20 Gorgeous Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas

Twenty beautiful Christmas mantel decorating ideas.

I’ve gathered a bunch of absolutely gorgeous Christmas mantels to give you some inspiration this holiday season! 

If you have a fireplace, you know it’s a focal point all year, but even more so during the holidays. If you decorate just that one spot it will make the room feel so festive!

Even if you don’t have a fireplace, a TV built in or console can be decorated similarly. 

My Christmas mantels have varied big time over the years — from bright, traditional colors to more neutral moody vibes. 

I’ll share a few of my favorites first, and then I have more beautiful examples from talented DIY and decor bloggers. 

The stone and long wood beam stole the show, so I didn’t need to do much otherwise. Just some simple greenery along the top was perfect. 

The thorn in my side at that house was our corner fireplace in our family room. I thought it would be such a cool design feature, but I ended up hating it. 😂

At first I added some box molding to the walls above it and tried to take advantage of all of that mantel space for my Christmas decor: 

It was so much easier to work with, and looked like it fit so much better in the room. 

I loved the traditional pops of red, but the next year was one of my all time favorites. 

The soft greenery and votives finished it off perfectly. 

Later, I added a ton of greenery and had it spill over the sides with tons of Christmas bulbs strewn throughout: 

That one was so pretty! 

I later draped some ribbon and hung some baubles to add some pretty details to the mantel: 

Makes sure to weave them together a bit to make it look more organic.

This year I used Command strips to create a swagged, asymmetrical look: 

Most of the year I like to simplify our decor, but the older I get, the more I want to go all out at Christmas. I love how full and textural this year’s mantel is: 

I absolutely adore how it all came together. I still need to hang our stockings!

Now let’s take a look at some of the beautiful Christmas decor from all over the internet. 

The magnolia leaves, ribbon and I think even baby’s breath add so much texture and beauty. The baby’s breath is such an unexpected addition, and I love it. 

I love that the houses make it feel whimsical and less formal. So beautiful! 

I love the nutcracker trend that has exploded the past few years. You can find them so inexpensively at craft stores and then finish them any way you’d like. 

It only takes a few minutes to make these chalk trees — I do this on our mud room chalkboard every year as well. 

I think candlelight is a must on a Christmas mantel! I always try to add some kind of candle glow — either real or faux. 

There are so many fun LED candle options available now, so you can add the look of candlelight without the worry. 

I thought mine was full — this is awesome! I really love the addition of the gold ornament garland. 

There is beauty in every design style, even more so at Christmas! 

Instead of traditional greenery, she used eucalyptus and preserved boxwood — how beautiful!

I say there are no rules when it comes to Christmas decor…the colors and decor don’t have to be traditional. As I always say, it’s your house, do what you want! 

I hope these amazing Christmas mantels gave you some inspiration this holiday season.