Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Decor 70 Ways To Decorate With Fresh Christmas Greenery Fresh greenery everywhere the eye can see. By Southern Living Editors Updated on December 15, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ; STYLING: PAGE MULLINS We like to bring the Christmas spirit into every room in the house, and even outside the house too. Most of all, we even like to bring what’s outside, in. One of our favorite things to use is fresh greenery that screams "the holidays are here!" There are so many fresh Christmas greenery choices out there including magnolia, pine, boxwood, and cypress. We've gathered together plenty of ideas on how to use these fresh pieces and more in each room of your house. From mantels put to work with an abundance of greenery, to fresh staircase railing adornments, and festive ways to literally spruce up both the holiday table and your bedspread, we’re putting our green thumbs to work all over the house. Not only do these additions ring in the season visually, but they make the house smell like a Christmas tree farm too. Here’s 70 crafty ways to decorate your home with greenery. 01 of 70 Window Dressing Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller If you have a large window in your home that doesn't usually have treatments, go ahead and hang a simple garland here to frame your space. The result will be a room framed with fresh Christmas greenery. 02 of 70 Tropical Punch Laurey W. Glenn; Floral Design: Mary Cox Brown; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Citrus adds a pop of color to an all-natural palette. To create these fruity wreaths, pierce clementines with florist wire and wrap the wire around the frame of a wreath to secure them. Make sure to mist the wreaths with water every few days, especially if they're in direct sunlight. 03 of 70 Glowing Centerpiece Photo: Allison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Scatter votives of different sizes throughout fresh greenery on the table for a simple centerpiece that doesn't have to be watered. A small vase is also filled with loose greenery for additional interest. 04 of 70 Silver, Green, And A Touch Of Red Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Combine three traditional holiday colors for a classic mantel. A wreath of Fraser fir, pine, and cypress is complemented with matching garland. Weave silver beaded garland throughout the greenery and hang oversized, silver pinecones at the ends. Incorporate red touches with a fresh rose arrangement and a few red ribbons. 05 of 70 Golden Touch Laurey W. Glenn; Floral Design: Mary Cox Brown; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Touches of gold elevate staircase greenery. Zip-tie garlands to the banister to hold them securely in place and tuck bunches of magnolia leaves (green sides up) and hydrangeas into the arrangement, topping it all off with some ribbon tied into loose bows. 06 of 70 Brilliant Berries Antonis Achilleos; Produced By Buffy Hargett Miller For a mix of traditional and modern, use mercury glass teardrop vases to hold bright holly berries, available from florists and garden shops. Leaning on warm orange and red hues, we added some mandarins and pomegranates for texture, color, and fragrance. Kept in fresh water, the berries should last up to three weeks. 07 of 70 Liven Up The Entry Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lilt Floral Design Don't let the living room have all the holiday fun. Make a playful statement in this welcoming area with a garland-draped, stocking-bedecked banister. Tie the stockings directly to the balustrade, not the garland. Lastly, loop on ribbons. Secure the main garland to the banister first, and then use wire to add sprigs of another type of greenery. 08 of 70 Christmas Creatures Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper Don't forget to decorate your statues during the holidays. The deer get wreaths around their necks and ornaments hanging from their antlers. 09 of 70 A Little Party On The Side Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins This sideboard and mirror get in on the festivities with a modern garland and a few hurricanes filled with greenery and ornaments. Cedar is the greenery of choice here, perfect for draping over a mirror to spill over its edges. An asymmetrical garland on this buffet mirror puts a modern spin on traditional decorations. 10 of 70 Natural Texture Photo: Allison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling A pair of naturally shed elk antlers are embellished with a simple Fraser fir garland with additional clippings of boxwood, magnolia, and cedar for a mantel display that is a little bit rustic, and a whole lot chic. 11 of 70 Go Big Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Adorn your porch, front doors, and windows with extra-thick garland and wreaths. Here magnolia, cypress, and pinecones work well with the home's facade. 