Hottest New Trends In Christmas Decorating

In the run-up to our favourite season, we're looking forward to the simple things – and happy days, even the global pandemic cannot take away comfort foods, time-honoured traditions, heart-warming gifts and cosy homes. After spending last Christmas under strict social restrictions here in the UK, we're looking forward to enjoying a few more freedoms as Christmas 2021 approaches. We're already booking festive lights outings and going big on DIY decorations this winter. Here are the Christmas 2021 trends that we're most excited about as we approach the holiday season,…

Whether it's the big high street brands or smaller retailers on Etsy, there are some gorgeous and imaginative Christmas 2021 trends coming through for your Christmas aesthetic. From natural foliage to ceramic decorations and bespoke advent calendars, there's a lot of fun to be had this year. Here on Gathered you can find a whole bunch of craft projects to inspire your festive makes – to make your own cards, gifts and wrap. To have fun with yarn, check out our ideas for the best crochet Christmas decorations, free Christmas knitting patterns or if fabric's your thing we've got a great video guide for how to make a Christmas stocking.

If you're here looking for inspiration for how to spruce up your Christmas and capture the latest looks, here are the best Christmas 2021 trends and ideas for your Christmas decorations this year – after starting the year in lockdown, let's end it with some well-needed joy!

Simply Christmas magazine is out now

Get excited for the festive season with the brand new issue of Simply Christmas! Everything has been hand-picked to inspire and help you to have your best Christmas ever, from decorating and gift-buying to festive interiors and travel, to crafting, cooking, baking and cocktails. It's in shops now.

Inside you'll find:

• How to have a luxury and sustainable Christmas

• Plan ahead for low-waste, eco-friendly décor, gifts and food

• Behind the scenes at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst lights trails

• Why dogs make their families' Christmas so special

• Festive florals – why dried flowers are this year's must-have

• A Highlands Christmas – discover Scottish winter traditions

• Bonus 5-piece laser-cut wooden decoration set

Simply Christmas cover

Christmas trends 2021: décor

Christmas 2021 trend: Going green

Natural foliage will once again be a huge part of Christmas aesthetics this year – the more greenery the better! Whether you gather your own stems and branches, visit a local flower shop or buy in a ready-made arrangement it's a simple and sustainable idea for making your home more festive. Eucalyptus leaves (Etsy, from £12) are still riding high as a Christmas 2021 trend this year, and make a great backdrop for arrangements and wreaths.

You can't have missed the dried flower trend this year either, the options for stunning long-life displays are better than ever, such as those below from www.shida.florist. Wreaths are bigger than ever – head over to our guide to how to make a Christmas wreath to make your own.

Christmas 2021 trend: Light it up

As LED lights seem to get smaller every year, you'll find a lot more choice for fairy lights and baubles in Christmas aesthetics, with wreaths or even trees with strings of lights already fitted, so there's less plugging in. Team with silver and white decorations for a frosty look or warm coppers and golds for something more luxurious. There are lots of ideas to brighten up your home this winter. We like this Starburst wreath from Lumina of London (£42.99, Etsy) or see www.lights4fun.co.uk for inspiration.

Christmas 2021 trend: Palatial chic

Last line: This colour scheme works well against a backdrop of a darker feature wall like this stunning set up from www.matalan.co.uk

Christmas 2021 trend: DIY décor

With the nights drawing in, it's a great time to get to grips with a craft you've always liked the look of, from crochet to pyrography, lino cutting to macramé. This last craft is undergoing a big revival and doesn't need many tools or materials. Click to find this free pattern for this Christmas macrame star by Isabella Strambio, author of Macramé for the Modern Home.

If you love to craft, but love it better when someone is telling you what to do then crafting kits which include an online course are widely available this year. Check out Hobbycraft's Christmas wreath workshops which will not only be available in-store but also at set times online, so you can ask questions as you go. The cost of the course includes made-up kits with ready with everything you need to create a beautiful finished item.

For more ideas, explore our very own range of Live Masterclasses or sign up to the Edinburgh Craft Club for monthly kits and courses.

Christmas 2021 trend: Advent countdown

There's an advent calendar for everyone these days – even cats and dogs, thanks to Pets At Home. But furry friends aside, treat yourself to one that really tickles your fancy. Why not make your own with our round-up of the best DIY advent calendar kits or buy a ready-made version that tickles your fancy, from luxury cosmetics (www.cohorted.co.uk), fancy stationery (www.marthabrook.com), hot chocolate, tea or coffee (www.whittards.co.uk) and booze (www.thorntonandfrance.com) to this beautiful Nutcracker theme wooden set for little ones (www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk). Why not buy one as an early gift for farflung family? For something sustainable and plastic-free, the charity calendar from www.adventofchange.com is a worthy option.

