How To Decorate For Christmas, Scandinavian Style

Take a tour of 12 inspiring Scandinavian homes for ideas on how to take your Christmas decor to the next level. The nice thing about Scandi Christmas decor is that it's pretty affordable. For example, nature plays a huge role: branches, dried flowers, pine cones fallen in your backyard...

“I simply can’t bring myself to throw pretty paper bags and boxes away. Instead I save them and use them in all sorts of ways. I cut out gift cards, ornate shapes for the table settings, and make napkin rings to go with the coral hued napkins I embroidered," says Charlotte Lynggaard, jewelry designer and creative director.

Learn how to make Charlotte's sweet napkin rings out of paper for your next holiday fete. The book offers up all the details. We're also inspired by her elegant ivy centerpiece and sweet vintage bowls.

Light, especially candlelight, plays a big role in Scandinavian Christmas. Many Swedes will light a candle for loved ones who have passed on during Christmas Eve (A.K.A. julafton). We love this DIY chandelier made by architect, designer and paper artist Amanda Betz.

Tradition is also important, with generations of homemade trinkets handed down and used every year.

"Our tree is allowed to come indoors early in December, because I love to see it stand and sparkle in the living room. We still decorate it together, using traditions passed down from my family. Each year we make new ornaments, writing our name and the year, and save them year after year. My oldest daughter loves to see the decorations she made when she was very little. I relish in the fact that nothing is perfect, and that the Christmas tree reflects a celebration of family and hearts," says designer Nadia Lassen.

Christmas decorations are "a wonderful mix of old and new, inherited, eclectic, bought and homemade," says author Martensen-Larsen. This includes gift wrap, which is almost as pretty as the gift itself as designers put their personal touches over a simple paper canvas.

"I generally decorate with a twig, a fresh or dried flower or perhaps a bauble, pretty ribbon, and to top them off, one of my handmade brass stars. Should I have some pretty fabric remnants, I like to use some of it as a ribbon or extra decoration. I wrap gifts according to the motto - the joy of anticipation is the greatest," says stylist and boutique owner Mette Beck Adsbøl.

And one tree isn't always enough. Martensen-Larsen features a small, pot- grown red spruce in her main entrance to welcome guests in addition to a free-standing one in the living room. "[The spruce] is delivered and then collected again after Christmas so that it can be replanted. I love that idea," she says.

Simple centerpieces and delightful food is at the center of the celebration. Find sweet and savory, plus drink, recipes throughout, including these Lucia rolls that come with a well-known folk story throughout Scandinavian culture about a girl named Lucia.

The DIYs in the book are totally attainable too, like these paper cones designed by paper artist and Copenhagen-based Violise Lunn. They are used for fresh flowers here but you could add sweets or trinkets for kids too - your next advent calendar? She offers up a recipe for mulled wine too. Yes please!

You can get creative with the paper cones by painting them in beautiful natural colors too. We adore these painted ones by wallpaper and textile designer Helene Blanche, who proves that Scandi style can be rich in color too.

“It’s important to know that these silk cones, or kræmmerhuse as we call them, can be made using all kinds of paper, including old newspapers, glossy paper, even fabric. This is what makes them so unique and personal as ornaments or as gifts," says Helene.

Call us officially inspired to turn our packaging and natural trimmings into gorgeous decor. Check outThe Christmas Season: Created By Scandinavian ArtistsbyKatrine Martensen-Larsen for more Scandi Christmas inspiration!

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