Nothing says home for the holidays like curling up next to a roaring fire and turning on your favorite Christmas movie, a mug of hot chocolate in hand. The twinkling lights of your Christmas tree might be where your eyes wander first, but dont forget about the mantel! No matter how detailed your living room decorations may get during the holidays, its easy to overlook this spot once its festooned with Santa-ready stockings. But youll be surprised at how quickly you can twirl up your mantel with some garland and a few well-placed pieces of decor. Were not saying you have to go all-out with a Christmas extravaganza (though we certainly have ideas if you want to decorate every nook and crannylooking at you, porch, front door, kitchen, and staircase!). Small, natural decorations go a long way in spreading holiday cheer. So, regardless of howand how muchyou want add festive flair to your mantel, weve got ideas for you! To make it even better, a majority of these ideas include subtle DIY touches, meaning you can achieve your dream aesthetic without breaking the bank. Ready To Dive Into Decorating? Check Out Some Of Our Other Favorite Christmas Decorating Ideas...1Go for GinghamDavid TsayWhile the holiday season might conjure up images of plaids and tartans, gingham shouldn't be overlooked. In design maven Heather Taylor's California cabin, gingham sofas stay year-round, while perfectly mismatched gingham stockings go up for Christmas. RELATED: Heather's Cozy Cabin is All We Want for Christmas2Channel Coastal CharmErin Little, styling by Matthew GleasonIf your house is more seaside than countryside, you can lean into coastal accents like photographer Tiffany Mizzell did in her Maine home. Charmingly weathered buoys and carved sea captains pair perfectly with fresh garland. RELATED: This Festive House is the Epitome of a Coastal ChristmasAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below3Make Mini Music TreesIf youre gearing up to host your annual caroling party, or just love the music of the holiday season, pay homage to the theme with sheet music trees! This easy-to-craft DIY makes the perfect addition to any mantel. RELATED: Heres How to Make Fringed Sheet Music Trees4Trot Out the TrophiesDylan ChandlerIf youre looking to add some vintage flair to your mantel, try trophies! They twirl up easily when filled with sprigs of greenery and shine with perfect patina next to a happily lit Christmas tree. Holiday cards displayed in vintage flower frogs and stockings made of old French grain sacks add more vintage charm.RELATED: These Are The 100+ Best Places To Shop for Antiques Online, According To Our EditorsAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Go for Oversized GarlandDylan ChandlerNeed to make a statement over your fireplace, but dont have a mantel? Try hanging oversized garland, strung along the top and down the sides, to pack on the holiday charm. RELATED: Our Favorite Rustic Living Room Ideas That Are Classic, Cozy, and Modern6Live by CandlelightDavid A. LandIn this coastal living room cozied up for Christmas, glass hurricane candle holders and jars flank the brick chimneyand dont detract from the lush garland, fisherman knit stockings, or life ring wreath.RELATED: See More of This Cozy Coastal Christmas FarmhouseAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7Craft a Card DisplayMarta Xochilt Perez, styling by Matthew GleasonTake a page out of the Turner familys holiday playbook and keep notes from loved ones proudly on display. Here, collected Christmas cards tuck right behind shaggy garland for a personalized seasonal display. RELATED: See How The Turner Family Makes Merry In The Mitten State8Stick to Classic Christmas ColorsNat Rea, styling by Matthew GleasonRed and green are staples of the Christmas color palette for good reason. In this Rhode Island home, Mom and daughter get red knit stockings while Dad and sons go for green. RELATED: See More of This Cozy Rhode Island SaltboxAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below9Start With Shimmering Candle HoldersBecky StaynerAdd a little sparkle to the mantel with these easy-to-create candle sticks. To make, all you need to do is hot-glue a variety of small ornaments to thrifted candle stick bases. 