How to create farmhouse Christmas decor – get creative with some rustic seasonal decor

As Christmas approaches it's time to start decorating, and there's nothing that says cozy holiday season quite like farmhouse Christmas decor. For those who want some personalized decor or a fun holiday activity, why not create some DIY decorations? You can craft some show-stopping farmhouse Christmas decor that emulates a warm and rustic beauty that is synonymous with the season.

Whether you are a keen crafter or a beginner wanting to try something new with the whole family, these creative Christmas decorating ideas can be a fun way to brighten up your space with some farmhouse style. 

From homemade wreaths and garlands to table and mantel decorations, our experts have recommended the best craft ideas to infuse your space with timeless farmhouse decor.

How to create farmhouse Christmas decor

'The farmhouse look heavily incorporates natural materials like linen, jute twine, wood, pinecones, and foraged greenery – these all bring organic textures to your home,' says interior designer Rudolph Diesel. 'There are plenty of homemade craft ideas to explore that utilize these farmhouse Christmas themes.'

1. Farmhouse Christmas wreath

To make a Christmas wreath, the ideal addition to your Christmas door decor or farmhouse living room wall decor, Cyble Rizwan at Persimmon Design says, 'Start with a simple, greenery-based wreath as your foundation.' You can use a single type of foliage or combine different evergreen boughs. Attach clusters of foliage to the base of the wreath with floral wire or twine, covering it completely.

Next, Cyble Rizwan advises, 'Add pinecones, berries, and burlap ribbon for a rustic touch. You can even include small, vintage-style ornaments or wooden stars to enhance the farmhouse feel.'

You can use one of these natural grapevine wreaths, from Amazon, as the base of the wreath.

2. Rustic grapevine garland

A garland is one of the staples of Christmas decor, perfect for any room; as a table decoration, to wrap around a banister, or to adorn a mantel, door, or mirror frame.

'No room for a full tree? Create a festive garland to hang over a mantel,' recommends The Artist Mr. Christopher Radko of HeARTfully Yours.

'To do this find the grapevine in 6 - 9 foot lengths at a craft shop or garden center. Spray the garland with glue and sprinkle white iridescent snow glitter for a wintry look. 

'Wrap a string of mini-lights around around garland and tuck in branches of pine, boxwood, or red berries along the entire length for a farmhouse aesthetic. Wire on your favorite ornaments, and you’re done.'

3. Festive farmhouse table runner

Your dining table plays a key role in creating the rustic Christmas aesthetic, acting as the focal point during Christmas dinner, which is why a festive Christmas table runner is the ideal table decoration.

For a quick and easy way to make a table runner, Rudolph Diesel says, 'Take a piece of fabric about 36 inches long and 12-15 inches wide. 

'Cut or use pinking shears for an unfinished edge and fray and loosen the edges slightly by rubbing along them to create a timeworn look. 

'Add visual interest by stitching on a pom pom fringe, lace, or frayed ribbons down the sides.'

Aaditya Bhatta, editor and founder of Plantscraze recommends for those looking to create a more adventurous table runner, 'Begin by cutting your chosen fabric to the appropriate length for your table. Don't forget to leave some extra fabric for hemming.' For a more rustic look, you can choose fabric made of burlap or natural linen.

'Ensure your fabric is wrinkle-free by gently ironing it,' continues Aaditya Bhatta. 'Secure the holiday-themed stencil onto the fabric using painter's tape.' Introduce traditional Christmas motifs like reindeer, snowflakes, or holly branches using stencils or fabric paint. 

'Using a paintbrush dipped in red or green fabric paint, fill in the stencil design. Alternatively, opt for fabric markers for more precision. Allow the paint to thoroughly dry before removing the stencil.' Another way to achieve a farmhouse look is to apply fabric adhesive on the borders and affix a frayed piece of twine.

'Achieve a polished look by folding and pressing the fabric's edges to create an even hem,' recommends Aaditya Bhatta. 'An iron can help make the folds sharp. 

'Depending on your sewing expertise, either use a sewing machine to sew the hem or opt for fabric glue for a no-sew option.

'To enhance the rustic farmhouse feel, consider adding jute twine or festive ribbon along the edges of your runner. Secure these embellishments using fabric glue or by stitching them in place.

'Elevate your dining table's aesthetics by placing your handcrafted farmhouse Christmas table runner as the centerpiece. Pair it with rustic-inspired tableware, candles, and fresh greenery for a complete and festive look.'

4. Table or mantel display

Your mantel and dining table are great places to create a farmhouse Christmas display. You can add DIY display items alongside candlesticks, garlands, and other decorations. Here are some ways to craft table or mantel farmhouse Christmas decor.

'Table decorations are an important part of the farmhouse Christmas look so use a tablecloth in a red checked or plaid pattern and set with purposefully mismatched vintage plates and cups in natural colors,' advises Rudolph Diesel.

'For some farmhouse Christmas crafts, try embroidering your placemats or napkins with names, dates, or Christmas pictures. Choose natural fabrics like linen or cotton and use red or green thread to fit with the theme.

'Create a centerpiece with winter greenery, berries, pinecones, and fruits like pomegranates for a pop of color. You could also fill mason jars with a bit of sand and nestle a tealight inside. Wrap brown kraft paper around the outside and tie a jute twine for a rustic look.'

Kate Landry from A Hundred Affections says, 'One of my favorite farmhouse decor ideas is creating floating candle centerpieces with pine greens, cranberries, and oranges. These are beautiful in both decorative bowls and mason jars.'

'Another great addition to a mantel display or garland is dried oranges. These can be tied in with cedar greens for a garland, scattered on Christmas tablescapes, placed in decorative bowls with greens, or hung as their own garlands on mantels. 

Finally, pinecones are another failsafe farmhouse Christmas decoration – you can give them a wintry look by spray painting them white (be sure to wear a safety mask when doing this), or you can keep them in their natural state for a more rustic appearance.

5. Flocked tree

Christopher Radko suggests, 'Create a rustic retro flocked tree of your own, and bring the wintry white snow indoors. 

'Best on a live tree, and done outdoors or in the garage since it gets messy. Wet the tree down with a multi-purpose sprayer or garden hose so the whole tree is damp. 

'Wearing gloves and mask, sprinkle handfuls of flocking material on tips of branches. Concentrate on the tips of branches for a natural look. Lightly mist the tree again with water to help the material adhere to the branches. Allow the tree to dry for 24 – 48 hours. 

'Add lights and rustic ornaments.'

6. Farmhouse stockings

Creating a rustic Christmas stocking is one of the easiest customizable crafts you can do. 'Simply create or purchase stockings in neutral colors like burlap, cream, or gray,' says Cyble Rizwan. 'Personalize them with embroidered designs, initials, or names in a farmhouse-style font. Hang them by the fireplace or on a decorative ladder.' 

FAQs

'If your style runs toward farmhouse decor, there are some quintessential country materials you’ll want to have on hand, like buffalo plaid, white galvanized metal containers, rustic wooden accents, fresh greenery, pinecones, and grapevine wreaths and garlands,' says Christopher Radko of HeARTfully. 'Flea markets are a great resource for repurposing actual farm decor for your holiday home.'