Nostalgic, Nordic, or Just Kitsch? How Gingerbread Ornaments Are Taking Over British Homes This Christmas – And These Are The Ones To Shop
Turn your home into a storybook Christmas with collectible gingerbread pieces
Gingerbread-inspired decor is one of the season’s most charming trends, celebrating the playful nostalgia of classic festive baking. From intricately decorated mini houses to delicate cookie-shaped ornaments, this style draws on the timeless imagery of gingerbread treats and storybook-inspired Christmas scenes. It’s a look that feels both whimsical and highly collectible, perfect for those who love a touch of festive storytelling in their interiors.
The aesthetic is rooted in Nordic and Northern European Christmas traditions, where gingerbread cookies and decorative houses have been a staple of Christmas decor ideas for centuries. Scandinavian homes often use gingerbread motifs in garlands, tree decorations, and table settings. The trend has since spread internationally, influencing contemporary Christmas décor with its warm, handcrafted appeal.
What makes this style so compelling is its versatility. Gingerbread-inspired ornaments, miniature houses, and figurines can be displayed across the home, on the mantelpiece, the tree, or the dining table, creating a festive vignette that feels wonderfully nostalgic. If this trend tugs at your heartstrings, then you will fall head over heels for Pottery Barn's Gingerbread Collectionwhich is newly available in the UK. Here are our favourites from the collection, but truthfully, we wish we could have them all.
'Nostalgia has taken over the interior design trends of this year, and Christmas 2025 is no different,' explains Head of Interiors at Homes & Gardens, Hebe Hatton. The more cozy and kitschy, the better. Pottery Barn's Gingerbread shop is filled with charming pieces that feel like a throwback to Christmases past. There's a homemade, almost vintage feel to the pieces, which adds to that homely feel.'
Shop The Look
Ultimately, this style is about more than just decoration; it’s a celebration of Christmases past, a nod to tradition, and an invitation to build your own festive narrative year after year. Collect, layer, and display these pieces, and you’ll find a home that feels both joyful and timelessly British.
To get the most from this look, focus on mixing scales: pair small ceramic ornaments with larger decorative houses, layer natural elements like pinecones or fir sprigs, and use subtle lighting to highlight key features.
If Pottery Barn is new to your radar, as it is for many of us as an American brand that has recently launched here across the pond, then it's worth noting that their Christmas bauble collection is also just as delightful.
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Sophia Pouget de St Victor is the UK Content Editor at Homes & Gardens, bringing readers the latest trends, expert insights, and timeless design inspiration tailored to a UK audience. With a background in luxury interiors and a qualification in Garden Design from London, she has a passion for creating spaces with character and emotional depth. Sophia gravitates toward interiors that defy definition, valuing individuality and effortless elegance. She lives in West London with her partner, two mischievous terriers, and a plump cat named Lettuce.
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