Christmas trends: Gifts

Pretty much anything can be made to fit through a letterbox now, from beauty subscriptions, flowers, male grooming kits, cocktails and even brewing kits (see www.pinter.co.uk). We're obsessed with online florists Bloom & Wild's letterbox flowers (and their Christmas flowers are topping our list for Santa this year), check them out at www.bloomandwild.com

Bloom and wild Christmas trends 2021 letterbox flowers

Christmas 2021 trend: Subscription boxes

On the subject of subscription boxes, rather like advent calendars, we are truly spoilt for choice with kits available for gardeners, artists, coffee lovers and spice fanatics. We recommend Craftiosity craft subscription boxes (pictured below) – available on Not on the High Street – for a regular dose of soothing craft therapy through the post. For more ideas, check out our favourite craft subscription boxes article for a complete list of crafty options and our round-up of the best stationery subscription boxes.

Christmas 2021 trend: Personalise

We never get bored of personalised gifts, from a photo book to an engraved whisky flask, and the options grow each year. For grown ups, you can find ideas for almost anyone in the family in the personalised gifts section of Not on the High Street. We also love The Book of Everyone, a personally generated book of data and graphics based on your recipient's date of birth. We also like this idea from The International Elf Service, of a series of beautifully illustrated and named letters to give to little ones in the run-up to Christmas, inspiring them with stories from The North Pole.

For special bedtime stories, see Wonderbly which has a wide range of personalisation options and beautifully designed titles.

Christmas 2021 trend: house plants

Plants look fab all year round and you don't even have to wrap them. Air purifying plants, poinsettias or mini Christmas trees will never go out of fashion but for something a little different, look out for hydroponics – they don't need soil and can grow in dark corners with little LED lights for a brilliant Christmas aesthetic. For online plant shopping, we like Bloom and Wild or Lazy Flora's online plant shop.

Plant subscriptions are a thing now too, with www.leafenvy.co.uk your loved one will receive a different plant in the post each month (certainly one for our wishlist).

Christmas 2021 trend: Sustainability

There are lots of ways to avoid cards and wrap that can't be recycled with companies like www.1treecards.com offering sustainable cards and wrap with gorgeous illustrations and the promise to plant a tree each time. Check out our Sustainable Christmas Garland DIY or recycling Christmas card ideas article for some easy craft projects using up things you have at home.

Replace your plastic adhesive tape with paper adhesive tape for extra green points, too. Look out for gorgeously designed fabric wrap too, that can be used again and again, like this range from www.wrapuccino.com.

Christmas aesthetic: Food and entertainment

Christmas 2021 trend: Cake and biscuit decorating

Cake decorating is riding high on the list of YouTube DIY searches, with home bakers looking to create stunning looking edibles, not just tasty ones. The Biscuiteers are one of the best known UK brands for perfect looking iced biccies and you can now try your hand at it with their DIY kits – wreath, baubles or gingerbread house – which come with all the bits you need to create your own beautifully decorated treats.

Christmas trends 2021 biscuit decorating

Christmas 2021 trend: Grazing boxes

Along with the rise of gorgeously curated hampers from brands such as www.hampers.com, look out for local (or not so local!) delis offering fresh grazing boxes. Beautifully selected piles of fresh fruits, veg, nuts, meats and cheeses combined with chutneys, beers or wines from companies such as www.figandflowergrazing.com look stunning when delivered. It's a great way to gift friends and family without adding to their piles of stuff, and if your recipients are abroad, look for a deli local to them who will deliver in time for Christmas.

Christmas 2021 trend: cheese

You don't have to be hosting a party to enjoy a good cheeseboard and a browse of a local cheese shop or deli counter is a treat too. BBC Good Food suggests a mix of fresh goat, a soft brie or camembert, a hard Somerset cheddar or Comté, a blue stilton or Roquefort, all finished with a wild card such as a spicy or fruity variety. And if it's all yours to enjoy over a few evenings at home, then you can cut them however you please.

Cheese board sets make classic gift ideas that will be used for many Christmases to come too – we like the range of personalised sets over at Not on the High Street.

For 2021, outdoor events will still be hugely popular and many organisers will have built upon their Covid-safe measures from last year. Enjoy the fresh air, light displays and hot drinks with friends and family. The latest issue of Simply Christmas takes a tour of Kew Gardens which has a stunning Christmas trail (pictured below) and their sister venue, Wakefield, which hosts a festive lantern trail, Glow Wild. Look out for events all over the UK, including National Trust and English Heritage locations. And for an immersive festive experience, head to Lapland UK (text link to www.laplanduk.co.uk) for the full-on Santa and his elves experience.

To make up for last year's lost partying time, get your friends over for a DIY cocktail night and decorate the patio or dining room with festoon lights (see the latest issue of Simply Christmas for some expert advice). Placing recipe cards, spirits, fizz and mixers on the table means your guests can mix their own tipples. Or for something even easier, you can buy a range of ready-mixed cocktails including the Negroni and Old Fashioned from www.kocktail.co.uk.Your sober friends don't have to miss out either with the alcohol-free spirits and mixer cans, plus lots of mocktail recipes at www.lyres.co.uk.