Festive Christmas mantel décor for the holiday season

Make it festive

Even if you haven't built a fire, the fireplace mantel is often a focal point in a room, so what better spot to decorate for Christmas? With plenty of space for signs, ornaments and garlands, you can turn your mantel into a magical, festive wonderland. 

Naturally, you'll need the right Christmas mantel décor. For starters, you might want to think about what types of decorations you're looking for, and then you can consider specifics, such as size and color palette. 

In this article: GenSwin Flickering Flameless Candles, Ki Store Lighted Glass Christmas Tree Ornaments and Oriental Cherry Vintage Merry Christmas Banner

Types of Christmas mantel décor

You can find many types of festive mantel decorations. Which ones you choose is entirely up to your preference. You may want to show off more than one type. 

• Garlands: Christmas garlands are traditionally made from evergreen branches, but those available online are made from the same materials as artificial Christmas trees. However, you can get alternatives made from beads or designed to look like wintry branches. Some garlands are pre-lit or flocked, and some have additional festive decorations, such as pine cones and berries. 
• Ornaments: Not to be confused with Christmas tree ornaments, these festive ornaments sit on your mantel. You can find many options, including Christmas trees, reindeer and sleighs. 
• Lanterns and lights: There's something festive about lanterns, even if they aren't inherently Christmassy — although you can find some with holiday designs. You can also decorate mantels with string lights and festive flameless candles.  
• Signs: You can find solid signs and individual letters that spell out Christmas-themed words, such as "joy," "peace" or "Noel."
• Stockings: Hanging stockings from your mantel during the holiday season is one way to approach Christmas mantel decorating. You can choose from a huge range of contemporary and traditional Christmas stocking designs. 

What to consider when choosing Christmas mantel decorations

Once you've decided what type of decorations you're looking for, there's still more to think about. Consider these factors to help you find the right décor. 

• Size: Look at the dimensions of the decorations you're considering, especially the length of garlands and the height and depth of ornaments, to make sure they will fit comfortably on your mantel and won't look too large or small. If you're creating a display of ornaments, think about proportion so you aren't left with a 2-inch Santa next to a 6-inch reindeer.
• Style: You can find festive decorations ranging from super traditional to sleek and modern. Then you can find some that are geared more toward kids with bright colors and cartoonish figures.
• There's no right or wrong when it comes to style, so choose whichever you prefer. You can create an interesting effect by mixing modern and traditional decorations, but it takes some thought to make it look good. 
• Color palette: Think about your holiday palette. Do you prefer to stick to silvers and golds or classic red and green? Or do you go for less traditional hues from the festive season, such as pink, blue and purple? You may have a color palette you want to stick with, or perhaps you're happy with an eclectic, mismatched style.  

Christmas mantel décor prices

You can find some inexpensive decorations for around $5 to $20, including festive signs and letters, stockings and small ornaments. Elaborate ornaments and top-quality garlands can cost as much as $100.

Best Christmas mantel décor

MorTime Christmas Garland 

Thanks to its added bows, baubles, berries and pine cones, this garland really brings festive cheer to your mantel. It is 9 feet long and has 50 integrated warm white lights.

GenSwin Flickering Flameless Candles

These three flameless candles flicker softly with a warm white glow that's delightfully festive. The deer design is Christmasy without being over-the-top. They use AAA batteries, which you need to buy separately.

Uniprime Mini Christmas Tree Decorations

These four flocked Christmas trees are perfect mantel decorations, either on their own or as part of a larger display with other items. Each is of a different height ranging between roughly 4 and 10 inches.

Yeahome Birch Tree Lights

Each measuring 24 inches tall, this pair of birch tree lights makes a striking display on your mantel. The silvery bark and bare branches are wintry, while the integrated lights give them a festive glow.

Ki Store Lighted Glass Christmas Tree Ornaments

These glass ornaments look beautiful sitting on a mantel, illuminating with a beautiful warm white light. They come in a pack of three, each of a different height (roughly 8, 9.5 and 11 inches).

Roman Confetti Lites Collection Lantern

Inside this beautifully finished lantern is a festive scene complete with swirling snow. Not only does it look great simply as an ornament, but it also lights up with an LED bulb.

Kunyida Knitted Christmas Stockings

Hung on your mantel, these knitted stockings bring the look of Christmas past to your living room. They're available in a range of lengths and color combinations, so you can choose what suits your needs.

Layseri Christmas Reindeer Stocking Hangers

Not only are these stocking hangers practical, but they are also decorative and look great on any mantel. This set of four includes three reindeer and a sleigh with presents inside

Hairui Birch Garland with Lights 

It's 6 feet long and studded with white lights and this wintry garland is a perfect alternative to classic evergreen versions. It is battery-powered and has a timer to save energy.

Oriental Cherry Vintage Merry Christmas Banner

This farmhouse Christmas mantel decor hangs from your mantel.  The background is distressed for a vintage look, with an elegant green ribbon connecting the letters. 

Worth checking out

• This 9-foot garland is perfect for decorating mantels with plenty of overhang on each side. 
• Made of beads and string lights, the Collections Etc. Beaded Garland is a great alternative to a garland made of artificial Christmas tree branches.
• Studded with pine cones and berries, this lighted garland can bring festive flair to any mantel. 
• Hanging stockings on your mantel, even before the big day, is a perfect way to decorate. 

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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.