Winter Wonderland Christmas Mantel
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Welcome to my Winter Wonderland! I’m excited to welcome you back into my home for the 2021 Christmas Season. Let’s start in my living room with my Winter Wonderland Christmas Mantel.
Winter Wonderland Christmas Mantel
Woot! Woot! I’m officially kicking off a new season of holiday decorating on the blog today. It’s been mostly Christmas recipes up until now, but today I’m bringing on the decor.
And, if you’re looking for more mantel decorating inspiration, I’m back with my Season of Home blogger friends who are all sharing mantel decor ideas. Be sure to check out the links below and click through to see all of their beautiful spaces.
Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas:
Truth be told, I LOVED how I decorated the mantel in my living room last year (I mean, LOVED!). In fact, HGTV loved it too and it ended up in their December issue! Say what!? I still can’t believe it! (I’ve shared a picture below.)
Consequently, doing something different with it this year was really tough. Because I was so pleased with last year’s design, when I started to think about decorating my mantel for this year, I just wanted to put everything right back where it was to recreate last year’s look. However, I do like to keep pushing myself and trying new things, so I came up with a bit of a compromise: I would keep some things the same, and do some things differently.
Side Note: I should also mention, I have a post here on Inspired by Charm with many of my holiday mantels from Christmases past. You can find that post HERE for lots of ideas and inspiration.
Christmas Mantel: What’s the same and what’s different?
First, here’s how the mantel looks this year:
While I kept the greens of the garland the same and in the same spot, this year I added in silver ball garland which is my favorite. (I used a similar ball garland, but in red, in my entryway last year. It’s such an easy way to get a big impact!)
I also tucked some small paper snowflakes and paper stars into the garland to really give it that winter wonderland look. I even found a large paper snowflake that I managed to squeeze into the design. (The large snowflake seems to be sold out, but you can find a similar one HERE.)
Side Note: I’ve also included a complete source list for many of the items I used at the end of the post.
Additionally, I tucked in a few small snowy pinecones. (Remember the HUGE pinecones I had on here last year? I LOVED them, so I plan on using them on my tree this year. You can find those HERE.)
My sweet vintage deer collection stayed, but it grew a little bigger. I thrifted some ceramic deer that caught my eye, so they were added to the herd. Most of my collection is plastic deer, but I couldn’t resist these new ones. I love adding antique touches to my holiday decorating. In fact, I just wrote an entire post all about my Vintage Christmas Decor including these sweet deer. You can read that HERE.
The wood trees stayed, but I added some tall green bottle brush trees.
I swapped out the fabulous artwork for this arched mirror and added a snowy pinecone wreath to it. As much as I miss the beautiful artwork, I love a mirror on a mantel, especially at Christmas. It reflects all of the twinkly lights and beautiful details in the room. To me, it adds to the magic.
Finally, the stockings, my favorite gold Santa, and the vintage wood magazine rack with birch branches stayed the same.
And with that my mantel was complete!
I’m glad I followed this “some things the same, some things different” approach. I wanted to share with you that I’ve been having a hard time decorating this year. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things as the world is a bit topsy-turvy these days, and the pressure to up my game and have completely new decor every year is just hitting in all the wrong places.
It’s a major joy in my life to be able to share ideas and hopefully inspire you and all the readers of IBC so I need to revisit the way I do things and focus on finding the joy of it all again. I hope that makes sense.
Now there’s no complaining here; I think when thoughts and feelings like this come up, it’s important to pause, get curious, see what they mean, and figure out how to move forward in a new joy-filled way.
I always feel a bit weird getting too deep here, but I think some things are important to say and share as you might be feeling the same. It’s not always sunshine and roses … or in this case snowflakes and pinecones.
In the end, the best news is that I’m loving my Winter Wonderland Christmas Mantel with nods to Christmas past and Christmas present.
And with that, I’m signing off so I can get back to decorating. You can find a full list of links/sources below.
Seasons of Home Christmas Mantels
Before you carry on with your day, please click through and give a little love to all of my Seasons of Homes blogger friends. What they created is stunning.
Ella Claire &. Co. | Inspired by Charm | Handmade Farmhouse | French Country Cottage
City Farmhouse | Azure Farm | Zevy Joy
As always, wishing you joy and peace this holiday season. Happy decorating, my friends!
Christmas Mantel Decor Sources:
If you’re wondering about sources, I did link them above but thought I would do a full link list here. I don’t have many, but I do have some so I will link those below. If something is not linked it’s likely that it’s no longer sold or it is a vintage item.
- Fraser Fir Garland (I add more greens to it.)
- Silver Ball Garland
- Trio of Wood Trees
- Arched Mirror
- Green Stocking (similar)
- White Knit Stocking (similar)
- Paper Snowflake Ornaments
- Paper Star Ornaments
- Large Paper Snowflake (similar)
- Frosted Pinecones
- LED Fairy Lights
Since there may be some general questions about this mantel / bookcase, I will link to some helpful posts here as well. I just had it installed last year.
I understand the blogging business is always pushing for new and creative, but where is the joy and comfort in being home if it’s just pressure? Your home reflects a stylish and charmingly comfortable, curated mix, and I applaud you for reusing and restyling. A lot of us in the real world do not have the desire or the faith in future finances to just blindly spend on new seasonal items each year. I enjoy seeing the same treasured items coming out of the boxes. Yes, I update, and replace as needed, and incorporate natural items as well, but I want my home to reflect my family at this special time, not the current catalog look. Just my personal take….
