Mix Trends with Tradition by Blending Old and New Christmas Decor

Dec 6th 2023

gold and silver decorations on Christmas tree

From holiday movies to home improvement magazines and news feeds to Instagram and Pinterest, you can’t help but be charmed by new and beautiful Christmas decorations! The temptation to completely update your Christmas decor can be overwhelming.

Maybe you’re smitten by the charm of a woodland Christmas theme or the trendy appeal of pink holiday decor, but those decorations clash with your current Christmas accessories.

Or maybe you have plenty of Christmas decor that you love and want to display, but just can’t resist buying a new piece each year.

Few people have the budget (or even the desire) to completely replace all their Christmas decorations every year. However, if you really can’t resist buying a few new pieces, consider these ways to successfully blend them with your existing Christmas decor.

Assess Your Decorations

red disco ball Christmas ornaments arranged with pine branches in old wooden desk drawers

First things first. Which of your current decorations are you absolutely compelled to display? Realistically, some sentimental items may be too shabby to show. However much you love them, it may be time to part with anything that’s overly ragged or broken.

The fact is, if you choose not to display something this year, you probably won’t set it out next year, either. Consider whether that nostalgic Christmas decoration is worth the storage space.

Find a Common or Complementary Color

Classic Christmas colors return year after year, so a new red and green decoration could blend with your classic Christmas decorations, even if they’re different styles. By choosing pieces with a common color theme, you can mix old and new decorations and still keep the look cohesive.

For trendier hues, lean into decor in complementary Christmas colors. For instance, pale pink Christmas decorations stun when paired with black and white, or metals like silver, champagne gold or copper. Mix purple or neutrals with green.

Additionally, silver or gold decorations never go out of style and look great with any color Christmas decor.

copper and clear Christmas tree ornaments in copper wire basket with pink roses

Create Christmas Groupings

Simple white wooden houses arranged with boxes under a Christmas tree

Some Christmas table decorations were made to be displayed together. Think Christmas collections of nutcrackers, snowmen or snow globes, for instance. Or Christmas villages that expand every year.

Creating Christmas groupings works for other decorations, as well, like vintage ornaments, Christmas candles, Santa mugs and tabletop Christmas trees.

Find a New Way to Display

Use your old Christmas decor in new and unexpected ways. Arrange vintage Christmas ornaments you don’t want on the tree in a shadow box, bowl or on a cake stand, where any imperfections add charm or can be hidden. Hang decorations that normally hang on the wall or sit on a tabletop in the tree, instead. Use pretty ribbon to hang ornaments from lighting fixtures.

red and gold ornaments with fairy lights arranged in a shadow box

Retro Revival

White ceramic Christmas house with bottlebrush trees

Some classic Christmas decor is new again, like vibrant retro ornaments, kitschy ceramic lighted Christmas trees and bottlebrush trees. Revived Christmas decorations may not look exactly like their vintage counterparts, but the juxtaposition between classic and contemporary decor can be equally charming.

Christmas styles evolve over time, so it makes sense to update your own Christmas decor occasionally. With a little creativity, you can introduce new pieces and blend them with older Christmas decorations for the perfect mix of trend and tradition.

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