It’s time to deck the halls and fa-la-la-la-la! The Holiday season is here, which means that we’ll be seeing Christmas trees and twinkle lights reflections from every single window. The whole city gets transformed into a magical fairy tale, and we see so many awesome decoration themes that when the time comes to decorate our own place, we don’t know where to start.
If you’re tired from the same festive designs and ornaments, we know how to spice things up for you! What if, this year, you decorate your house inspired from some classic Christmas movies? Just choose the one you like the best and start creating the atmosphere of your reference. It will be an amazing challenge and a fun activity.
1. Home Alone (1990)
Admit it, who else was super jealous of the McCallisters' “mansion”? I mean, no matter how much time passes, it is still literally house goals. No wonder Harry and Marv wanted to rob it. Even before Kevin starts decorating for Christmas, it still looks festive with all the bright colors and lights around. So, how to make your place look like Kevin’s house?
The Right Color Scheme: You probably remember that the house was full of rich green and red colors. We obviously don’t recommend painting your walls or changing the furniture just for Christmas season, but you can create the same effect with different decor pieces and textiles. Add some of these colors to your bedding, pillows and blankets, curtains, and even rugs, and voilà! You’ve done the biggest part of the job.
Christmas Flowers: Kevin’s house looks like a true poinsettia shop. You can see those flowers in every room. If you’re good at gardening, we will definitely recommend getting the real ones, as you can grow them all year round and see them bloom for next Christmas. If not, artificial poinsettias will work just fine. Just remember, they are toxic to pets!
Christmas Stockings: Even if you are an adult now and don’t expect any gifts from Santa, Christmas stockings are still a nice touch to the house. The perfect place for them is the mantel, but you can hang them from any shelf or even a wall if you don’t have a fireplace.
Colorful Baubles: Remember the epic scene when Kevin sees Harry’s reflection through the tree ornament? Every time I see a red bauble, I can’t help but remember that part. So, it’s the right time to bring back the old round ornaments left from your childhood.
Final Touches: Kevin’s house was full of toys, which were used as weapons against the thieves. Find some soldier figurines, small vintage cars (you know, the ones that have a Christmas tree on top), or even the doves from the second movie and add them to your tree. And don’t forget about the lovely cheese pizza!
2. Harry Potter (2001-2011)
One can dream about Christmas at Hogwarts forever! Don’t we all instantly remember that Christmas scene from the first movie when we think of Hogwarts? The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looks extra magical during the holidays. But don’t worry, even us simple muggles can still recreate the festive fantasy in our houses!
Christmas Ornaments: The staff of Hogwarts put dozens of trees all around the Great Hall. In the scene where Professor Flitwick decorates a tree, we see lots of golden pieces -- stars, moons, baubles, birds, etc. That’s the color scheme you’re going to choose. You can also add some other Potter-y props, in case you have any merchandise.
Candle and Floating Lights: Christmas candle lights look just perfect on the branches of a tree, like true magic. As for the floating candles, hang them from your ceiling and consider your work done, as your place will already be reminiscent of the Great Hall.
Falling Snowflakes: In the original story, the professors bewitched the ceiling so that it snows the whole time. Sadly, we are incapable of doing that, but you can hang some snowflake garlands or special Christmas tin foil from your ceiling as well. Along with floating lights, it will look surreal and magical.
Antique Lamps: There’s no electricity in Hogwarts, so students have to use either lamps or the Lumos spell for sneaking out at night. You can put real or flameless candles inside these lamps and use them as a decor. Or to roam around the forbidden places -- that’s up to you.
Other Ideas: For instance, lots of old books, which will make your house look like the magical school. If you happen to have a chess set or hourglasses, bring them on as well!
3. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
The lastest adaptation of the famous Christmas story absolutely served the festive looks! This was one of those films that you can watch without even paying attention to the plot, because you’ll be busy being fascinated by the fantastic sceneries. For this movie, we’ll choose the aesthetic of Old London and try to transfer that atmosphere to the 21st century.