12 of 70 Magnolia Swag Laurey W. Glenn Top a decorative piece in your house with magnolia swag with pinecones. Hang a few paper ornaments from the swag for an extra touch of holiday cheer. 13 of 70 A Side Of Cheer Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins Instead of draping garland across the furniture, go high and add boughs of cedar to the tops of artwork. If you have an existing gallery wall or a collection of family photographs, you can dress up the display with boughs of cedar and bright red ribbon sashes. On a table or bookshelf below, stack books to give candlesticks even more presence and help protect furniture. 14 of 70 Over-Served To Perfection Laurey W. Glenn Don't be afraid to go all out with greenery. Here, you can find fresh greenery draped over the art, on the chandelier, and hung from the chair backs. 15 of 70 Simple Swag Dressed Up Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller and Elly Poston Cooper A traditional boxwood garland is dressed up around the doorway with trailing ribbons and silver ornaments. Cut different lengths of ribbon, string the balls, and knot the lengths together before attaching to the door frame. 16 of 70 Let It Shine Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas and Buffy Hargett Miller Create a unique garland with lemons and magnolia leaves to hang anywhere in your house. Use heavy florist wire to string the lemons and magnolia leaves together and knot the ends to secure. We draped our lemon garland around a mirror on the fireplace and adorned the mantel with traditional garland and additional lemons. 17 of 70 Down-Low Decor Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins Guests at a dinner party can see each other and have conversations easily across a pine-garland centerpiece. Recreate this look by laying a wispy length of pine as a green runner on your tabletop and placing special treasures where you can see them best, right on the table. Vintage family ornaments are both stylish and nostalgic, so if you have a few from your grandmother's collection, display them here. Mini stockings with stems of boxwood work as place cards and gifts for guests, too. 18 of 70 Sugar Plum Dreams Laurey W. Glenn Don't forget to decorate your kid's room. Top their bed with a swag of fresh greenery for extra Christmas cheer. 19 of 70 Showstopper Stairs Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller and Elly Poston Cooper Cascade boxwood garland and ribbon down the banister. When you're ready to entertain, dress up the garland with fresh hydrangeas, succulents, and seeded eucalyptus. Use a floral foam cage with a bow and trailing ornaments and attach to the banister with coated wire. 20 of 70 Say Cheers Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins Designate a couple of shelves in your built-in bookcase to hold items for serving wine and cocktails when you're entertaining. A garland drape calls attention to this spot so guests know where to grab their drinks. 21 of 70 Doubled Up Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller and Elly Poston Cooper Instead of hanging one large wreath, try stacking two smaller wreaths on your door. Hang the two wreaths from fishing line. Cover the line with decorative ribbon that matches the rest of the Christmas décor. 22 of 70 Three's Company Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller A mix of seeded eucalyptus, magnolia, and spruce come together for a relaxed garland. A cluster of magnolia leaves tied with a bright blue ribbon add a little drama to this garland. 23 of 70 Give Me Gold Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller and Elly Poston Cooper Deck out any doorway with a traditional mixed garland. Go bold with spray-painted palm fronds in the corners. 24 of 70 Cool Jewel Tones Antonis Achilleos; Produced By Buffy Hargett Miller Pussy willow adds some height to a simple arrangement of pine branches with cones, displayed in an antique blue pickle jar, which can be found online or at thrift stores. A turquoise ribbon complements the colored jar and the decorative Christmas trees. The limes accentuate the green tones from the branches and connect them to the base, a large pewter tray that offers a bit of shimmer without the shine of silver. 25 of 70 Boxwood Up The Stairs Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason Instead of draping your garland up the stairs, try lining the banister with a sturdy boxwood garland. Simply lay it on top the banister and secure it in place with floral wire. 26 of 70 Bright Front Door Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas and Buffy Hargett Miller Bring some color to your Christmas wreath this season with the addition of small oranges, tangerines, and kumquats. Pick up a simple evergreen wreath and add the fruit with florist picks and wire. Hang this wreath with a fun ribbon and your guests will love walking up to your house. 