Christmas Decorating Trends for 2026: New Looks to Inspire Your Holiday Decor

How will you decorate your Christmas tree this year?

It’s a question tree designers and Christmas merchants ask themselves year-round. They evaluate last year’s consumer buying habits, study current home fashions and review color forecasts to start spinning their decorating magic for the coming season.

This year, Christmas decorating trends reflect a blend of nostalgia, tradition and elegance for a look that’s warm and personal. While these words are often associated with Christmas decor, they’ll be depicted in specific ways for the 2026 Christmas season.

Let’s take a closer look at five popular Christmas decorating styles for 2026.

The “Ralph Lauren Look” updates traditional Christmas red and green with nuances that make it feel elegant and polished, integrating style points popularized by designer Ralph Lauren’s classic, high-end fashions. While this style is red and green at its core, the colors are warmer and richer, incorporating deep tones like hunter green, navy blue and oxblood red. The aesthetic is luxurious and layered, one that has been collected over time.

Incorporate the deep color tones in Christmas ornaments, ribbon and textiles. Plaid plays a big role – primarily black watch and tartan – along with aged gold and antique metal accents (nothing too new or shiny.) Add touches of plush velvet, and accent with the warm glow of candles, old-gold candlesticks and brass napkin holders. Use abundant, realistic greenery for a sophisticated finishing touch. Extra style points if you can mix in a bit of leather!

Perhaps inspired by the country’s 250th anniversary, Christmas 2026 will see a bounty of traditional fruit decorations. Berries are big news this season, along with a veritable fruit basket adorning trees, wreaths, garland and table arrangements, for a look reminiscent of Colonial Williamsburg. The jewel tones of the fruits glow amidst abundant greenery, extending a harvest-style theme into the holidays.

Complement natural-looking greenery with brilliant berries, glowing pomegranates, apples, lemons, pears and clementines. Realistic, beaded or spangled with “sugar,” fruit decor blends well with Christmas styles from natural to elegant. Incorporate traditional glass ornaments, pinecones and dried materials for a slightly heritage feel.

This softer side of Christmas holds particular appeal for those who prefer simplicity over formality, glitz or glitter. The look brings the outside in through the use of realistic greenery, pinecones, wood, twigs, berries and other natural materials. The loose look of Norfolk pine typifies this aesthetic, as do burlap, paper, woven textures and subtle finishes.

The overall aesthetic is serene and restrained. Go green by using pine greenery in a mixture of textures and styles, moss. Add ornaments in shades from sage to basil to greeny blacks. Mix in matte finishes and natural wood accents. Skip flocked or frosted treatments in favor of a more life-like tree, garland and wreath. Decorate simply with paper ornaments, wood accents and a scattering of warm white lights. Add a little shine with transparent glass ornaments in soft colors.

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The polar opposite of a natural Christmas, this exuberant look takes whimsy to the next level! Rainbow, neon, iridescent, Santa’s elves, fairytale, candyland, peppermint, gingerbread and circus themes all fall into this fanciful style. Let your imagination loose and explore your fun-loving side with colorful lights, playful decorations, oversized ornaments and vivid ribbons. The goal is less about matching than reflecting your personality.

Whimsy is open to interpretation, with the emphasis on fun! Multicolor lights and colorful decorations play starring roles, backed up with plenty of texture and shine from ornaments, tree picks, garland and bows. Nothing is subtle here. Express your style through unique ornaments, themes and color combinations.

A number of emerging styles suggest the desire for a cozy Christmas escape – whether that’s an alpine lodge, a cabin in the woods or the seashore. We’ve seen similar Christmas trends in the form of Cottage Core and Scandi styles, but these variations feel more personal. Pick your happy winter hideaway and build a look around it.

Think ski lodge style with a fun twist. Vintage skis and retro wooden sleds are standard for this style, but you also might find a plush gnome or a Yeti peeking out from behind a tree. Include nostalgic and rustic elements like old ski resort signs, skier and ski lift ornaments. Snowflakes, wool and wood suggest a natural palette, with faded reds and time-washed blues that hint of cottage and cabin styling. Throw in some realistic pine accents, faux fur and sweater knits for extra texture.

Coastal elements blend with colors and images specific to New England: fisherman's sweater knits, seashells, natural wood, rope and woven elements. Neutral sandy and wood tones are punctuated with brighter pops of lobster red and buoy orange, with a range of blues and greens drawn from the ocean and sky.

Picture a cozy log cabin nestled in the snowy woods. That’s the inspiration for a look that features soft whites and pine greens, snowflakes and rustic wood. Incorporate burlap and wood for texture, with plaids in muted greens and browns in shades from warm beige to mahogany. Bring in more forest elements with berries and classic or lifelike greenery, and maybe a woodland creature or two.

Many people are happy to decorate their tree year after year with the same set of ornaments collected over time. If you’re reading about Christmas decorating trends, however, you’re probably not one of them!

If you’re considering updating the look of your tree this year, pick a style that speaks to you and build a collection of ornaments and decor around it.

Ready? Let’s get started!

Check out the theme-related products on this page and browse Christmas Central for more ornaments and decorations for the coming season!