Your mantle is a sparkly treasure and your deer collection always makes me smile.
Thanks for doing you! and for sharing it with us!
Hi Michael, I don’t often comment, but yours is one of the few blogs I will click over to from my email and read. You have a really sweet spirit and it always shines. Please don’t doubt it. The mantel is gorgeous! I really love the way the snowflakes almost sparkle against the garland. Happy holidays!
Your decorations are always exceptional and it’s a little sad that you feel like you have to always be showing something new. With lots of people unemployed and losing their jobs, it would be a good idea for next year not to get anything new at all. Just use what you have in new and different ways. We could all use that sort of inspiration because Christmas has become over-commercialized and that’s not really what this season is about. I hope you’ll consider that idea. Merry Christmas.
Michael, thanks for opening not only your home but your warm heart. Today, when I can barely cook two favorite holiday dishes, I think how challenging it is to be Michael. Even the brightest star in the sky feels dim at times, yet gets glowing when the time is right. Your effort and honesty doesn’t go unnoticed. Be kind to yourself, and feel the love.
Hi Michael…..I love every inch of your breath taking mantle for Christmas. The white and silver pieces completely changed the feeling from beautiful last year to fabulous this year.
Your personal feelings you add warm the heart……have a blessed Christmas.
Joy
Hi Michael: I discovered you around last Christmas and I’m so glad I have found a kindred spirit. Everything you do is wonderful and a bit more is more which is my esthetic as well. This mantel is sublime as was last years. Kudos to you. I know how hard it is to feel like you have to up your game all the time because I feel it too. Take a breath and keep going! Thank you for ALL your inspiration.
I think HGTV should have this mantel in the magazine!! Beautiful. I love all your cute vintage deer and wish I had them.
Continue to do you!
Michael,
You have certainly inspired me this year to put up a christmas tree.I haven’t put one up in 3 years due to just sadness depression and just life’s ups and downs . Just looking at all your beautiful decor and how everything is so pretty with noting out of place, and your smile that just lights up the room, just reminds Me of Me and how I love to decorate , so I said to myself I can do this again and make it more beautiful than ever before. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because when we were young children our Mother and father always made it special for us Dad would stayed up all night playing his guitar and singing christmas carols and Mom was cooking cleaning and decorating the house for the holiday. In the meanwhile we were having visions of Santa his sled and what gifts we would receive Christmas morning.
Thanks Michael, For your smile and inspiration.
Veranell Pounds
Veranell, your comment really touched me. I too, struggled for a few years. My only grandchild moved far away with her parents and it felt like the joy of Christmas went with her, but I’ve decided that I make things pretty and special for me and that is a good enough reason. Wishing you all manner of holiday joy. This year and every year.
Seeing you reuse Christmas decorations IS inspiring, as that’s what’s relatable to me since I don’t have a budget for new decorations every year. You’ve cemented your place as King of Christmas Decorating already! No need to stress trying to outdo yourself 🙂
Very beautiful mantle! I love it. I loved last years also. It must be very hard to keep changing things when you’re perfectly happy with the way they were 🥴. I find myself wanting to keep my decor the same each Christmas. Thank you for inspiring me to try new ideas.
Wonderful again this year Michael! I for one, am pleased to see you use decorations again with slight twists or location changes. The desire to constantly buy new is one I battle. I appreciate seeing “what Michael does” and it inspires me. If you are not always excited about decorating – it doesn’t show. Your work is amazing. Happy, happy holidays!
You’ve outdone yourself again, Michael! Love this!
Oh My! Gorgeous Michael!!!!
That mantel is just dreamy! You’re so talented 🙂
Your vintage deer collection is just so cute. I love it!
I love love following you. Please do not feel any pressure to have to share, decorate, post, come up with the newest or best ideas for your followers all the time. Or any time. I feel like when I check in on your Instagram I am calling a friend and he is updating me on his day or week. Sharing with me something new he has created or just what is going on in his life. Even if it is an update with your kittys I love it. No pressure here, but I understand where you are coming from. You have been creating online for quite a while. I love listening to you, your ideas and thought process. But, the mantle!! Beautiful!! The stars, the deer, trees. You have amazing natural talent. You do not need to top last year at all. I know whatever you design will be beautiful. All the fun food and drinks. I am here appreciating and thankful for you. Mary
I love it, every little detail is so special, so welcoming and warming my heart, especially the deer, with all your worries about making it happen you’ve creAted another magical mantel with inspired Charm !!!
Sooo BEAUTIFUL! The mirror really makes it!
I think you’re lovely, and a beautiful and talented designer.
Don’t ever feel bad about getting “too deep” here! I am so appreciative when you share honestly about the times you’re struggling a bit or not feeling as up to decorating as usual. It’s one of the reasons I follow your blog instead of many others who pitch the idea of an always perfect life. It’s so important to our mental health to honor how we’re feeling in the moment. The pressure to feel and act “festive” when we’re just not in that head space can be really anxiety producing. Your comment about exploring your feelings with curiosity, so you can figure out what they mean and how to move forward with joy really resonated with me. Thanks for sharing both your challenges and your joy, and of course that beautiful mantelpiece!