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35 Gorgeous Holiday Mantel Decorating Ideas

35 Gorgeous Holiday Mantel Decorating Ideas

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

Updated September 25, 2020

Transform your mantel into a focal point using our ideas for easy Christmas decorating. See how to decorate your mantel with ornaments, evergreens, pine cones, holiday figures, stockings and more.

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Lantern collection

This Minnesota homeowner fills vintage lanterns with pinecones, candles, greens and a drawing of Santa.

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No-fuss festivity

Sprigs of evergreens fill a collection of plain glass vases for clearly inspired decor.

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Gold-leaf sparkle

Credit: David Land

With a roll of Kraft paper (and a lesson in DIY gold-leaf), you can make rustic-meets-glam holiday decorations such as the paper flowers tucked into our fresh wreath or holly ornaments hung on the tree. See how to make DIY gold-leaf Kraft paper flowers and ornaments.

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Green-and-blue mantel

Lime-green lemon cypress trees stand in for a traditional swag or layers of greenery on the mantel. Wrap containers in inexpensive blue burlap, securing with pale green bows.

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Snowy wreath

Turn a store-bought pinecone wreath into a showstopping mantel display. Spray-paint the wreath gray, then add spray snow and silver glitter. Glue on cardinals and shiny red ornaments for accent color. Keep the rest of the mantel simple with faux snow and a gift.

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Christmas window

Repurpose an old window as a Christmas mantel masterpiece. Hang trinkets and ornaments in each pane of the window frame. We love the green-and-white color scheme for this display. Line several handkerchiefs along the mantel to create a chic DIY mantel scarf.

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Pinecone mantel

To create this look, "plant" larger cones in clay pots and use tiny pinecones as "mulch" over the soil of a dwarf arborvitae. Scatter more pinecones and juniper sprigs across the mantel to continue the nature theme.

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Candles and glass

Coordinated colors of vases, glasses and candleholders create a simple but elegant mantel display. Use a red ribbon for a garland, and complete the color palette with sprigs of greenery.

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Gold and gilded

Kansas blogger Courtney Browning of 12th and White created this easy holiday mantel. For a touch of glitz, she spray-painted real magnolia leaves gold; shiny and matte gold balls continue the gilded theme. Instead of a traditional evergreen wreath, she hung a black-and-gold convex mirror for an unexpected element in the scene.More about this mantel

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Vintage shine

Vintage mercury glass trees and balls shine on this mantel.

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Christmas carnations

Red carnation wreaths look elegant over this Christmas mantel. To make fresh wreaths, soak a florist's foam shape in water. Trim carnation stems to about 3 inches and insert into forms; you'll need about 50 carnations for a 12-inch diameter wreath. You can also craft pretty-and long-lasting-wreaths with artificial flowers.

Accent with containers of shiny red and green ornaments along your mantel.

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Natural with a twist

Kansas blogger Courtney Browning of 12th and White created this easy holiday mantel using natural elements such as pinecones, topiaries and a boxwood wreath. More about this mantel

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Natural simplicity

Celebrate the season's simple joys by creating a free-flowing look with just three natural materials: green apples, pinecones and long-needle evergreen branches.

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Extra ornaments

Turn surplus ornaments into an easy-and dazzling-holiday display. Decorate a mantel by coordinating colors of ornaments in urns, vases, goblets and bowls of different sizes. Finish with bright green pine branches for a woodsy touch.

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Christmas countdown

Turn your mantel into countdown to Christmas by hanging an advent calendar on the front and adding a pretty paper wreath above.

Paper Source wreath kit Chicago-based Paper Source makes holiday crafting easy with a variety of wreath kits. Great for beginner crafters! paper-source.com

Do-it-yourself Advent calendar Give family and holiday guests a festive fireplace surprise. Pop pieces of candy, small toys or clues (to find larger gifts hidden in the house) in 24 tiny envelopes or muslin bags. Rubber-stamp numbers on circular labels to seal envelope flaps, or write numbers on bags with a marker. Hang envelopes or bags along the mantel with mini clothespins. Shop your local crafts store for similar supplies or try Paper Source.

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Red-and-green cheer

Fabric doilies shaped into trees and spray-painted red stand next to a lime green homemade wreath on this cheery holiday mantel. The petals and flowers of the wreath are cut-up newspapers spray-painted green.

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Creative stockings

A simple mantel arrangement complements whimsical Christmas stockings. Draw some colors from your stockings into the mantel for a cohesive look. Here, colorful ornaments, white candles and evergreen garland complete the display.

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Start with what you have

The easiest mantel decorations grow out of what's already there (or what you have around the house). Here, a mirror, heirloom clock, tarnished silver pieces and stacked books get dressed up for the holidays with simple greens and pinecones.

