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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and I could not be more excited to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family and friends! Normally I’m a “wait until after Thanksgiving to deck the halls” kind of girl, but I realized that planning ahead and decorating (even a little bit), before Thanksgiving will mean less stress for me in December.
It was a snap to turn my dining room into an elegant winter wonderland with products from Big Lots, and to make it just as easy for you, I’m sharing five tips for decorating the dining room for Christmas.
My dining room transformation began one particularly cold and blustery morning here in the Windy City. I was not exactly in a good mood because of the nasty weather (hello, bad hair day), but as soon as my son and I walked into Big Lots, everything changed. It was like we stepped into a Christmas fantasyland! The entire back third of the store was filled with amazing holiday decor products that had me instantly feeling the spirit of the season. From table linens, to ornaments, to greenery, to home accents, to high-quality artificial Christmas trees and more – Big Lots had everything I needed to deck out my dining room in style and at a great price (and to kick my nasty mood to the curb!).
I was like a kid in a candy store! There was so much to choose from. Of course my son wanted me to add a giant pre-lit snowman and present stack to the cart. Sorry, bud – no life-size lawn decor in this dining room!
After finding the perfect items to transform my dining room, I could not wait to get all of my new Christmas decor displayed! So, yeah, I started decorating immediately. And honestly, I’m so glad I did! Having this one room decorated makes me feel like I’m so far ahead in the game and makes me instantly happy every time I walk in there!
I’m glad I decorated this room first because my mom’s dining room is where so many of my fondest Christmas memories have taken place. Sharing beautiful meals with those I love while soft lights twinkle and Christmas decor sparkles in the background is a part of every Christmas memory for me. To give future memories a proper setting, my own dining room had to be transformed into an elegant but festive space. I think I more than accomplished that with help from Big Lots, and I’m excited to share my tips on how you, too, can deck out the dining room this season.
1. Light it Up
A big part of the magic of Christmas is twinkling lights everywhere you look. Why not bring that into the dining room with an abundance of sparkle and candlelight?
If you’re clumsy like me and worried about setting the table or yourself on fire (um, yes, I have done that), then flameless LED candles are the perfect solution! I set my table with lots of subtly-sparkled LED candles and votives from Big Lots.
The glittery branch trees and evergreen garland I bought add even more glamour and shimmer to the table, even when it’s not dark outside.
Don’t limit the sparkle to the table, though! I carried the look throughout the room by adding these gorgeous lanterns and wine-colored LED candles near the tree.
The soft glow and ambiance the candlelight creates while reflecting off the glittery accent pieces will inspire family and friends to linger, and will make the dining room a memorable setting for the Christmas memories being made.
2. Set a Special Table
Since the table is the centerpiece of any holiday dinner, make it shine with special details like festive linens, unique place cards, and beautiful accessories.
These Christmas tree placemats I got at Big Lots are a wonderful way to bring Christmas to the meal in the absence of holiday china or tableware. With their ribbon and bell detailing, they’re a special addition to the table.
Unique touches like mini mason jar place cards filled with greenery cuts from Big Lots will also have guests smiling and feeling special.
And how about these cute new Santa salt and pepper shakers? I mean, come on. They’re adorable.
With a beautiful table set, guests will truly enjoy themselves at the holiday meal – even if the food is not very good (which is what happens when I host).
3. Say Yes to Swag
Adding swags to the backs of chairs elevates the look of any holiday dining room. I made these by tying together faux evergreen swags, ornaments and ribbon — all from Big Lots — and looping them through my chairs.
Make them personal to you and your family’s traditions by including ornaments that have meaning to you. The ice skates on my swags are a nod to my daughter’s obsession with ice skating. They’ll definitely be a conversation starter, which can certainly be helpful at some holiday meals! (Gah! I have to sit next to weird Uncle Bob again this year?!?)
4. Add a Tree
Beautiful evergreens are synonymous with Christmas, so why not bring one into the dining room? I’m not saying you have to lug the Griswold family tree in there (especially if your dining room is small like mine), but even a small tree will bring ambiance and joy into the room.
I was SO excited to find this 5 foot faux cashmere tree at Big Lots because it is the perfect size for my space. I also love that it is pre-lit and came with an adorable base so I didn’t have to buy my own or skirt the tree.
My kids are so excited to have a tree in the dining room, and I have to admit that I am, too. It is really beautiful to look at, and I know it will be especially beautiful during a lovely meal.
5. Pay Attention to the Little Details
To really complete a dining room’s transformation for the Christmas season, pay attention to the little details. One way to do that is to swap out regular artwork or wall hangings for Christmas art. I was so excited to find this wood-pallet lookalike art at Big Lots and knew it would be perfect in the dining room. It has subtle glitter accents that sparkle in the reflection of the tree light. Gorgeous!
