2026 Christmas Decor Trends: Bows, Tartans, Plaids, Velvet, Burgandy and More

I don't know about you, but once October hits, I start thinking about Christmas...I know that's backwards since I hold on to summer for so long haha.

And this year, I have been paying extra attention to what designers, home stores, and even the big retailers are putting out for the holiday season because there is a definite shift happening with Christmas decor for 2026.

And honestly? I'm here for it.

Christmas this year feels less like picking one theme and decorating your entire house around it and more like creating a home that looks like it has been collecting Christmas treasures for years.

We're seeing more vintage inspired pieces, traditional colors, velvet, plaid, bows, natural elements, brass, burgundy, and ornaments that actually look like something you might have found at an antique store or your grandma's house growing up.

Basically, Christmas is getting a little more collected, nostalgic, and personal.

And if you love the cottage, vintage, traditional, English inspired look as much as I do, I think you're going to love where Christmas decorating is heading in 2026.

Here are the Christmas decorating trends I'm expecting to see everywhere this year.

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1. Heritage Christmas Is Having a Major Moment

If there is one overall Christmas style that seems to be everywhere this year, it's what I would call heritage Christmas.

Think classic red and green, tartan, aged brass, wood, traditional ornaments, old-fashioned Christmas motifs and pieces that feel like they could have been passed down through your family.

Joanna Gaines' 2026 Target holiday collection leans heavily into this exact feeling with wood accents, brass, traditional red and green, and vintage-inspired pieces. Shea McGee's holiday collection for Target is doing something similar with tartan, aged brass and equestrian inspired details.

And I think this is such a refreshing change from Christmas decor that is designed to look perfect for exactly one Instagram photo.

I want my Christmas decor to look like Christmas actually happened there.

I want the slightly wonky vintage ornament. The brass candlestick. The old wooden Santa. The plaid ribbon that isn't perfectly symmetrical. The little ceramic house that reminds me of something my grandma might have had. That's the good stuff.

2. Red Is Back ... But It's Getting Richer

We've seen plenty of neutral Christmas decorating over the past few years, but 2026 is bringing color back in a big way.

And I'm not talking about neon red and bright green necessarily.

I'm talking about deep Christmas reds, burgundy, wine, cranberry and jewel tones.

Magnolia's 2026 Christmas collection, for example, incorporates burgundy throughout its holiday pieces, from stockings and bows to tree skirts and other accents.

This is one of my favorite ways to update traditional Christmas decorating because you don't have to completely change what you already own.

If you have red ornaments, don't get rid of them!

Instead, mix in some deeper burgundy velvet ribbon, a few darker ornaments, some aged brass and natural greenery.

Suddenly your old Christmas decor feels completely different.

And if you're someone who normally decorates with mostly neutrals, adding just a little bit of burgundy can give your Christmas decor that cozy, collected feeling without taking over your room.

3. The Bow Is Getting BIG

Okay, this one is hard to miss.

Bows are everywhere.

And apparently we're not interested in tiny little bows anymore. We're talking BIG bows. Oversized velvet bows. Plaid bows. Bows on Christmas trees. Bows on wreaths. Bows on mantels. Bows on presents.

And yes... giant bows on top of Christmas trees.

Anthropologie's 2026 holiday collection features its now-famous oversized bow in several new variations, including plaid and candy-cane-inspired designs. Other retailers are following right along with the oversized bow trend.

And I actually really love this trend when it's done with a little restraint.

Instead of putting 47 bows on everything in your house, try one really good oversized bow.

Put a huge velvet bow on your tree, on your front door, in the center of a wreath, or make one for your mantel.

It's one of those decorations that can completely change the look of a space without requiring a whole new collection of Christmas decor.

And if you don't want to spend $100 on a designer bow, this is also one of the easiest things to DIY.

Which, obviously, makes me like it even more.

4. Tartan and Plaid Aren't Going Anywhere

If you've been wondering whether the Ralph Lauren-inspired Christmas look is still going to be around this year...

Yep.

Very much so.

