No time of year works an entertainer harder than the holidays. And with your home suddenly getting this much airtime, the pressure to make it look perfect only intensifies. The wrinkle, of course, is that familiar formulas don’t always hold; Christmas trends that felt charming a few seasons ago might land a little… stale now.
Because Christmas decor shows up in such a tight, highly scrutinized window, it’s one of the clearest barometers of how the design world has shifted year over year. The pom-pom treescape that felt magical in 2023 might feel unbelievably tired in 2025. And if that fish motif or scalloped detail wouldn’t fly in your space mid-July, designers argue it has no business being resurrected – even in its most ‘fest-ified’ form – come December.
From where craft crosses into kitsch, to which lighting styles are now a definitive ‘no,’ Homes & Gardens asked designers which Christmas decor trends are officially out for 2025 – so your holiday home shines as brightly as your hosting calendar demands.
1. Cold Minimalism
Nancy & Betty’s new Clementine-print holiday collection – paired with velvet ribbons and contrast trims – makes one thing clear: this is not the year for a beige, behave-yourself table.
Words like ‘cool’ and ‘calculated’ aren’t exactly what we associate with Christmas, yet designers say we’ve leaned a bit too hard into both lately. That perfectly pared-back look – once shorthand for taste (remember the monochromatic beige Kardashian Christmases?) – now reads a little flat, even generic. It can signal that everything came from the same big-box store… or from an influencer a season behind.
‘I think people are craving a sense of tradition right now,’ notes Preston Lane founder Preston Konrad. ‘After years of minimalism, clean modern design, and Scandi-themed holiday decor, there is a return to maximalist style and what some would call the ‘old money’ aesthetic. While so fun, I would also avoid anything too kitschy…like Elf on the Shelf, sparkles, or tinsel.’
Instead, blend eras, materials, and provenance. ‘Look for vintage finds and browse local shops for pieces that have character,’ advises Denver-based interior designer Laura Medicus. ‘Mix these in with your DIY creations and family heirlooms to give your home a classic, home-for-the-holidays look that’s unique to you and your family.’
Preston takes a similar approach, suggesting that emotional texture matters more than aesthetic purity. Think ‘Roaring fireplaces, tartan blankets, classic Christmas jazz music, polished silver, mahogany wood, etc,’ he says – details that ‘feel like a country estate during the holidays.’ ‘The goal is to create spaces that feel lived-in, welcoming, and magical without being overdone,’ which is why treating your holiday setup as a kind of lifestyle tableau – say, styling a lacquered burl-wood game box alongside a tartan runner – is what ultimately completes this 'real' holiday feel.
Handcrafted by artisans in aluminum with a warm aged-brass finish and hung on natural twine, this bell swag brings an heirloom sensibility to a mantel or spare hook.
Tartan never really left, but if it were having a renaissance, it’s happening now. Drape this throw over an armchair, a sofa back, or the foot of a bed for a touch of old-world, New England energy.
Tassels, meanwhile, bring movement and a sense of drama. Hung anywhere (a doorknob, a cabinet pull, even the tree), this now-$6 tassel reads like something borrowed from a very chic hotel suite.
2. Red-and-Green Only
The era of strictly red-and-green is over. This season’s palette is whatever looks best in your space, from jewel tones and pastels to citrus brights. Anthropologie and Lulu & Georgia have the unapologetic colorways to prove it.
Red and green isn't going extinct – not if revival aesthetics like 'Ralph Lauren Christmas' can help it – but the old rule of committing exclusively to that palette is feeling increasingly forced. Unless you own a lifetime supply of heirloom tartan, North Carolina-based interior designer Grey Joyner says shoehorning the classic colors into every corner reads a little try-hard.
‘People are decorating with colors beyond just the traditional red and green,’ she says. ‘Rather than adapt a space to fit that traditional red and green color palette, we’re seeing people using colors that are already in these spaces: like bold blues, deep navies, teals, lush pinks, and rich eggplants.’