Adding garlands and ornaments to other bare spaces also adds a festive touch.
You can also try emptying dishes and containers of their regular contents and substituting with sparkly ornaments of varying shapes and sizes. Put out seasonal candy dishes, too! They look cute on their own, and guests will love nibbling on sweet treats once you fill them with candy. The little details can be the easiest to take care of, but they really show you care.
I hope these tips help excite you for the holidays to come and give you some inspiration for your own Christmas home!
Once you start your decorating this year, you should definitely check out Big Lots for high-quality holiday and seasonal decor for both inside and outside of your home. And to get you even more prepared to create your own winter wonderland before you head to the store, check out Big Lots’ website and Christmas catalog for ideas, tips, and inspiration. Styles and assortment vary by store.
Now that you’ve seen my decked out dining room and read my tips for creating your own beautiful holiday dining space, which room are you planning to transform this Christmas?
-Bre
Juan Perz says
Awesome home decoration ideas. Helpful content for me. Thank you.
Bre says
Thanks!
Danni Black says
I really like your third tip “Say Yes to Swag” and the picture underneath it! I think those decorations on the back of the chairs looks really great! My husband and I have been thinking about getting some new dining room furniture for the up coming holidays and I would love to have some similar decor for our various Christmas parties and dinners. Any further advice you have would be great! Thanks for the great tips!
Kim~madeinaday says
Bre this room is gorgeous!! Love the pretty trees on the table and especially the ice skates! Stopping by to let you know you are being featured on Friday’s P3 Party post! Have a great week! Thanks for pinning!
Best,
Kim
Bre says
Oh thank you so much, Kim!! It was SO fun to decorate this room! Thanks very much for the feature! Hope you are well. 🙂
Summer Davis says
These are GREAT tips, and I LOVE your China cabinet. It’s the same one my grandparents had. #client
Bre says
Thank you, Summer! 🙂
Cathy says
A trip to Big Lots is definitely in my future. Love your dining room – so pretty and those twig trees stole my heart. Cathy
Bre says
Thank you, Cathy! It is SUCH a great place for holiday decor! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Amy | Canary Street Crafts says
This is so pretty, Bre! I absolutely love the chair swags with the little ice skates. Such a cute idea! The glitter trees, little mason jar place settings and lanterns are all beautiful too!
Bre says
Thank you, Amy! 🙂
Sarah @ Little Red Brick House says
Bre, your dining room is absolutely stunning! I love all of the greenery and lights. Those sparkly branch trees are beautiful! You’ve done a wonderful job! Love the tips too.
Bre says
Thank you SO much, Sarah! I honestly wish I were hosting lots of parties this holiday season, just so I could be in there more! 🙂
Erica @ Dwell Beautiful says
Bre, this is seriously BEAUTIFUL! What a wonderful winter wonderland 🙂 I love all your attention to detail and those little glittery trees are my FAVE. Fun fact, I actually used to work at Big Lots when I was in high school haha
Bre says
Thank you, Erica!! I am so happy with how it all came together! And what a fun fact! I had not been to Big Lots before I did my basement makeover, but I am hooked! I think if I would work there I would have no paycheck. 🙂
Tiffany says
Hi, Bre ~ Your dining room looks beautiful! Great tips, too. I especially like the tip about setting a special table, because I so enjoy setting a gorgeous holiday table. I’m pinning this so that I can refer to it later. Thanks for sharing!
Bre says
Hi, Tiffany – thank you!!! I appreciate your sweet note and that you pinned the post! Have a great rest of your day!
Bre says
AHHH how fun this must have been!! What a gorgeous space and I Love those little mason jar place settings!!
Bre says
Thanks, friend! It was TOTALLY fun, gotta admit it. And I’m totally in the Christmas spirit now. 🙂
Emily @ Table & Hearth says
This is gorgeous Bre!! It’s so beautiful at night! My favorite is the little tree and the swags on the chairs, I’m a sucker for some chair swag. And can we just mention how gorgeous the architecture of your home is and those stained glass doors?!?
Bre says
Aw, thanks girl! I really appreciate it! It was SO fun decorating and writing this post! And we are definitely lucky with those doors. It was one of the selling points of this house. Pretty much everything else was hideous – ha!
Katie @ Little House of Four says
Great tips! Everything turned out so beautiful Bre. I love all the glittery touches and those mini mason jar placeholders are super cute! I’m also loving the ice skate swags and the special meaning behind them.
Bre says
Thank you so much, Katie! I just can’t wait to entertain in here! I looked back at my pics from last year and couldn’t believe how much better it looks this year! 🙂