27 of 70 Bountiful Bowl Laurey W. Glenn If you have loose magnolia leaves on hand, create a simple arrangement for your table. Fill a bowl with loose leaves and a few mercury glass ornaments and you're all set. 28 of 70 Let Go Of Symmetry Laurey W. Glenn Don't be afraid to create a mantle display that favors one side of your mantel. Sprigs of seeded eucalyptus and magnolia are inserted into a bay laurel-and-cedar garland for an extra zip to traditional Christmas décor. 29 of 70 Go Vertical Laurey W. Glenn Don't just swag your garland along the railing. Create vertical interest and frame your door by wrapping the posts of your porch with garland as well. We also love the use of three wreaths on each door. 30 of 70 Glorious Greens Antonis Achilleos; Produced By Buffy Hargett Miller Play up one color for extra impact. We paired clear glass containers with fruit, foliage, and ribbon in a fresh shade for an unexpected display. Arrange camellia branches in one water-filled vase and naked seeded eucalyptus in another. Place a mound of apples beneath a glass bowl. Accent with contrasting ornaments and tiny battery-powered fairy lights. 31 of 70 Aim High Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Instead of just draping your garland across the mantel, hang it all the way to the ceiling to draw the eye up. Here, a magnolia garland is hung with bright red ribbon. Finish the mantel off with some mini evergreen trees, a bushel of apples, and more red ribbon. 32 of 70 Grand Outdoors Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper Bring holiday cheer outdoors and hang garland over arches in your outdoor living space. Fasten the greenery in the center of the arch and at the beginnings of the curve for a curtain effect. 33 of 70 Romantic Garland Photo: Helen Norman; Styling: Sybil Sylvester This freeform, romantic garland comes together with thoughtful placement of artificial garland, fresh eucalyptus, and dusty miller. With the addition of vases of varying heights, you can easily replace the fresh flowers throughout the season. Silver brunia, white ranunculus, star of Bethlehem, 'Sahara' roses, eucalyptus pods, succulents, and snowberries fill out the vases and the mantel here. 34 of 70 Kitchen Joy Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Spread Christmas cheer in your kitchen without cluttering your countertops by placing garland on top of your cabinets. Here, we hung our Christmas cards merrily below. 35 of 70 Embellish With Citrus Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lilt Floral Design Drape a single Leyland cypress garland across the room's focal point. Here, it's the hood. Accentuate it with dried orange slices that are suspended from colorful ribbon streamers, and hang wreaths in the windows. Top counters with potted orchids and a bowl of oranges. 36 of 70 Chair-Back Clusters Laurey W. Glenn Hang fresh greenery bunches on the back of your dining room chairs for a festive touch. A ribbon and ornament adds a little sparkle. 37 of 70 Christmas Greetings Laurey W. Glenn Relive the joys of Christmas past and present by displaying them on your garland. Simply punch a hole in the top of each card and tie them to the garland with string. 38 of 70 Boxwood And Gold On The Mantel Photo: Laurey E. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason A simple boxwood garland draped over the mantel is complimented by gold votives, candle sticks, and a few deer. The stockings are hung with small nails instead of distracting holders. 39 of 70 Dress Up The Dining Room Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lilt Floral Design A fully set table signals that the party is about to begin. Get your dining room ready to host company with this elegant, enlightening idea. In the base of the chandelier, slip in clippings of two or three types of greenery, such as Leyland cypress, Southern red cedar, and cider gum eucalyptus. (Safety note: Don't place the greenery close to the bulbs, and mist the foliage often with water, carefully avoiding the light sockets.) Hang wreaths accented with simple blue and white ribbons throughout the rest of the room. 40 of 70 Glitzy Garland Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper Add some shine to your natural garland with a variety of oversized plastic ornaments in various colors. A few glittery birds are added to each side for extra flair. 41 of 70 Red Accents Photo: Allison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Fill your urns by your front door with fresh greenery clippings. Add festive color by spray-painting thin branches in red and group them in the center of the urns. 42 of 70 Birch Tree Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Create a different tree this Christmas with a few birch logs bundled together with fishing wire. Drape this with garland and a ribbon to match your décor. 