I love checking out all of the wholesale markets in the first part of each year to see what each Christmas brand is up to. It’s so fun to walk around and see what trends are taking center stage and which ones are finally, finally out the door (finally black and white buffalo check). This year, I’m excited for the more detailed, complex takes on traditional styles and how many unexpected and playful trends there were. The 2024 Christmas trends are:
- Whimsical Cottagecore
- Country Club Plaid
- Sophisticated Minimalism
- Book Themed Designs
- Updated Nostalgia
- Mixed Metallics
- Runaway Imagination
Whimsical Cottagecore
Hooray for all of the woodsy, lovely cottagecore! This trend is continuing on strong and finding new palettes and ideas. Whimsical cottagecore revolves heavily around flowing and organically shaped greenery, flocked and green trees that look more natural than perfect, and lots of outdoor inspiration. You’ll find woodland creatures (owls, mice, squirrels, etc), mushrooms galore, and acorns and pinecones aplenty.
This woodland/cottagecore aesthetic has been around for several years, but its evolving to include a lot more color and whimsy. There are mushrooms in every possible color and texture. The woodland creatures have bright hats and scarves. And, there are more English cottage elements included, like ribbon bows and bunting.
Country Club Plaid
Plaid will always have a place in Christmas decor. It’s a tried and true staple that feels wintry and is visually appealing. This year’s big take on plaid is to marry it more to a country club aesthetic than a highland castle. So instead of the usual red and green plaids, you’ll see more plaids in greens and browns.
This country club plaid is seen a lot in this year’s ribbon and painted glass ornaments. Then, it’s getting paired with multiple other textures and elements to create the feeling of stabling your horse before heading to your tennis lesson. Combined with these earthy plaids are leather elements, lots of copper and champagne details, and, of course, velvet bows. This trend feels like an outdoorsy holiday at the Ralph Lauren home.
Sophisticated Minimalism
Christmas is usually the time when even minimalists go maximalist. But, while there will always be maximalism in Christmas decor, there’s been a rise in subdued and sophisticated minimalism. Oftentimes this is in the styling, so the basics (garlands, trees, etc) need to be so good that they don’t need any additional decor. That has led to some truly beautiful staples.
This trend is great because it will work in any space. To masterfully pull it off, invest in the high-quality basics. Then, add one or two items that are equally high-quality showstoppers. Think, a realistic faux tree with only a stunner of a star on top. Or, a lush, swagged staircase garland tied with beautiful ribbon knots instead of the more expected bows.
Book Themed Designs
This trend feels like it’s been a slow burn and is finally getting its due. It also seems like it could be around a while because it’s so open to creativity. Book themed Christmas decor runs a wide gamut. It can literally mean ornaments, picks, and ribbons that look like pages of a book. Or, it may be an entire tree decorated with themed items from a popular novel.
The Grinch themed trees have been popular for ages, but brands are branching out to other beloved books now. Harry Potter is the most ubiquitous after the grinch. But with the thriving BookTok culture and a deep nostalgia for childhood classics, book themed Christmas trees are on the rise.
Updated Nostalgia
Everyone loves a tree that makes them think of a Christmas tree from their past. It’s part of the magic of traditions. Nostalgic trees are on the rise, but they’re getting updates in all of the best ways. You’ll see more of the large, mid-century Christmas light strands, but these new versions won’t burn a hole through your tree. LED lights replace the old, heated lights.
Similarly, those fabulous and shiny aluminum trees are making a comeback. Luckily these new ones come prelit and are made out of a much more durable (and less sharp!) material. And get ready for all the tinsel. Designers and brands are decorating their trees to look like something Jackie Kennedy would be proud of.
Mixed Metallics
Metallics have been popular in Christmas designs for decades now. Usually, they round out a color palette or are the shiny details of a larger design, and there’s almost never more than one metallic in any design. Now, it’s time for the metallics to really shine.
This trend is coming up big for 2024. Christmas trees covered in every metallic from gunmetal to rose gold, making for one illuminated, sparkling masterpiece. You’ll also see trees that stick to either a cool or warm palette of mixed metallics. And some that are going full ombre but only in metals. The one thing you won’t see with this mixed metals trend is color. The metallics are the palette.
Runaway Imagination
The final big 2024 Christmas trend is simply: wild card. Every Christmas decor brand is really stretching themselves to come up with new and meaningful design collections. There are brands that are going hard into quirky and colorful characters. Others that have created a cocoa/coffee/marshmallow line that feels new but still appropriate. And others that are trying new ornament painting styles. There’s a lot of fresh, creative Christmas decorations that will open up new trends for the future!
What The 2024 Christmas Trends Tell Us About The Evolution of Christmas Decor
The 2024 Christmas trends are all about seeing the holiday through a new light. It’s a reminder that our traditions and decorations can still change while keeping their essence and meaning. I’m excited to see all of these new and exciting 2024 Christmas trends. It’s encouraging to see people get more involved and creative in their holiday decorating!
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