And really, buying an entirely new Christmas color scheme for one month of the year makes little sense (or cents). ‘We appreciate the practicality and cost-effectiveness of this as well because using colors that are already represented in a space means that you won’t feel compelled to purchase tons of extra ‘stuff’ to make the traditional holiday colors work,’ Grey adds. ‘In a season that is already tough on people’s budgets, we like to see a trend that encourages the opposite.’
Her advice is to let your room lead. ‘If you have a space heavy in jewel tones like eggplant, sapphire, and emerald, simply duplicate those colors in your holiday decor and add bits of shine or sparkle with a metal that you also already have in the room,’ she explains. Apply this logic to everything – ribbons, candles, ornaments, garland – and suddenly your holiday palette reads like an extension of your home’s existing story.
If your space already leans warm, echo those tones with this velvet-patterned stocking. The florals feel seasonal without screaming ‘holiday,’ making it one of the few designs you won’t feel compelled to hide on December 26th.
Red is fine, but we’ve exhausted the canon. A magenta satin bow, though? At theatrical scale? That’s where things get interesting. This tree topper refuses to play by the rules, which is exactly why it’s chic.
West Elm’s flocked ornament set feels festive without defaulting to the obvious. Muted greens, warm pinks, plums, browns, and soft champagne shades let you echo the palette you already live with.
3. Colorful Christmas Tree Lights
Warm up the room with your simplest lights and let everything else – the ornaments, the garlands, the tree itself – do the talking. Terrain stocks no shortage of clever, white-light options that break up the usual glow without straying from that classic winter-white palette.
'For me, the holiday trends that have lost their luster are the overly artificial elements,’ says Helena Clunies-Ross, founder of Helena Clunies-Ross Design. And at the top of her ‘no, thank you’ list are bright, multicolored Christmas lights.
‘They tend to overwhelm rather than enhance, creating a visual noise that distracts from the natural beauty of the tree itself,’ she explains. ‘Likewise, aggressively bright or color-changing lights can strip a space of warmth and atmosphere.’
Her advice is to keep it simple. ‘I recommend using warm, small LED lights and tucking them deep into the branches so the tree glows from within, without any visible wires. The effect is softer, more atmospheric, and allows the tree’s natural shape to shine.’
But if you simply must hold onto color (and fair – it’s one of traditional Christmas’s last true pleasures), Helena suggests approaching it with a little discipline. Stick to a refined tonal palette of one to two tones max, 'to let the green of the tree remain the hero.’
White lights simply look better with bows – everyone knows this. This coquette-coded string light strand is essentially your lights and garland in one, perfect for wrapping the tree or framing a doorway with a soft, feminine glow that still feels adult.
Who said string lights can’t be elegant? Terrain’s pearl-strung take of 150 glowing orbs in irregular, gem-like shapes proves otherwise. They filter a warm, coppery light through each imperfect sphere, giving the Christmas tree a jewelry-like glamour.
String lights aren’t your only option, and real candles – though gorgeous – are basically a safety hazard waiting to happen. Thank goodness for Joanna Gaines, who solved both problems with these vintage-inspired clip-on LED ornaments.
4. Tinsel
Tinsel (or anything overly artificial, for that matter) is officially out. Designers are steering toward natural elements, which can mean literal nature. Designers like Shea McGee are already ahead of you with her faux dried-orange garland, which nails the earthy look.
Preston Konrad mentioned it briefly, but it’s worth underscoring – several designers agree it’s time for tinsel to retire. Among them is Luxury London–based interior designer Katharine Pooley, who says it best: ‘Tinsel has most certainly lost its shine.’
‘It feels rather nostalgic, reminiscent of the 1980s, and best left in the past,’ Katharine adds. And while design trends are cyclical, she notes that, for now, tinsel ‘lacks the sophistication of today’s interior demand.' Instead, reach for decorations that actually elevate a room. Katharine advises opting for natural or artisanal materials: ‘Felt, glass, and beautifully carved wood are all exquisite choices.’