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Winter wonderland

A touch of winter white stands out against the sparkly wall. Display an assortment of white items, such as frames, candlesticks, vases, ornaments and holiday figurines.

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La la la

Cover your mantel with fresh evergreen branches and hang two types of ornaments on sheer white ribbon: clear plastic ornaments that you fill with strips of metallic gold foil and large circular chalkboard ornaments. If you can't find any chalkboard ornaments, you can always make your own by applying green chalkboard paint to wood or cardboard. Remove ornaments before using the fireplace and rehang them when you're finished.

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Striking wreath display

Hang your wreath on an unusual item, such as this old garden gate, for an eye-catching display. Other holders that can easily lean on a mantel: vintage shutters, fencing sections, trellises, window frames or a wooden sled. Frame the arrangement with candles, topiaries or vases.

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Color pops

Accent mostly-white decorating with pops of bright red and green. Run white tinsel along your mantel and put red and green ornaments on top. Hang a red and a green stocking from the mantel to complete the look.

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Red-and-white wonderland

A rosy wreath makes the perfect backdrop to this elegant winter vignette. Create a faux forest by wrapping festive paper and cloth over foam cones; hot-glue to secure. Use varying sizes of felt balls for "snow."

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Candy jar mantel

Fill clear glass containers with candy that coordinates with your color scheme for an easy mantel or tabletop decoration.

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Lovely leaves

Fabric leaves glued to a velvet ribbon make a simple garland for a mantel - or a buffet table.

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Festive amaryllis

Red and red-tip amaryllis blooms pop out of a rustic collection of birch-bark vases.

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Art for impact

Kansas blogger Courtney Browning of 12th and White added to the charm of her Christmas mantel by printing a free vintage pine tree and framing it. (Find the printable here.) More about this mantel

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Country chic

Create a rustic Christmas feel by making plaid stockings the centerpiece of your mantel. Accent them with pinecones, carved wooden statues and simple candles.

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Ornaments and pine

For this fresh look, cover your mantel in small pine branches and tuck in pine cones and red and silver ornaments. Dangle more ornaments from the mantel (secure ornaments with tape or Command hooks). These homeowners created ornaments each year from the bottom inch of their Christmas tree. When you buy your fresh Christmas tree, ask to have the bottom inch cut off and save it. Any type of tree will work.

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Flower power

Wow guests with a mantel of green flower "presents" and fresh red flowers. Use pearl-top straight pins to attach green-tinted mini mums to foam squares, then tie on red velvet ribbon bows. Accent the scene with glass vases filled with red tulips, amaryllis heads and berry branches.

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Nature's mantel

To jazz up a boxwood wreath, we tucked in hypericum berries then wired on a magnolia branch, feathers, pinecones and an antique bugle. Finally, we wrapped burlap ribbon around the wreath. A blanket tops the mantel, and we made a small tree by covering a floral foam cone in boxwood clippings.

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Tiny touches

Just a few touches make a special scene. Here, we planted baby Norfolk Island pines in vintage transferware bowls and covered the soil with acorns and nuts. Keep the look natural using red pears and green leaves to finish the arrangement.

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Book lovers mantel

Reuse old or damaged books to create this pretty Christmas mantel project. Wrap an old box in book pages and tie on a simple bow. Add sparkle with glittery ornaments.

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Glittering statement

The combination of old and new ornaments layers on the charm in this wreath, made from glass ball ornaments hot-glued to a foam wreath form. For a sparkling mantel to match the wreath, coat foam cones with spray-on glue then tinsel glitter. When dry, seal with an acrylic clear-coat spray.

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Meaningful mantel

Make a statement over a fireplace with a homemade felt "scarf." We spelled out peace and paired that with a large-scale dove. Emphasize the message with simple mantel decor: wood candlesticks, greens, a few red ornaments, a pinecone spray-painted white and a wreath made from faux antlers. How to make 9 holiday felt projects

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35 Gorgeous Holiday Mantel Decorating Ideas

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Lantern collection

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No-fuss festivity

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Gold-leaf sparkle

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Green-and-blue mantel

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Snowy wreath

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Christmas window

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Pinecone mantel

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Candles and glass

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Gold and gilded

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Vintage shine

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Christmas carnations

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Natural with a twist

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Natural simplicity

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Extra ornaments

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Christmas countdown

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Red-and-green cheer

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Creative stockings

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Start with what you have

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Winter wonderland

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La la la

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Striking wreath display

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Color pops

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Red-and-white wonderland

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Candy jar mantel

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Lovely leaves

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Festive amaryllis