As a twenty-something I wanted to celebrate my first holiday season in my first apartment in style, but holiday decorations added up quick. After splurging on the biggest tree my tiny apartment could accommodate I didn't have enough in the budget to buy ornaments. If I were in that situation today I'd focus on creating a warm, holiday atmosphere from Thanksgiving through New Year's by using my decorating budget for dozens of candles that I'd display in a mix and match assortment of clear and mercury glass votives and candlesticks.
Whatever your design aesthetic, candlelight can blend beautifully into your holiday decorating plans.
Tuck candles and seasonal elements along with your every day accessories to create holiday vignettes.
Display candles in glass vessels en masse for a striking display.
Look no further than the kitchen cabinets for this look. Stray juice glasses could substitute for votives.
Acorns make a nice vase filler. Add candles and your Thanksgiving tablescape will start to come together.
More is more when it comes to candlelight during the holidays.
Pine boughs, clementine oranges and scented candles combine to create a delicious aroma.
Corral a group of candles on a silver tray for an elegant display for a side table.
Parents of small children don't fret, place candles on the fireplace mantle or use faux candles throughout the holiday season.
Save a few ornaments to slip into a vignette that includes candles.
Colorful candy canes are an easy way to dress up candles. Slip a rubber band around your candle, slide candy canes around and cover with ribbon.
Wine glasses work beautifully as candle holders for inexpensive tea lights.
Add a little bling to plain pillar candles by embellishing with gold leaf. Details at Better Homes & Gardens
A final note, consider giving the gift of candlelight this holiday season. Pottery Barn will donate 50% of the purchase price of the Globe Filled Mercury Glass Candlepot to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Once the candle burns out the pot would be a good spot to stash earrings or rings.
*Images via Pinterest unless otherwise noted.
So many great ideas to make something as simple as candles, look festive and gorgeous for the Holidays! I love the bowl with the ornaments, I may just have to try that!
ReplyDeleteFunny how our decorating sense evolves and ideas change, as we get older! Love all these candle ideas, perfect inspiration for going into the Holidays!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous post, Karen. Even I could pull off some of these ideas.
ReplyDeleteYour sister, Chris
Ooooh lovely -- thanks for sharing -- am decorating this weekend for an event next weekend and am getting a bit nervous! Your tips help!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Wow! I love using candles especially around the holidays. Love the use of cinnamon sticks!
ReplyDeleteCandles are a nice way to create a romantic, cozy mood around this time of year.
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Beautiful inspiration! I have been giving my girls an ornament every year and when my oldest daughter moved to California last May, I sent her off with a whole box full of Christmas ornaments so that she can at least have something on her first tree.
ReplyDeleteI love the natural elements of many of the above photos.
Great ideas! I'm definitely going to try the cinnamon stick one!
ReplyDeleteps. A couple years ago I laborously collected a bunch of acorns and put them in a hurricane vase with a candle. When I went to take them out awhile later... ok. I can't even describe how nasty it was. Now I just use the acorn tops so I can keep and reuse every year.
Beautiful candle displays and tons of inspiration and eye candy. Thanks. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteYou must be reading my mind. I was just working on a design board and thought about how much I loved candlelight and associated it with the holidays - plus the fact that it can be fairly inexpensive compared to other holiday decor. I'm excited to get my candles lit up this holiday season - starting this weekend perhaps. Can't go wrong with white candles.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful inspiration, Karen! I love the look of white candles en masse.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, Karen. I love mercury glass with candles reflecting in them. It adds such sparkle!
ReplyDeleteI love candles especially around the holidays and just bought a bunch of them at TJ Maxx in mercury glass that are beautiful. You gave me some great ideas here for how to display them, thank you.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, Karen. When I was in my poor first apartment phase, I often used real cranberries as vase fillers. It is actually something I still do!
ReplyDeleteI just love candles...great idea with the chestnuts or hazel nuts.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I think i'll be going the candle route this year since shipping our 9' xmas tree to Dubai wasn't really practical. I feel like I've gone backwards to those first apartment days! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful inspiration for decorating with candles. Simply delightful! I just signed up to receive your blog in my e-mail. I am so glad that I found you!
ReplyDeleteI love the little glasses wrapped with cinnamon sticks. What a great idea. All you amazing ideas still haven't convinced me it's time to get started on decorating though:)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! Candlelight is the most beautiful and least expensive decoration!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous post! Those upside down wine glasses are just perfect! And candlelight is so flattering to the (way) over 30 crowd!
ReplyDeleteThese are all such great ideas! I really love the idea of using pine boughs to spruce up boring holiday decor! Cheap and easy!!
ReplyDeleteI love the citrus and evergreens. Gorgeous!
ReplyDelete