of vintage old-school decor to your home this festive season with this metal truck figurine, which features a green pick-up truck carrying two snow-covered Christmas trees inside it. This would be the perfect base for creating a simple centerpiece on a table or sideboard or placed on the windowsill of your children's rooms. You could also place it on your mantel, either alongside other decorations or on its own—either would work brilliantly.

Every table needs show-stopping mini Christmas trees, dazzle your guests, and this set of two paper trees may be perfect choice. These silver glitter trees are slimline enough that they won't take up too much space alongside all your Christmas food essentials, measuring at 20cm tall in the largest size. And you can accessorize the rest of your table around it—stick with the glitzy theme and choose sparkly, glitter candles, lights and candlesticks to match.

No Christmas table is complete without candles—and this stylish glass candle holder from The White Company is a great way to display your favorite candles. It comes in just one size, and is actually a great investment given that it’s not overtly festive—you could use this candle holder year-round given its simple and stylish design.

This festive tree light holder is a quick and easy way to create ambiance on your Christmas table, with four jars to slot your tea lights into. It's created with wooden polished twigs, pine cones, and sprigs of greenery, so would fit brilliantly with other natural decor you might have in your home. And, it's pretty inexpensive.

Christmas light decorations

For something really special, look no further than these incredible outdoor meteor shower lights. Ideal for hanging on trees, you can place them in your front or back garden for a really amazing light display that is sure to wow all of your guests.

Nothing says festive more than fairy lights, and these draped, curtain string lights are perfect if you want to include more in your home this year. They can be dangled down any length, be it your curtains, a black wall, or even outside if you prefer.

These colorful net lights are perfect for making your front/back garden a little more festive—especially if you don't want to spend too much time doing so! Simply throw them over any bushes you have for an easy piece of decor, or even over a tree if you fancy it. 

These delicate micro lights would be great for use all around your home, be it the table, your Christmas tree, a sideboard or a windowsill. Instantly creating a relaxed and cozy ambience, we'd suggest you snap these up.

Christmas room decorations

A Christmas stocking is a festive essential—and we adore this option at Selfridges, which can be personalized for every member of your family (as all the best Christmas decorations are)! It's been made in white and red colors for a traditional look, with an intricate pom-pom detail at the top. Plus, at 49cm tall, there's also plenty of space for you to store as many stocking fillers as you like. 

This beautiful piece available at Etsy is a great way to create an incredibly cozy festive atmosphere in your home—all you need to do is place tea light candles behind the Santa's sleigh design to enjoy a dazzled, lit-up display that your guest will love. We'd suggest placing these either on your mantel or in your entryway, where it will really make a statement. A note though that the candles are not included, so if you're planning on getting this for your home, you'll have to have some to hand to really enjoy this decoration properly. 

The best Christmas decorations should be a mix of both fun and stylish, which is exactly what this garland is. Every home needs a festive garland and Christmas, and this one available at Amazon is chic and stylish. With thinner 'leaves' and decorated with red berries and pine cones, it's a great piece of natural decor, and could fit practically anywhere in your home—be it on the mantelpiece, on a side table, across your windows or around your front door. 

No home is complete during the holidays without one of the best Christmas wreaths, and we love this white, natural materials one with a few sprigs of sage green, that is a little different to the traditional green you usually see. Reminiscent of a rustic country home, this will add some style to your home as soon as people come in the front door—or, you could even place it inside for an extra special touch.

Kids will adore this sweet snow globe with polar bears and penguins—as will adults! With the globe itself perched on an iceberg-shaped it'll be a really nice winter addition to any home, but would go best with more modern decor. 

For a super easy way to up the festive ante in your home, bunting is the perfect choice. It's easy to put up and you can move it around your home as you like—plus, it's affordable kids will love it. This gingerbread bunting is fun and unique, and would look just as great outdoors as it does in—though be careful not to get it wet. A great purchase for any Christmas parties you're throwing.

How to decide on a color scheme for your Christmas decorations

Before you start shopping for the best Christmas decorations for you, it’s a good idea to decide whether you want to follow a color theme, to ensure there is some uniformity in your home, and that you don't end up with a bizarre end result that only gives you a headache. Some like to use a traditional approach in their Christmas decor, choosing to decorate with greens, reds and golds—whereas others prefer a more minimalistic approach, with more whites, silvers, and sparkles. 

Xander Shreenan, an interior designer at home décor brand Dowsing & Reynolds, told w&h, "Silver and gold will always make up the core color palette for Christmas. These add shine and sparkle—guilty pleasures we all like to indulge in over the festive period. "However, blush tones have been rising in popularity too over the years—but I believe monochromatic themes will be the main trend this year and can be a great way to create an edgier-looking decor in your home."

Whatever theme you decide our list is the perfect place to look on if you need some inspiration to get you started.