Deck the Halls . . . And the Kitchen
The stockings are hung by the chimney with care. The outside of the house is sparkling, National Lampoon style. You’re rocking around the perfectly decorated Christmas tree.
You’ve planned the feast, complete with rare Who roast beast. You’ve got more snow globes displayed than the Wet Bandits. Your hot chocolate recipe is good enough to impress Judy. Is there anything you’ve overlooked?
What about the kitchen? It’s the center of all holiday deliciousness. You might spend more time in the kitchen this season than at any other time of year. The kitchen should be as festively decorated as any other part of the house.
Don’t worry, decorating the kitchen isn’t nearly as difficult as working your way through the seven levels of the candy cane forest. Here are some simple kitchen holiday decorating ideas to get you started.
Mini Trees
Add some miniature trees to your kitchen complete with decorations and you’ll have instant holiday cheer. These can be bitty pine trees, shaped rosemary plants, or poinsettias. Real or fake, these little trees mirror decorations throughout the rest of the house. They are a simple way to bring a festive air to the kitchen.
Place them on open shelves, flank the sink, dedicate a corner of the island, mini trees are welcome anywhere in the kitchen.
Garlands
Garlands are another simple way to introduce holiday cheer. They are one of the most versatile decorations. You can use trimmings from a live pine tree to make a garland. Create red, green, and black paper chains for Kwanzaa decor. Strings of popcorn and berries or branches of winterberries also make great garlands.
Drape them over the top of the cabinets, spread them across open shelves, or nestle them up against the backsplash. Garlands are easy to find a home for in the kitchen. Dress them up with twinkle lights and a few baubles to double the decorative power.
Wreaths
Wreaths are especially suited for the kitchen because there are so many doors. Use full-size wreaths for pantry doors and smaller versions for cabinet doors. Use ribbon to hang them for added color.
Wreaths are great on windows too. They are visible from inside and outside for double the effect. Wreaths on the back of chairs or backed bar stools are cheery as well.
Pine wreaths are traditional, but think outside the box and try grapevine, winterberry, or a kente cloth wreath instead.
Hot Chocolate Station
The season wouldn’t be complete without “hot! hot! hot chocolate!” Make it a perpetual fixture and item of decoration on the corner of the island this holiday season.
Use a tiered tray to organize all the implements, like mugs, mini marshmallows, candy canes, stirring sticks, instant hot chocolate, etc. Add a few decorative elements, and voila, you have a decoration that doubles as the center of all hot chocolate action this season.
Swag
It’s not the kind of swag you’re thinking of. The gently curving drape of a pine bough is what we mean. These are like miniature garlands that you can tuck in just about anywhere. They can be simple pine boughs but they are often decorated with bows and baubles as well. A swag can be made of anything you can drape, like festive fabrics.
Small enough and light enough to go on anything, drape them on the chandelier or over the doorway. A swag is a little tidbit of joy that can be used to spruce (no pun intended) up any kitchen.
Vignette
‘Tis the season for storytelling. Whatever story you want to tell this season, do it in the kitchen with a vignette on an open shelf. It’s the perfect place for the elf to hang out. It’s also well suited to a nativity or advent calendar.
Collections are excellent subjects for creating a vignette. Bring out your dreidel collection and display elegantly amongst your holiday china. It’s also a great way to show off your santa or snowman mug collection.
Tablescape
Set the table so it’s ready to entertain at a moment’s notice. What other time of year can you deck your dining space with centerpieces that take up almost the whole table, your collection of menorahs, or the red and green plaid napkins?
Get creative and add mkeka mats as placemats or make your own with interwoven strips of paper. No matter which holiday you’re celebrating, make sure there’s plenty of levels, textures, and some metallic bling.
Gingerbread House
The kitchen is the ideal spot to display your traditional gingerbread creation, especially if you and yours plan on pinching off a corner every now and then.
Create a tiny gingerbread village or build a tiered display. Give your gingerbread a treasured spot in the kitchen where everyone can enjoy your creativity.
Festive Towels
They may be cheesy, but everyone has at least one holiday towel that makes an appearance each year. It wouldn’t be the same without them.
Class it up a bit by getting towels that aren’t as overtly holiday themed as your gingerbread men or santa towels. A nice red plaid or buffalo check towel can be festive without the cheese.
Lights
Twinkle lights, candlelight, and lanterns are at the center of every holiday decor scheme. They add that holiday magic that carries your decorations into the evening hours and completes your design.
Make sure you add lights to wreaths, garlands, and swags. Make a big deal of the candle lighting on your kinara or menorah. Battery operated candles allow you to enjoy fire-like light without the risk. Some of these come with timers so you can set it to turn on and off automatically.
Word Art
Run down to your favorite craft store for a cute and festive plaque to add to your kitchen. You can find just about any sentiment to complete your holiday decor. Or make your own with a chalkboard or a letter board. Displaying your holiday cards is another fun way to add some word art with added meaning.
Hang word art on the wall or frame it and let it sit on a shelf. Lean it against the backsplash or tuck it into a garland. These literal messages can go anywhere.
Don’t consider holiday decorating done until the kitchen has joined the fun. One (or many) of these kitchen holiday decorating ideas should transform your kitchen into a cozy center of holiday celebration.
Need to do a few refresh projects before you start decorating? Try out one of these updates you can do in a weekend.