And for anyone not looking to splurge on tinsel replacements – or who still has a hankering for sparkle – designer Grey Joyner says to start with what’s free.
‘Not everything needs to be ‘bought,’’ she says. ‘Don’t sleep on using things you can find right in your own backyard. I spray painted real magnolia leaves with silver and gold spray paint to add to our fireplace garland and on our tree, and it looked miles better than store-bought and cost significantly less,’ delivering sparkle without the cheap shine.
Katharine’s call for carved wood over tinsel tracks perfectly with one very ‘in’ Christmas trend this season: wooden beaded garland. This strand from ALDI blends beads of varying sizes that make a tree feel charming without trying so hard.
No tinsel? No problem. These metallic floral tree picks supply all the shimmer you need, catching light in a way that gives ‘enchanted winter garden,’ right in your living room. They twirl onto branches like jewelry.
Sinuous satin is already irresistible, but stitched onto ruched, airy linen? That’s a seasonal switch-up we love to see. This Lulu and Georgia garland feels slightly sartorial, draped along a banister or puddling off a mantel.
5. Lack Of Personality
Notice the birds, the ballerinas, the heirloom textiles – you know exactly who lives here just by looking at the tree. John Derian’s Target collab delivers that same energy, packed with oddball-charming ornaments that give your tree a personality.
Who lives here? That’s the question designers say your holiday decor should be able to answer. In recent years, anything personal – mismatched ornaments, embroidered stockings, framed family photos – was banished in favor of a ‘clean,’ hyper-curated Christmas. But the tide has turned, and a holiday living room rooted in anonymity is the real faux pas now.
‘I believe we’re shifting towards more natural, authentic-looking Christmas trees, moving away from overly curated and perfect setups. People are embracing sentimental ornaments over matching ensembles, creating a warmer, more genuine holiday look,’ says Shelley McIlroy, Founder & Principal of Shelley McIlroy Design.
Preston Konrad echoes the sentiment: ‘I’m excited about a movement toward more immersive holiday design that gives a lived-in vibe. It’s about creating beautiful spaces that you can live in, and to celebrate and make memories.’
Of course, there’s a balance. That heirloom, storied look only works when the rest of the scene feels varied. It’s paradoxical, but the more familiar the layers – the handmade ornaments, the passed-down baubles, the non–TikTok Shop tree toppers – the less crafty it all feels.
‘For a Christmas tree that feels effortlessly elegant and totally authentic, mix and match a variety of ornaments – especially sentimental heirlooms and handmade treasures,’ Shelley suggests. ‘Arrange them in a laid-back, slightly asymmetrical way, blending soft textures and subtle colors. Bring out the natural charm with pinecones, dried botanicals, and lush greenery, all glowing softly with gentle ambient lights.’
That macaroni star your kid made in class? Turns out it fits right in.
No one studies family photos more closely than holiday guests, so give them something worth oogling over. Velvet frames elevate the chaos of childhood bangs and matching pajamas, granting those memories the dignity (and prime tree real estate) they’ve earned.
Mark & Graham’s hand-hooked pillows are basically a new-to-you holiday family heirloom. Choose from wintry vignettes – skiers, wreaths, après-anything – or lean into leisure-core with horseback riding, beach lounging, or whatever else signals ‘you.’ Top off the scene with your last name, and love it forever.
Ornaments are the easiest place to declare your obsessions, and this season’s offerings fit every niche imaginable. This jeweled caviar tin is a little on the nose, yes, but a touch of tongue-in-cheek glamour for the tree never hurt anyone.
Still not sure where to steer your holiday style this year? According to London-based designer Katharine Pooley, the answer might not be in the home aisle at all – it might be on the high street.
‘I find great inspiration in the way luxury fashion houses interpret the season. Their beautifully conceived store windows and meticulously styled interiors often set the tone for the year’s most refined festive aesthetics. I love observing how they balance tradition with modernity, it always sparks fresh ideas for creating enchantment within the home,’ she muses.
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