43 of 70 Magnificent Magnolia Antonis Achilleos; Produced By Buffy Hargett Miller A wooden vessel creates a more relaxed, natural look while also hiding the florist foam, which holds the magnolias in place. To make this asymmetrical foliage arrangement, choose the longest branch first, one that reaches far enough to one side to give it a horizontal shape. Place your second-longest branch on the other side and the shortest in the center. Then accent with ornaments and fairy lights placed nearby. A helpful tip before you get to crafting: A glass vase inside the wooden container lets you water without doing any damage. 44 of 70 Elegant Banister Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins A fresh juniper garland smells heavenly and makes an elegant statement cascading down the stairway. Here, one is combined with clusters of ornaments in assorted shades and streamers of ribbon to create a polished look on the stairs. Beneath, a hurricane with greenery, metallic orbs, and a neutral pillar candle creates an understated Christmas look that can extend to New Year's. 45 of 70 Coastal Christmas Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Seeded eucalyptus, palmetto fronds, and turquoise ornaments come together for a festive and beachy look for the holidays. While we love this look for Southern seaside dwellers, it'll shine no matter how landlocked your home may be. 46 of 70 Bedroom Bundle Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Create a festive bundle to hang on guest beds by tying a small bunch of magnolia with a ribbon. Bonus points for a neutrally toned or burlap accessory. 47 of 70 Decorative Display Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller and Elly Poston Cooper Incorporate your display wall into your Christmas décor by embellishing with fresh greenery and ornaments. Don't forget your console either. Simply lay loose greenery along the table and place ornaments in the vacant spaces. 48 of 70 Welcoming Trees Laurey W. Glenn Welcome your guests with mini trees when they walk up to your door. Fill 5-gallon buckets, or pots you have on hand, with dwarf trees. Place an abundance of magnolia leaves into the bucket to give these trees extra dimension. 49 of 70 Personalized Wreath Laurey W. Glenn Create a wreath that means something to your family by making your own shape. Plastic foam was cut out in the shape of a horseshoe and filled with bay leaves. 50 of 70 Manicured Mantel Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller and Elly Poston Cooper Swag a boxwood garland wrapped in ribbon around the mantel letting the ends trail to the floor. Fill the garland out with dried hydrangeas, faux crabapples, and silver brunia berries. When guests are headed over, add fresh roses, lilies, and hydrangeas in florist picks along the center. Put out a few fresh pears on the mantel to accompany the beautiful garland. 51 of 70 Festive Sprigs Laurey W. Glenn You don't have to go all out for a holiday centerpiece. A few boughs of fresh greenery, your collection of candlesticks, and a few gold starbursts are all it takes for this table to go from boring to spectacular. 52 of 70 Fir For The Mantel Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason A layer of Fraser fir is enhanced with a few mercury glass Christmas ornaments. Drape a beaded garland down from the mantel to create more movement and interest. 53 of 70 Drape The Fireplace Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lilt Floral Design Why hide a beautiful mantel with miles of heavy red ribbon and thick greenery? Create a simple yet striking look with thin greenery and light colors (inspired by in-season pears). Cascade a single garland, like Leyland cypress, asymmetrically across the mantel. Then, embellish it with a pale pink wired ribbon. We used about 10 yards. Next, attach sprigs of fresh magnolia clippings with wire to sharpen the silhouette. Finish by placing pears and candlesticks with tall pink tapers along the top of the mantel. Complement the shape of the garland with a bouquet of quirky anemones, like we did, or ranunculus. 54 of 70 Winter Whites Antonis Achilleos; Produced By Buffy Hargett Miller Creamy white ceramics make great vessels for holiday blooms. We've mixed holly, cedar, and privet berries with white amaryllis and lime green mums. Start with foliage, placing the largest pieces first to establish the size of your display. Add flowers and berries one stem at a time to form a triangle of amaryllis, mums, and berries. Fill in with more greenery, and skirt your vase with colorful packages and ornaments. 