The 10 Best Holiday Decorations from Nature

‘Tis the season to decorate for the holidays! That could mean digging out tangled lights, inflatable reindeer, or other dusty decorations from the basement. It might also mean navigating the crowds to shop for holiday décor and finding the best deals. If you want a simpler way to embrace the holidays, you can find (and create) decorations from the great outdoors. Whether you’re able to forage for them yourself or visit your local nursery or flower shop, you can find the perfect holiday decorations from nature!

#1 Evergreen Foliage

Is there anything more quintessential to the holiday season than evergreen? The classic Christmas tree, wreath, or garland adds lush green accents throughout the home, while its fresh scent can conjure fond memories of past holidays. Services will rent a live tree or sell a potted tree to plant the following spring. That means lots of sustainable options that provide the fresh, aromatic experience of a living Christmas tree in your home. But when it comes to evergreen, Douglas fir and cedar greens are just scratching the surface.

Many types of plants hold their color through the winter months — even certain types of herbs! Below is a list of other types of greenery that offer varying shades of green, texture, and scent to brighten your home for the holidays.

• Magnolia: The broad, shimmering leaves have a golden-brown underside that offers warmer tones and more variety to your holiday greens.
• Eucalyptus: There are many varieties of eucalyptus, from seeded to silver dollar. Bring in softer silver tones, a soothing scent, and different textures from traditional evergreen.
• Rosemary: This herb symbolizes remembrance, making it the perfect greenery for holiday decorations and memories in the making!
• Bay laurel: You might keep bay leaf in your kitchen cabinet for comforting soups, but its scent can be enjoyed when it’s fresh, too, woven in garlands or wreaths.
• Holly: Another wintertime classic, the glossy leaves often have bright red berries. Add a pop of color and a different shape to other evergreens throughout your décor.

#2 Pinecones

Another standard of holiday décor is the pinecone. Bundle up for a winter walk and you’ll likely find different shapes and sizes that you can bring home. You can wire them into your wreath or garland, lay them out as part of your table setting, or hang them from your Christmas tree as rustic ornaments. Painting them can create a different aesthetic to brighten your decorations too!

#3 Seed Pods

Winter is the season when seeds are scattered across landscapes to germinate and sprout new growth in the spring. The pinecone is among these seed pods, or structures, that hold seeds. If you’re looking to branch out from the pinecone as décor, there are plenty of other seed pods that offer a unique look and can function similarly to pinecone decorations. Read on for a list of ideas to explore.

• Lotus pods: The large, patterned pods stand out in a Christmas tree.
• Poppy pods: Their round shape emulates the Christmas baubles or ornaments you often see in stores.
• Acorns: The perfect addition to creating a woodland decoration. You can string them up as a delicate garland or add them as the finishing touch on a wrapped gift.
• Lunaria silicles: The dried seed structure of the silver dollar plant (Lunaria annua) is a delicate, papery membrane that shimmers like ice. It can add the perfect frosty accents to your holiday decorations.
• Magnolia follicles: The seed pod is similar to the pinecone, but you may find bright red seeds still nestled inside.
• Clematis seed heads: For something truly whimsical and natural, forage for the seed heads of wild clematis vine. The plumes of snowy fluff are soft and can be easily draped in your tree for a visually striking texture.

#4 Dried Flowers and Foliage

Not only can seed pods be dried and arranged as holiday decorations, but so can flowers and foliage. Some of the greenery mentioned previously, like eucalyptus or bay, can dry to last well into the new year. The flowers below can be bought dried, or you can dry them yourself.

• Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum): These blooms come in a wide range of colors and their round, radial shape makes them look like small stars—great for accents on wreaths or ornaments on trees.
• Statice (Limonium sinuatum): This easily found flower is sold at the grocery store or your local flower shop. A bunch of white statice can create a snowy look in your decorations.
• Thistle (Echinops sphaerocephalus): The dried thistle is silvery blue emulating the crisp night skies during the winter season.
• Coxcomb (Celosia cristata): To mix up the traditional holiday color palette dried coxcomb comes in deep burgundy, pink, and fuschia.
• Ammobium alatum: This bloom also goes by winged everlasting for its ability to dry. It resembles a smaller version of the strawflower.
• Ornamental grasses: Pampas grass, woodland oats, and wheat are just a few of the wide array of grasses that can add some depth and soft neutral tones to your holiday decorations.

#5 Forced Bulbs and Blooms

Dried flowers offer a style that can be subtle or stark. If you want something vibrant there are still fresh flowers easily found. Amaryllis are big and bold enough that they could be tree-toppers; their ability to grow and bloom in winter is part of what sets them apart from other holiday decorations. You can pot the bulb in a seasonal container or basket. There’s even the option to purchase bulbs encased in wax! Watch the amaryllis sprout its first leaves and bloom during the holiday season.

Other blooming bulbs include paperwhites and hyacinth, but make sure you’re ready for strong fragrances that people tend to love or hate. Other flowering plants that aren’t bulbs include Christmas cactus and the poinsettia.

#6 Branches

Perhaps minimal upkeep is ideal for your holiday decorations. Branches can create both rustic and modern looks around your home, depending on how you style them. Below, you’ll find some choices to bring a winter tree line into your home.

• Birch: The snowy white bark is enough to make this branch a holiday decoration!
• Manzanita: Once dried, these branches are sturdy enough to provide structural support in your decorations. Their sleek-looking bark gives them a driftwood appearance that makes them a statement piece on their own, too.
• Curly Willow: The graceful and flexible branches can be gathered in a vase or suspended as part of a holiday installation. When left in water, the branches will root, so you can plant a willow tree in the spring!

#7 Moss

A walk in your yard might reveal some remaining green in the winter landscape. Certain types of moss and lichen can bring some added softness to your winter decorations. Ranging from green to gray, you can tuck it in your amaryllis pot or a garland for a fuller, more textured style.

#8 Berries

Bright red berries are another standard decoration around the holidays. The pop of bright red can add some cheer to the soft green and white around your home, but other types of berries could offer just as much seasonal beauty.

• Juniper berries: The bright blue berries are a striking and fragrant addition to any wreath or garland.
• Tallow berries (Triadica sebifera): Also known as popcorn berries, tallow berries are often sold in bundles.
• Ilex berries (Ilex verticillata): You can plant the Ilex berries or winterberries as a shrub in your yard or bring cut stems in for your holiday decorations. Even a single stem of the bright berries can offer a minimal but seasonal decoration for your home.
• Hypericum berries (Hypericum androsaemum): Another plant found at your grocery store, hypericum berries come in shades of cream, red, and green. Tuck them into your evergreen for a pop of color.

#9 Feathers and Antlers

If you’re after a rustic look, feathers and antlers offer a masculine style fit for a cozy lodge. Whether you know a hunter or have a specialty garden center close by, pheasant feathers and bleached antlers can be tucked into wreaths or laid out as part of the tablescape.

#10 Preserved Fruit and Spices

What holiday is complete without the cuisine that’s as comforting as it is traditional? Incorporating preserved food, like orange slices, can add some color and visual interest to your holiday decorations. You might only have to step into your kitchen to find them! And if you bake the orange slices, you’ll also fill your home with its fresh citrus scent!

Other possible decorations out of your pantry are cinnamon sticks and star anise. The fragrant and preserved spices can be hung on the tree as ornaments!

Nature’s Decorations: Conclusion

The holidays are a time to fill your home with loved ones and memories to celebrate. Why not also adorn your home with the gifts of nature as part of the celebration? Despite the bare trees outside, there are plenty of beautiful elements that can become holiday decorations from nature!

Summary of Holiday Decorations from Nature

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mila Naumova/ via Getty Images