Various Figurines: They are a must for this reference. Try to find ballerinas, nutcrackers (obviously!), soldiers, rocking horses, and mice. Hang them from the tree or put somewhere on the shelves or the table, and every time you look at them, they’ll remind you of your childhood favorite fairy tale.
Candlesticks and Old Candleholders: To recreate the atmosphere of those olden times, add these to your table, mantel, or windowsills. Late at night, when you turn off all your lights and light them, you will definitely feel the Christmas spirit.
Traditional Colors: When you think of traditional Christmas colors, you know which trio comes straight to mind -- gold, green, and red. Choosing these tones will help you achieve those classic vibes.
Christmas Foliage: These are great additions to your interior. The real ones will provide the scent of a Christmas tree, but here’s a little tip: you can buy artificial branches and add some pine scent essential oil to them to get the perfect smell of the Holidays!
Vintage Decor Pieces: Whether it will be an old clock, an antique-style carpet, lamps, globes, or curtains. Here, everything is up to your imagination. They aren’t necessarily Christmas-y items but will help you create the perfect vintage atmosphere among the rest of the decorations.
4. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005)
Snowy Narnia looks like the perfect Winter Wonderland. If you, unlike the Pevensie children, can’t enter the magical country through your wardrobe, you can bring it to your living space. Imagine decorating your place like Narnia and then watching the movie on TV. The most magical evening of the year will be guaranteed then!
Natural Colors: Forget about the bright tones for this one. In order to create the perfect Narnia, you’ll have to choose a more earthy scheme, which means lots of white and silver (obviously -- remember all the snow and ice around!), khaki green, and dusty brown.
Snow: No, not the real stuff, of course. But make sure to add lots of snowflakes from your ceiling and walls, fluffy white throws and rugs, and other decor reminiscent of snow or icicles to your place. You can even buy some snow spray and use it for your windows and Christmas tree.
Silver Utensils: Remember that scene when Queen Jadis gives Edmund some Turkish Delight and a warm drink? The magical treats that appear out of nowhere are in gorgeous silver utensils. For your Christmas party, you can serve the food in similar silver dishes; it will be a nice addition to your table.
Nature Elements: If you want to be as authentic as possible, instead of various toys, use some nature pieces. For instance, pine cones, acorns, evergreen branches (not necessarily real ones), icicle ornaments, etc. You can also add some animal figurines that will represent the forest. If you find an Aslan or a small Ice Castle, that would be even cooler.
5. Elf (2003)
If you love bright colors and are as excited for Christmas as Buddy the Elf, then this reference is definitely for you! Elf is one of the most infectious Christmas movies; you can’t help but feel all happy and festive after watching it. And how fun it will be to live a whole month in the atmosphere of this jolly movie and character. Here's how!
Paper Garlands and Snowflakes: If you don’t have the ability to make hundreds of garlands in one night like Buddy did, then you can simply buy the decorations. Though making them yourself will be fun as well. But remember, your whole place must be filled with the paper decorations, otherwise it just won’t make sense.
Candy Cane Theme: One of the main things Buddy loved eating was candy canes. So, make sure to add lots of these beautiful Christmas candies and decors to your house. You can imitate the candy cane print on different ornaments or do DIY from the candy itself.
Elf’s Clothes: One of the most prominent things of the movie is Buddy’s costume. If you find something similar and wear it throughout the whole December, then every time you look in the mirror, you’ll definitely smile and cheer up. Trust us on this.
Lots of Colors: For Narnia’s aesthetic, we were recommending to put aside all bright colors, but for this reference, we’re suggesting the exact opposite. Bring on as many saturated colors as you can so your whole house will look like an explosion of confetti. Or Santa’s workshop.
Christmas Playlist: This is actually essential for all the movie inspirations mentioned above, because once you put the soundtrack of your chosen movie on, you can’t help but already feel the atmosphere of that movie. But for Elf, it is extra important, because as we know, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” So, don’t forget to listen to all the best Christmas hits throughout the festive month and sing along!
Which movie will become your Christmas reference this year?