55 of 70 Local Touches Photo: Brittany Ambridge; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Locally sourced cypress is hung from the banister and given an extra touch of Christmas décor with a few stockings attached with ribbons and ornaments. Celebrate the season and your city with this decorating strategy. 56 of 70 Fresh And Serene Photo: Allison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Pile thick garland around your front door to create a forestlike feeling. You can easily add more clippings to a ready-made garland to achieve the look you're going for. A boxwood wreath and urns with loose clippings complete the look. 57 of 70 Streamers For The Stairs Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper Instead of making bows with your ribbon, just cut strips of ribbon and create streamers to hang with your garland along the stairs. Hang a few ornaments from the streamers and your Christmas décor will feel fresh. 58 of 70 Festive Focal Point Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Keep kitchen counters clear with arrangements in your window. Silver champagne buckets are filled with fresh greenery, amaryllis and nandina berries. Frame the display with an evergreen wreath to create depth. 59 of 70 Festoon The Front Door Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lilt Floral Design On the exterior, go for a few high-impact pieces rather than small, hard-to-see details. This entry point's all-natural look started with a 25-foot Leyland cypress garland that curves around the front door's fanlight and runs down the sides, with clusters of large pinecones fastened with wire. A lush collar of magnolia leaves, loosely stuffed into the top of each topiary pot, is an effortless holiday addition to any year-round container. For the cypress-and-olive branch wreath, we attached Ballard Designs' Vintage Bell Swag and a trio of ribbons to the top center. 60 of 70 Farm Fresh Mantel Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Stop by the produce section of your grocery store and pick up colorful oranges and apples for your mantel. A base of spruce and magnolia clippings round out this well-thought-out mantel. 61 of 70 Grand Garland Hector Manuel Sanchez Take the ornaments outside by incorporating them into your entry. After sweeping premade garland over the door, wire assorted ornaments in masse at the top and scatter more down the sides. Go further and decorate mini Christmas trees with more ornaments and beaded garland. 62 of 70 Complementing Touches Photo: Brittany Ambridge; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller If you have a room with a strong point of view, go with simple holiday décor. Here a thick magnolia garland and white stockings are just enough to make this room feel festive. 63 of 70 Bedeck A Bar Cart ROBBIE CAPONETTO, STYLING: MARY BETH WETZEL Add greenery to dress up a very merry beverage station for guests to celebrate. Add a wreath above the bar cart to really set the jolly mood. 64 of 70 Mantel Masterpiece Photo: Emily J. Followill Layer on the greenery on your mantel as high as you possibly can. An overflowing arrangement will take over as a stunning show-stealer for the room. 65 of 70 Dark And Moody Megan Steele; Designed by Weeth Home If merry reds and bright greens aren't quite your speed, opt for a gloomier but equally festive greenery display. This sophisticated mantel display is made with eucalyptus, birch branches, acacia foliage, and dark berry viburnum. 66 of 70 Baby's Breath Megan Steele; Designed by Weeth Home Expand your greenery horizons and incorporate winter florals into your decor. This baby's breath wreath is equal parts pretty and festive. 67 of 70 Highlight Art Alison Gootee; Styling: Elizabeth Demos Don't let holiday decor completely distract from the beautiful elements that make themselves at home year-round. Draw attention to prized pieces by delicately draping eye-catching greenery over frames. 68 of 70 Spruced Up Sendoff Courtesy of Gracious Garlands Don't end your decorating efforts at the door. Take the festivities to your mailbox by layering on fresh greenery and embellishments. 69 of 70 Light It Up Alison Gootee; Styling: Elizabeth Demos When deciding to decorate light fixtures, it's crucial to first take fire safety into account and guarantee that any hazards are avoided. If you can manage it though, greenery threaded through an elegant chandelier will light up the whole space. 70 of 70 Fresh By The Fire Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins Unique garland, tall tapers, and pops of warm colors make for a modern mantel setting. For this look, use fresh, airy, and modern olive branches, mixing in bay leaves and silver dollar eucalyptus, too. Choose candles in varying heights and unexpected colors that match your room to tie it all together. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit