This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. I only recommend items I love and have had a positive experience with. Thank you!

Thinking of changing your Christmas decor theme?  First read my 6 tips for changing your Christmas decor theme.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

At this point, it should be no secret that I’m slightly obsessed with Christmas themes.  Walking the aisles of a Holiday store, I find the variety of trees and decor so magical and the possibilities endless.

Having changed and DIY’ed our way into 4 different Christmas themes, I’ve learned a few tips and would love to share them with you.

*Images are favorites from Christmas’s past.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

1 – Pick a theme that matches your budget.

Some themes derive from nature and have items that are easier to come by.  A Scandinavian theme or a Classic Christmas theme might be good options for a budget minded Christmas.  Others will require more purchases to pull off, so keep those things in mind before you choose a theme.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

To make it even more budget friendly, look at the decor you already have and find a new theme that will allow you to re-use some of those items.  Then you only have to supplement a few new things, like pillows, blankets, ornaments, etc.  Say you have lots of gold ornaments that went with your classic red and green Christmas.   Skip the red and green, buy some blush pink ornaments to compliment your gold, and your Christmas can switch gears easily and affordably.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Last thing I’ll say about budget mindedness, you can also plan to add to your new theme for years.  Just start with the basics, fill in some of the gaps with what you already have, and slowly add more the next year.  Taking advantage of the after Christmas sales is also great when you know you want to add to your new theme.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

2 – Start planning and making before December.

I knew our theme this year was going to be a more intense switch this year, because I had very little colorful Christmas items already.  I started shopping, planning and making well before Halloween.  When going for a new look, I prefer to spend November creating and shopping for decor, and then December can be all about my family and getting gifts.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

3 – Pinterest is your best friend

It’s easy to get caught up in all the beautiful Holiday items and looks in the stores.  You need a game plan before you even step into a store.  Make a pinterest board with your Christmas theme and fill it with inspirational images.  Make a shopping list of what you are looking for, and stick to it.  I learned this the hard way a couple of years ago.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

I had a general theme, went shopping, and brought home a whole slew of “pretty things” that didn’t match my vision at all.  It all went back to the store.  This is also why I like to slap a name on my decor theme.  It helps me not to get distracted and keeps me right on point.  At the very least, pinpoint certain colors you wish to use and stick to those.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

4 – Hold Tight to Traditional Items

I’m preaching to myself here, but I realize the importance of not depriving my children of memories and traditions, in spite of changing Holiday decor.  I’m talking about those items that we will get out every year, whether or not they “match” my theme.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Our treasured countdown made from Grandma, the evening story books, The Nativity passed down from relatives, the Fisher Price Christmas toys . . . those will all come out in the right time and for the right place, regardless if they match my decor.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Having just said that, remember that less is more!  Maybe you are holding on to too many “traditional items” and it ends up looking like clutter you can’t wait to put away.  Have a talk with your family and keep only the traditional items that mean the most.  We like to have more traditions that focus on doing activities rather than keepsakes, for the clutter reason.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

5 – Live your life off Social Media

Did you know that you don’t have to share everything on social media??  What a thought!  😉 . If you are very active on social media or have an online business, it’s good to remember that not everything has to be shared or picture perfect.  In fact, most the traditions and decor that mean the most to me, I do not share.  I choose to keep them special, sacred even, for our family.  I love a pretty and inspiring photo more than almost anyone and I love to share them too in hopes to inspire others.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

But there is much of our busy life that is not “social pretty” and that is absolutely fine with me.  If the old Santa and sleigh doesn’t work with the theme, I don’t need to hold off on getting it out just because it wouldn’t look good on “my feed”.  I get it out because my family loves it.  Truth is, I feel no obligation whatsoever to share that with the world, only my children.  When you come to that realization, a world of weight can be lifted off your shoulders.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

6 – Donate or Keep?

I was recently asked, what do you do with your other themed decor if you switch frequently?

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Well, we have donated some and we have kept some.  What we keep is put into labeled totes of each theme so I know where to find them again.  Our plan is to keep the favorites and then let our children choose which theme they would like to take with them when they move out and have a home of their own to decorate.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Each year the children have the discussion of which is their favorite and which they want to take.  It may lead to some fighting and arguing 😉 . But that is something we have decided to do at this time.

BONUS TIP! – START WITH THE TREE

I always start my planning and decorating with the tree.  I figure out the ornaments I’ll need to buy or make to get the look I want, and then everything else in the room/home stems from that.  This helps the decor flow very well throughout the home, and gives me a good solid place to start so I don’t get overwhelmed.

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Wanna see the themes we have done so far throughout the years?

Our first actual themed Christmas was “A Way Back When Christmas

Next up was “A Cottage Christmas

Then my personal favorite . . . “A French Farmhouse Christmas

This year is going to be “A Colorful Christmas“!

6 Tips for Changing Your Christmas Theme

Have any tips of your own?  How frequently do you change your Holiday decor around?

Similar Posts

Free Printables!

Get instant access to the TIDBITS subscriber library full of free printables for the keeper of the home.

Discover more TIDBITS

Love this article? Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below, and leave a comment so we can chat!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 Comments

  1. Hi you have a basket with the tree in it. It is the seventh picture. Do you have any idea where I can locate this? Thanks in advance

  2. Cami,
    do you have any suggestions for those who cannot have a tree? I have 3 cats and a dog and it just isn’t going to work. Other people are allergic to trees, etc.
    My living room ceiling is rather low but I do place garland on top of the huge (hateful) television armoire, and I decorate the mantel with ornaments and strings of the tiny lights. But it doesn’t feel cohesive or festive yet!
    I am newly married and because of the No Tree thing have not collected very many ornaments, or deeply sentimental Christmas items. I guess the blank slate is a good place to start?

    1. Hi Jenny,

      I thought long and hard about your situation while making dinner tonight. I would probably just get a synthetic 3 foot tree, or something close to that and prop it on a table, side table, or anywhere you have available. That’s what my grandmother always did, and us kids still thought it was magical. Did you see my post this morning with my bedroom? There was a 3 foot pink tree, and I left it totally ornament free and still love the festive touch it gives to the space. And even if you do go buy ornaments for that small of a tree, it won’t break the bank. Or even make some! That blank slate sounds so sweet and refreshing. Think how you will treasure your humble tree and ornaments through the years from your newly married life? My husband and I started the same. A teeny apartment, no money, and this tiny fake tree in the corner of the room. I kept it for sure and treasure the memories. Don’t let yourself get hung up with all the images online and on social. Look at them to be inspired and then treasure the life you have and the simple Christmas you will make with your new family, pets and all.

      I’m so glad you reached out. The reminder of my Christmas past was so refreshing!

      God bless and I wish you a Merry Christmas, no matter what tree you get!

      XO – Cami

  3. I actually have a couple of tubs with different themes in them…snowmen theme, Santa and toys theme, religious theme, and my newest – snowy, silvery theme. Not sure what I’ll do this year. My small tree generally gets all the wooden ornaments I’ve made on it. But my big one changes. I’m ? thinking I want to add plaid in this year.

    1. Plaid . . . been searching that one too, and oh how pretty it can be! I love that you rotate themes too. I really wanted to do a religious theme this year, but couldn’t really think of a whole lot to add around the house, besides my Nativities. What did you do? I’d love to brainstorm that theme longer. What a treasured theme to share with my children.