New And Noteworthy Christmas Trends

Every Christmas is memorable, so how can you transform your holiday and shake up the season this year? From refining decor with personalized elegance to finding meaningful ways to gift and give back, the top trends for the year are guaranteed to make your holidays merry and bright.

Delightful decor:
This year, people are thinking beyond bright red and green and using holiday decor with creative color schemes and beautiful aesthetics. For example, Bohemian Christmas designs use elements like feathers, dream catchers and natural wood. Additionally, global elements with Middle Eastern influences add zest to holiday designs. Think mirrored elephants or star-shaped paper lanterns. As for color schemes, anything goes! Deep greens are replacing traditional vivid grass green, and can be accented by burnt orange and purple.

Scents of the season:
Go beyond the visual to capture everything that makes the season memorable, including all the aromas of Christmastime. By enhancing your artificial tree with ScentSicles ornaments, the smell of Douglas fir will fragrance your tree and conjure childhood memories of opening gifts on Christmas morning. Or, spice up your holiday by having your wreath don cinnamon-scented ornaments that very well might smell just like Grandma's spice cookies. Whatever scent you choose, the smells of Christmas make celebrating the holidays special by reminding us of times gone by and setting the stage for future memories of precious times spent with loved ones.

Experiential gifts:
What do you get for the person who has everything? How about the kids who already get so many presents? Rather than a typical packaged present that is opened and often quickly forgotten, an experiential gift is something the person can do and remember forever. For example, concert tickets, a membership to the museum, or even a movie basket with candy, popcorn and a gift certificate to the local theater are all great gifts for your loved one to experience.

Homespun holiday:
In a nod to yesteryear, the trend toward a homemade holiday is strong this year. Handmade ornaments, for example, have a unique look with a vintage feeling. Plan an ornament-making party with friends and you'll be making memories along with beautiful decor! Homemade gifts are making a comeback, too. Complementing the trend of limiting the commercial feel of the holidays, homemade gifts allow you to give the perfect personalized creation. When your time and energy goes into making something special, you know it will be deeply appreciated. Whether it’s a hand-knitted scarf, a personalized photo frame or cool textile placemats, a handmade gift is a great way to show someone how much you care.

Giving back:
Christmas can feel commercialized at times, but at the heart of the holiday season is the power of giving. Yes, gifting to loved ones helps make us feel good, but there is an even bigger trend of giving back that truly embraces the essence of Christmas. Families are making time for group volunteer opportunities. Work colleagues are uniting for food and clothing drives. Individuals are buying a few extra toys or household supplies for nonprofits in the area. Doing good deeds is getting renewed attention and is a worthwhile trend we hope continues for years to come.