24 Christmas Decoration Mistakes to Avoid in Your Home

Saturate the living room with ornaments and colorful lights, install oversized trees and unbalance the overall decoration of the home are some common mistakes we make on Christmas Eve. Read on and learn more.
24 Christmas Decoration Mistakes to Avoid in Your Home

Written by Jonatan Menguez

Last update: 19 December, 2023

Between the rush of organizing and preparing dinner, it’s surprisingly common to make Christmas decoration mistakes when decorating your home for the holidays. Make sure to welcome your family and friends with a correct arrangement of colors, space, and decorations for this unique holiday in the year.

Read on and find out what you should avoid when organizing your home for the next Christmas Eve!

Learn the 24 most common Christmas decoration mistakes

Although the decoration at this time has to do with a range of colors and specific objects, oversaturation and poor choices are common. From an interior design perspective, there are central issues such as the harmony of tones and spaces, the position of the tree, and the decoration of the table. Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes to avoid, to achieve a cozy and pleasant atmosphere at Christmas.

1. Neglecting other environments

Before reaching the living room, the main space in the Christmas decoration, don’t forget to leave some reference to the holiday in other rooms. Above all, make sure to do this in the kitchen, where guests may come for a while to help out or visit.

Opt for garlands, stars, or a small tree on the countertop. You can do the same in bedrooms and even in the bathroom, as long as it’s subtle.

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2. Overloading your home with Christmas decorations

One of the most frequent mistakes in Christmas decoration is to overload spaces with decorations. The tree, stars, mangers, and other symbols are part of the typical image, but it’s not necessary to put them all together. It’s better to have fewer and more well-organized objects, leaving a comfortable place for the passage.

One of the most frequent mistakes is to overload the house with decorations.

3. Making bad combinations

It’s true: Christmas is full of ornaments of all kinds. Balls, bows, toys, garlands. However, it’s important to take care of certain combinations so as not to displease from the visual point of view.

For example, if you use red tablecloths, try to stay in the same range for curtains and central decorations. Try to use gold and silver in a subtle way, since they are colors that symbolize prosperity.

4. Christmas decoration mistakes: Featuring too much gold

And this brings us to another common mistake. Due to the strong symbolism of this color at parties, which stars in ornaments and stars, its presence is often abused. Because of its shiny nature, it tends to saturate quickly, so apply it judiciously.

Using too much gold will oversaturate your Christmas decorations.

5. Oversataturating your decorations with green

What is the other typical Christmas color? Of course, the green of the tree. And that’s where it should be appreciated, but it doesn’t need to spread to the whole room. The combination of this shade and red is common on festive dates, although they should be placed subtly.

6. Choosing a very tall tree

It’s important to adjust the tree to the space available in the room. Generally, a 6-foot tree is recommended, with a star of about 20 centimeters and between 30 and 40 ornaments. Don’t get carried away with large, oversized specimens.

7. Opting for a very small tree

The opposite is also often the case, that is, the selection of a very short or thin specimen. This mistake can generate a feeling of artificiality in the environment, so we recommend you try to find the right size tree.

8. Placing too few ornaments

Saturation can be a design problem, but so can scarcity. An almost empty Christmas tree is far from summoning happiness and abundance. Try to find a balance in terms of quantity and distribution of balls and ornaments.

9. Badly arranging the ornaments

Arranging the ornaments in such a way that there are many in one part and few in others, produces visual imbalance. Try to get on a bench, if necessary, and start the distribution from top to bottom, always placing them evenly.

10. Christmas decoration mistakes: Having too many baubles with different sizes

It’s likely that Christmas decorations accumulate from one year to another, and that they belong to different purchases. However, it’s not a good idea to place ornaments of very dissimilar sizes. The tree should have a harmony of colors and shapes.

In addition, the size of the ornaments is subject to the size of the tree. The smaller the tree, the smaller the ornaments should be.

11. Using tableware and fabrics with Christmas motifs

It may be a nice detail for some people, but it’s unnecessary and these can only be used once a year. It’s best to use quality tablecloths, curtains, and dishes that, at the same time, have a tone according to the celebration. You will be able to enjoy these elements during any event.

12. No planning

In the rush to get everything in time for the reception of guests, it’s common to place the decoration without prior planning. In this way, the decorations don’t have any rhyme or reason and it’s even possible to forget certain details. Sit down and think about where to start and how to finish the task.

13. Forgetting personal tastes

Although Christmas decorations have traditional motifs, colors, and symbols, it’s also possible to combine them with personal preferences. Be sure to give your touch to the style you choose for the home.

14. Going overboard with the lighting

Light is indispensable on Christmas Eve. It represents life and is a central part of the decorative aspect. However, it isn’t necessary to dazzle your guests. Opt for LED lights and a few candles that add handcrafted details. Also, you can light the tree subtly with warm tones.

15. Christmas decoration mistakes: Not having enough light

Just as exaggerated light is a mistake, so is too little. Decorate the dressers with some candles, light your tree, and place garlands in a subtle and balanced way.

16. Choosing a strange tree color

It’s better to give a personal touch to the details of the table or ornaments. As for the tone of the tree, it’s recommended to stick to the classic: that is, green. As an alternative, in cases where it combines with the rest of the house, you can opt for white.

17. Do not put a base on the tree

Everyone knows that most Christmas trees are artificial. But this does not mean that the base should be left in sight since it affects the decoration. You can cover it with a planter, gifts around it, or other decorations.

18. Forgetting a wreath

One of the focal points of Christmas decoration is the wreath. This is a detail at the reception that all guests will notice. It’s even likely to be the first thing they see, so it’s best to opt for specimens decorated with pine or eucalyptus.

19. Choosing the wrong location for the tree

The main decoration of the evening has to stand out. Even if it’s small in size, it should not be relegated to a dark part of the room. Give it a central place where it will attract attention, but without obstructing the passage.

20. Misplacing the nativity scene

A nativity scene is another important detail in the Christmas decoration. Beyond its size and number of figures, it’s valuable that the scene is understood and moves the guests. The location depends on its dimensions, although it’s recommended that it does not overshadow the tree.

21. Selecting the wrong materials

It’s best to reduce the use of plastic in ornaments and replace it with paper or wood, which links the tree with the Nordic style. You can also opt for an elegant trend with the presence of ceramics and glass, or look for other ideas to decorate for Christmas. Don’t forget to place the Advent star at the top!

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22. Christmas decoration mistakes: Putting candles on the table

Another trick on how to decorate for Christmas is to avoid placing candles on the table. This is to reduce the risk of accidents due to the contact of fire with the tablecloth. On the other hand, aromatic variants can be a good alternative for the living room, since at the table they invade the smell of the food.

23. Not including Christmas decoration foods

Christmas dishes and sweets can also be part of the decoration. Place nougat, sweets, and marzipan in an organized way and bake typical Christmas cookies.

24. Forgetting to include the children in the process

Finally, remember that this isn’t an interior design contest. Although achieving a balanced decoration is nice for you and your guests, try to share the moments with the main protagonists: the children, who can learn and enjoy many things at Christmas. Prepare food and decorate the tree together with the little ones, as well as create an unforgettable moment when handing out gifts.

Trust your skills to avoid these mistakes when decorating for Christmas

Keep in mind these tips to avoid making elementary mistakes and give your home the intimate touch that Christmas Eve deserves. Share the task with your family members and include local traditions, beyond the typical Christmas aesthetics. You can even come up with your own ideas for decorations with handmade techniques together with the children, to add personal details.


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.