10Embrace Vintage ElementsLiz Marie BlogVintage can go a long way when it comes to decorating. Bottlebrush trees, postcards, and plenty of greenery make its mark on this Christmas mantel designed by Liz Marie Galvan.Get the tutorial at Liz Marie Blog.RELATED: See Inside Liz Marie's Stunning White FarmhouseAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below11Craft Shiny Brite TreesBecky StaynerMake one or make tenit doesnt matter. Youll display these festive sparkling beauties on the mantel year after year. To make: Cover Styrofoam cones (we used 12- and 15-inch cones) with ornaments, attaching them with hot-glue. Start with larger ornaments at the bottom, transitioning to smaller ones as you work your way up. Fill in any gaps with mini ornament balls. If desired, wrap the finished trees with vintage tinsel and beaded garland.RELATED: Up For More Crafts? Check Out These Kid-Friendly Christmas Craft Ideas!12Hang Handmade StockingsBrian WoodcockSerial renovator Holly Williams makes her familys stockings from vintage feed sacks and adds personalization with yarn, which conjures the same handcrafted spirit as her pioneer-built cabin.RELATED: See More of Hollys Charming Tennessee Cabin Is the Epitome of Rustic Christmas DecorAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below13Turn Blankets Into StockingsAnnie SchlechterMulti-hyphenate creative Nora Murphy used a series of old blankets, which had seen better days, to make these adorable fringed tartan stockings for her homes holiday mantel. Now they hang beautifully next to a lush garland of mixed greens. RELATED: Tour More of Noras Connecticut Home That Is 'Mad for Plaid' at Christmastime14Let There Be LightDylan Chandler, styling by Matthew GleasonIn need of a quick mantel refresh for the holidays or just looking to keep your decor simple this year? Take a note from this holiday scene and opt for glowing battery-operated candles, stacks of red books, and fresh greenery to make your mantel feel merry. RELATED: Tour More of This1830s Log Cabin That Hosts an Idyllic Old-Fashioned ChristmasAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below15Give Feed Sack Stockings a TryDavid TsayOld feed sacks, which you can find at your local antiques store or flea market, can easily be upcycled and transformed into cute stockings! In this western Michigan farmhouse, the repurposed stockings were paired with lush garland accented with cheery Shiny Brite ornaments and wintry paint-by-number paintings. RELATED: See More of This Festive Farmhouse Packed with Cute Christmas Decorating Ideas16Fill It With FirDavid LandThis Wisconsin cabins stone fireplace gets a classically cozy touch thanks to simple fir garland and campy red lanterns.RELATED: See More of This Cabin Nestled in the Woods That Delivers the Ultimate Cozy ChristmasAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17Style Up a Starry NightBurcu AvsarA wreath in the shape of a star, cheery presents, and stockings made of old feed sacks create the perfect farmhouse Christmas scene for this festive mantel.RELATED: Love The Small Tree? Here Are Our Best Mini Christmas Tree Ideas18Keep It Simple and SweetAnnie SchlechterYou dont have to go over the top with your holiday decor! In this farmhouse living room, an unadorned arrangement of greenery and antique stockings adorn the mantel, making for a cheery display. RELATED: Our Favorite Farmhouse Decorating Ideas To Help You Create Your Dream Country HomeAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below19Accent With AmericanaDavid TsayA massive stone fireplace in this campy lake house gets some country charm from a wooden folk art American flag, vintage red camp lanterns, a lush garland, and some festive stockings.RELATED: Tour More of This California Lake Home Is the Ultimate Christmas Getaway20Hang a Rustic StarBuff StricklandThe Junk Gypsies transformed this vintage flea market star into the perfect holiday mantel piece and then styled it alongside fresh greenery (accented with cactus leaves) and gold star garland in their Texas Inn.RELATED: This Texas Inn Is the Only Place You Should Spend ChristmasCharlyne MattoxFood and Crafts DirectorCharlyne Mattox is Food and Crafts Director for Country Living.Anna LoganSenior Homes & Style EditorAnna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isnt working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!