Tartan and plaid continue to show up throughout 2026 Christmas collections, from ornaments and stockings to ribbon, table linens and pillows. Good Housekeeping is also highlighting Ralph Lauren inspired plaid and velvet as one of the major holiday decorating directions for 2026.

And I think plaid works particularly well with the vintage Christmas trend because it immediately makes everything feel a little more nostalgic.

Try it in small doses:

• A plaid ribbon on the tree
• A tartan stocking
• Plaid napkins
• A plaid tablecloth
• A couple of plaid ornaments
• A pillow on a chair
• A plaid bow on a wreath

You don't need to turn your entire house into a Scottish castle. Although... I'm not completely opposed to that idea haha.

5. Vintage Christmas Is Getting Even Better

This might be my favorite trend of all.

Vintage Christmas is back in a BIG way.

And when I say vintage, I don't necessarily mean you have to find a 1950s Christmas tree at an antique store.

It's about bringing in pieces that have that old-fashioned Christmas feeling.

• Wooden ornaments.
• Old-fashioned Santas.
• Glass ornaments.
• Brass bells.
• Vintage-inspired figurines.
• Bottle brush trees
• Ceramic houses.
• Old Christmas books.
• Mercury glass.
• Handmade-looking ornaments.
• Even vintage-style wrapping paper.

There is a bigger design movement happening in interiors right now toward antiques, vintage pieces and things that have a sense of history. Designers are increasingly encouraging homeowners to mix older pieces with newer ones rather than creating rooms where everything looks like it came from the same store.

And Christmas is the perfect place to do this.

In fact, I would go shopping at a thrift store before I went shopping at a Christmas store. Give me a box of mismatched vintage ornaments over 20 identical ornaments any day.

6. Natural Christmas Decor Is Getting Softer and Simpler

Another big direction I'm seeing is the use of natural materials.

• Greenery.
• Pinecones.
• Dried oranges.
• Wood.
• Natural ribbon.
• Burlap and linen.
• Dried botanicals.
• Branches.
• Wicker.
• Even simple handmade ornaments.

The idea is to make Christmas feel connected to nature instead of covering every available surface with shiny plastic.

One of the 2026 decorating directions being highlighted by designers is a more nature led Christmas using greenery, pinecones, dried botanicals, wooden beads and earthy tones.

And this is especially beautiful in a cottage style home.

Imagine a simple cedar garland over a mantel with a few brass bells, dried oranges and velvet ribbon.

That's it.

You don't need a million decorations when the materials themselves are beautiful.

7. Velvet Is Everywhere

Velvet is having a serious Christmas moment. And I'm not mad about it. There's just something about velvet that instantly makes Christmas feel a little more special.

We're seeing it in: ribbon, bows, ornaments, stockings, pillows, tree skirts and table decor.

And my favorite colors are the deeper ones: burgundy, cranberry, forest green and classic red.

You can even use velvet ribbon in place of traditional garland on your tree. I also love velvet because it gives you that luxurious look without necessarily spending a fortune. A $10 roll of ribbon can completely change a tree.

That's my kind of Christmas decorating.

8. Christmas Trees Are Becoming More Collected

I think we're moving away from the perfectly coordinated Christmas tree. Instead, trees are becoming more layered and personal.

Think about it like decorating a room. You wouldn't buy 75 identical objects for your living room. You'd mix textures, shapes, colors and sizes. The same idea works on a Christmas tree.

Start with your basic ornaments and then add:

• Vintage ornaments
• Handmade ornaments
• Glass ornaments
• Velvet bows
• Wooden pieces
• Interesting shapes
• Family ornaments
• A few larger statement pieces

The result should look like a tree that has been collected over time. Not like you clicked "add all to cart."

And I think this is one of the biggest changes in Christmas decorating right now.

Perfect is out. Personality is in.

9. Statement Ornaments Are Replacing the Basic Ornament

I'm also noticing that stores are putting a lot more emphasis on ornaments that actually look like little pieces of art.

Anthropologie's 2026 collection, for example, includes everything from horses and antique keys to beaded glass ornaments and whimsical food-inspired pieces.

