12 Ways to Enjoy Your Christmas Decorations All Year Long

Have you ever asked yourself, “How can I reuse my Christmas decorations at other times of the year?” Year-round Christmas decor is a fun way to keep your favorite holiday pieces in your home well past December. Nothing says you can’t enjoy twinkling lights on a summer night, or keep a treasured ornament on display in your living room in April.

You might not want Santas and snowmen on the shelves in July. But there are plenty of subtle, tasteful ways to use your holiday decor after the season ends. More and more people leave their lights and ornaments up into summer, or all year, repurposing them for seasonal displays.

You’ve heard of the twelve days of Christmas. Here are twelve creative ideas for using Christmas decor in any season.

1. Use Silver and Gold Decor in Any Season

Shiny, textured metallics come in endless shapes and work with almost any color scheme. Our glass ornaments and Opulence ornaments in silver and gold are elegant accents that look at home in spring, summer, fall and winter. A little goes a long way, so use metallics as accents rather than the main event.

2. Try a Monochromatic Color Scheme

Pack away the traditional red and green and build your look around a single color. Mix tones, shades and tints of that color so the space doesn’t feel flat. Add a pop of accent color with ribbons and bows or themed ornaments. You can also bring in texture and pattern with ball garlands and floral stems, which change how light moves through a room.

3. Display Your Lights All Year

White lights always work for indoor accents and for porch and patio displays. Colored lights add whimsy when used with care. LED string lights can do much more than wrap a tree, from lighting pumpkin luminaries to outlining illuminated wall art. They’re energy efficient, so running them year-round costs very little. Battery-operated lights are handy for places without an outlet. Red, white and blue strands are perfect for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. You can browse everything on our Christmas lights page.

4. Add Warmth With Cozy Winter Decor

The months after Christmas are cold, but your decor doesn’t have to be. Cozy touches that recall the holidays can lift your mood and extend the life of your collection.

• Hang paper snowflakes on thin cords in front of a large window or from the ceiling.
• Group crystal snowflakes among white or silver pieces for a warm, shimmery glow.
• Set a cluster of crystal and silver trees from our tabletop decor collection on the dining table for an evening get-together.
• Add polar bears, deer and water globes for winter charm that isn’t tied to December 25th.
• Try a flocked tree for a snowy look that lasts all winter.

5. Transform Wreaths With a Bow Change

A cheerful green wreath can stay up all winter with a quick bow swap for Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Wreaths with berries or neutral styling, like grapevine, can stay on the door all year. For a wintery touch, drape garland across the mantel or down a staircase, and find fresh ribbons and bows to change the look with each season.

6. Spotlight Your Favorite Ornaments

Beautiful ornaments don’t have to spend the year in a closet. Hang them like museum pieces in front of a window or from the ceiling. A conversation-starting signature ornament will delight guests and remind you of the holidays. If you need more, you can shop our full selection, since we’re here for Christmas decor all year.

7. Use Tabletop Decor Throughout the Seasons

Tabletop pieces bring warmth and elegance to a mantel, countertop or dinner table at any time of year. Rearrange colors and shapes, or swap holders, to keep things fresh. Green and white arrangements look lovely around plants. For Valentine’s, red and white accents set a romantic mood. Explore our tabletop decor and Valentine’s collection for ideas.

8. Display Your Collectibles in New Ways

If you love your Christmas collectibles as much as we do, let them shine beyond December. Many pieces are winter-themed rather than strictly Christmas-themed, so you can display them before and after the holiday. Villages and figurines without Santas, reindeer or Christmas trees look right at home on tables or in display cabinets. Our designer collections are a good place to start:

• Department 56 for collectible villages and lit houses
• Mark Roberts for hand-numbered fairies
• Karen Didion for character pieces
• Katherine’s Collection for dolls and figurines

9. Repurpose Pine Cone Accents

A bowl of pine cones, real or artificial, adds rustic charm to any table. Spray them with glitter and hang them from mirrors or windows for a nature-inspired sparkle. They’re especially lovely in autumn and winter, but they also add a cozy touch in summer. Holiday flowers, stems and picks and greenery often work beautifully in displays for other seasons, like our harvest collection.

10. Take Your Ornaments Outdoors

Christmas ornaments aren’t just for indoors. Glass or shatterproof ornaments look enchanting hanging from tree branches or garden structures, and sunlight bounces their colors around a patio. Hang them from a short shepherd’s hook to make your flower beds look like fairy haunts. Add birds and butterflies for a garden feel, or browse our summer collection.

11. Keep Your Tree Up and Change It Seasonally

Decorating a Christmas tree for every season is a creative project the whole family can enjoy. The ideas are nearly limitless. Switch to Easter colors in spring, add red, white and blue for the Fourth of July, then move to Halloween and harvest in the fall. Use store-bought pieces, family-made decor, or whatever suits your style. Our tree decor and seasonal shops are full of inspiration.

12. Always Think Outside the Ornament Box

There are countless places to use ornaments as accents. They make perfect sun-catchers in a window, or hang them above houseplants for a dreamy garden effect. Old Christmas decor is also great material for your next DIY project, and fresh ribbons, stems and flowers can finish it off.

Have Fun With It!

Decking the halls for any occasion is more fun than stashing everything in boxes. Don’t limit yourself to these suggestions. Dream up as many ways as you can to display your favorite pieces in every season.

Why not start today? Dig through your own stash, or browse our newest arrivals and current sale items.