16 Decorations That Work For Any Winter Holiday

An explosion of decorations accompanies the Christmas holidays. While these decorations bring holiday cheer, they may not be for everyone. After all, not everyone celebrates Christmas. Furthermore, after New Year's Day, these holiday-specific items become irrelevant and out of vogue. The good news is that there are plenty of non-denominational decoration ideas that you can display throughout the entire winter to brighten up your home.

Some classic winter decorations that work for every holiday include icicle lights, winter-themed gobos, evergreen wreaths, and winter flower arrangements. Snowmen, reindeer, and poinsettias may have Christmas connotations, but they can be used throughout the winter for various festive occasions. Snow globes, various snowflake decorations, pine or cedar candles, evergreen garland, holly, and hanging stars are all items you can hang throughout the winter.

December is a month that’s dominated by Christmas in many parts of the world, but the decorations used for this holiday quickly disappear after December 25. This leaves a festive void that must be filled by new objects that represent winter in a fun way. For those seeking fun decorations that don’t represent a religious holiday and can stay up for the entire winter, read the list below.

16 Winter Decorations That Work For Any Winter Celebration

1. Hanging Icicle Lights

For many people, decorating the outside of their home with various string lights is an annual tradition. For some, it’s part of decorating for Christmas. Outdoor lights, however, are not exclusive to just one winter holiday. There are many types of lights you can choose from this winter, including icicle lights.

Hanging icicle lights allows you to illuminate your home with festive winter cheer. Since these lights typically emit white light rather than holiday colors, they are a celebration of winter rather than any specific holiday. Therefore, you can easily leave these lights up for the entire winter season.

2. Evergreen Garland

Pine trees and other evergreen species, and their smells, are synonymous with winter. Evergreen garland is typically hung in households before major holidays, but this natural decoration is not holiday-specific.

You can buy or create an evergreen garland at any point in the winter and display it in your home. The lush green colors and refreshing fragrance are a fantastic way to celebrate the joy nature can bring in the winter.

3. Create Winter Branch Arrangements

If you are a fan of flower arranging, then give winter arrangements a try. While very few fresh flowers are available in cold climates in the winter, many plants continue to grow. You can cut ornate branches or various evergreen stems.

Pussy willows and various shrubs also stay alive in the winter, especially in colder climates. Winter arrangements don’t point to a single holiday, but instead showcase nature’s unique ability to thrive even in the harshest conditions.

4. Snow Globes

Snow globes are often considered trinkets, but in the winter, these ornate decorations can play a vital role. Snow globes are the perfect winter decor, especially ones you’ve purchased in your travels or that hold sentimental value.

Since snow globes aren’t exclusive to Christmas, you can leave them out throughout the winter. They are also great for those who don’t celebrate Christmas but want fun and festive winter knick-knacks around the home.

5. Pine Or Cedar Candles

Smells are a big part of creating a consistent ambience in the winter months. This season is renowned for its distinctive scents, both in the kitchen and in the natural world. One great scent that also serves as a decoration is the winter candle.

You can find all sorts of winter candle smells, with evergreen fragrances being the most common and non-denominational. Buying a few pine or cedar candles is a great way to keep your home festive throughout the winter, no matter what you are celebrating.

6. Project A Snowflake Gobo Onto Your Home

Modern technology has ushered in a new era of decoration. The gobo, or projected light, has become quite popular in the winter months. These tech-savvy lights are easy to install, as they are essentially floodlights that project winter scenes, such as snowflakes, onto your home.

While some winter gobo lights are holiday-specific, you can easily find lights that project falling snowflakes, an image that won’t go out of style until the spring.

7. Bows And Gift Boxes

Regardless of whether you are celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day, or any other holiday, winter is a season of giving. Therefore, decorations such as gift-wrapped boxes and oversized bows are great options for those seeking more generic holiday decorations.

When choosing wrapping paper colors, opt for gold, silver, and other shiny colors. Not only do these colors catch the eye, but they are also not associated with any particular holiday.

8. Reindeer Decor

Reindeer are often associated with Santa’s sleigh and Christmas, but these fabled animals aren’t mythical — they actually exist (although they do not fly!). These furry, long-antlered animals thrive above the Arctic Circle in countries such as Canada, the US (Alaska), Norway and Finland. You can use reindeer decorations to celebrate winter as much as any single holiday. 

9. Winter Wreaths

While some wreaths are designed explicitly for holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, it’s easy to find winter-themed wreaths that are not tied to a particular holiday. Create or purchase your own seasonal wreath this year to display throughout the winter.

Any wreaths with evergreen, pine cones, or even snowballs are all good options, as they showcase the season rather than a religious celebration.

10. Snowmen

Frosty the Snowman is often called a Christmas song, but this magical snowman is secular. Frosty and all snowmen are non-religious symbols. Furthermore, as long as there is snow on the ground in the winter, you can make a snowman.

Snowmen and snowmen decorations are perfect objects to make or buy if you are looking for something you can leave up from December all the way until the last frost.

11. Hanging Stars

Stars have become an integral part of many winter holiday traditions, represent the entire season rather than just one holiday. If you are looking to contrast your evergreen and snowy decor with something more universal, consider adding hanging stars to your home this winter. 

12. Snowflake Decorations

Snowflake decorations are something you can buy or make, and they are available in abundance after Thanksgiving. They are fantastic decorations for those seeking something beautiful yet non-secular to display in the home. 

You can also leave snowflake decorations hanging well beyond New Year’s Day, as they are symbolic of the season, and can bring some much-needed sparkle into this often dreary time of year.

13. Holly Decor

While most colorful plants die or go dormant after the first frost, holly is one plant that thrives in the winter. There are many types of holly, and many species have lush green leaves and bright red berries.

If you have holly, consider making fresh arrangements with it. Alternatively, you can buy artificial holly and use it as decor. While its colors are red and green, holly is not exclusively a Christmas plant. Instead, it is a vibrant winter plant that you can use as decoration throughout the coldest months of the year.

14. Cover Shelving With Fluffy Artificial Snow 

If you want to transform your home into a winter wonderland, then artificial snow is a great option. You can find fluffy and shiny fake snow online or in most home goods stores. Line your shelving with the fake snow, and place a few additional winter decorations on top. Fake snow is an easy way to make your home cozy and festive all winter long.

15. DIY Pine Cone Decorations

Pine cones are a great winter decoration for those seeking affordable and free winter decorations. In many regions, you can forage in local forests and easily find dozens of pine cones. You can create a variety of decorations with them, including wreaths and ornaments.

16. Poinsettia

Poinsettia plants might have the Christmas colors of red and green, but they have come to represent the entire winter season rather than a single holiday. Poinsettias are a great way to breathe life into your home in the winter, especially when so much outside plant life is dormant.

If you keep your poinsettia on display and alive all winter, you can even plant it in your garden in the spring. Remember, however, that these plants are toxic to many pets if consumed. 

Wrapping Up Decorations That Work For All Holidays

Decorating for the winter holidays can be challenging, especially since many decorations are associated with a specific religious celebration. If you want decorations that work for any holiday, focus on winter-themed decorations, such as evergreen garlands and wreaths, as well as pine-scented candles. 

Icicle lights and snowflake gobos are great for outdoor decor. Reindeer, snowmen, poinsettias, holly, and snow globes are also generic winter symbols that can make incredible decorations.

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