And honestly, this is where I think you can have the most fun. I've been doing this for years...think out of the box...like, what does not belong on a Christmas tree?

Instead of buying another box of red balls, look for something unexpected.

• A little pitcher.
• A vintage-looking clock.
• A teacup.
• A bird.
• A little house.
• A piece of fruit.
• A tiny lamp.
• A woodland animal.
• Something that tells a story.

Those are the ornaments that make people stop and look at your tree.

10. The Christmas Table Is Getting More Important

Christmas decorating isn't stopping at the tree anymore.

We're seeing retailers put a lot more emphasis on Christmas entertaining and tablescapes.

And this is one area where I think you can really make your home feel special without spending much money.

• Pull out your vintage dishes.
• Mix your china.
• Add plaid or block print napkins.
• Use brass candlesticks.
• Add greenery down the center.
• Bring in a few vintage ornaments.
• Use fruit or dried oranges.

And don't worry if everything matches. Actually... Please don't make everything match.

I think the prettiest Christmas tables are the ones that look collected. A little bit of old. A little bit of new. A little bit thrifted. A little bit handmade.

That's where the magic happens.

11. Christmas Is Getting More Whimsical

While traditional Christmas is definitely strong this year, there's another side of 2026 Christmas decorating that I love:

Whimsy.

We're seeing playful ornaments, woodland animals, gingerbread, colorful vintage-inspired pieces, little holiday villages and nostalgic decorations that don't take themselves too seriously.

Anthropologie's holiday collection is a perfect example of this more playful direction, while IKEA's 2026 holiday collection brings in Swedish folk-art influences, woodland motifs and whimsical lighting.

And I think the key here is balance.

You can have a very sophisticated living room and still put a goofy little mushroom ornament on the tree.

Christmas is allowed to be fun.

12. A Little Bit of '90s Christmas Is Coming Back

This one may be a little controversial...

But we're seeing nostalgia for 1990s Christmas creeping back in.

Think colorful ornaments, playful decorations, tinsel, candy-colored accents and those wonderfully nostalgic decorations that feel like childhood Christmas morning.

Good Housekeeping is specifically calling out '90s nostalgia as one of the holiday decorating aesthetics for 2026.

And I think this is another trend where you don't have to go all in. Maybe it's one colorful strand of lights. Maybe it's a handful of colorful glass ornaments mixed into your traditional tree. Maybe it's a vintage-looking Santa.

Or maybe you pull out that box of Christmas decorations you've had packed away for 20 years and actually use them again. Because honestly? Some of those things are probably cooler now than they were when you bought them.

So What Christmas Trend Am I Actually Going With?

If I had to narrow everything down, my Christmas decorating formula for 2026 would be:

Traditional Christmas + vintage finds + natural greenery + velvet + a little plaid + unique items +  lots of personality.

Basically, I want my house to feel like a cozy old home that has been decorated for Christmas year after year. Not overly perfect. Not overly themed. Not completely neutral. And definitely not filled with things that all came from the same Christmas collection.

I want red and green. I want old brass. I want wood. I want vintage ornaments. I want big velvet bows. I want plaid. I want greenery everywhere.

And I want to mix in the things I've already collected because, let's be honest, I have enough Christmas decorations.

Probably enough for three houses haha

But that doesn't mean I'm not going to find something at the thrift store that I absolutely "need." That's part of the fun.

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The Best Part About the 2026 Christmas Trends

The thing I love most about this year's trends is that you don't actually have to buy a completely new Christmas collection.

In fact, I would encourage you not to. Look at what you already have. Shop your storage room. Visit a thrift store. Check the antique mall. Make your own bows. Add some greenery. Change your ribbon. Move your ornaments around. Mix your old pieces with a few new finds. Shop your mom or grandma's Christmas collection.

Because the goal isn't to make your house look like a Christmas catalog. It's to make it feel like your Christmas.

And if 2026 is bringing anything back, I think it's that idea. Christmas should feel nostalgic. It should feel collected. It should feel a little imperfect.

And most of all... it should feel like home.

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