Decorating
Christmas: 12 Sparkling Ideas for Baubles That Go Beyond the Tree
Hang them from your Christmas spruce, by all means, but remember that your baubles will look magical in a host of other locations, too
A Christmas tree dripping with sparkly baubles is about as festive as it gets. Which one of us, as a child, didn’t carefully draw a symmetrical tree decked with globe-like baubles on a homemade Christmas card? Exactly. But of course, there’s always scope for updating our favourite traditions.
So this year, why not give your baubles a chance to really show off by hanging them in unlikely places – dotting, dangling and heaping them up in other spots around your house? Here are 12 beautiful ideas that take baubles beyond the tree.
So this year, why not give your baubles a chance to really show off by hanging them in unlikely places – dotting, dangling and heaping them up in other spots around your house? Here are 12 beautiful ideas that take baubles beyond the tree.
Enclose in a bell jar
Liberate baubles from the tree but prevent them from rolling all over the place by confining them to a simple glass bell jar. Add a twist of fairy lights inside, too, for added glow and sparkle.
Liberate baubles from the tree but prevent them from rolling all over the place by confining them to a simple glass bell jar. Add a twist of fairy lights inside, too, for added glow and sparkle.
Display in miniature
Play with scale and source mini baubles that can be hung from a tiny real tree. Seen here are cute little stars, but small shiny spheres would look equally gorgeous!
Play with scale and source mini baubles that can be hung from a tiny real tree. Seen here are cute little stars, but small shiny spheres would look equally gorgeous!
Heap into a vase
Here’s an easy but effective Christmas decoration that inverts the bell jar idea. Simply fill a glass vase or storm lantern with baubles, tumbled in at random. It’s a neat and colourful idea and just a little bit original, too.
Hanging baubles from a simple branch sitting in a vase is another contemporary take on festive decorating – and it works beautifully.
Here’s an easy but effective Christmas decoration that inverts the bell jar idea. Simply fill a glass vase or storm lantern with baubles, tumbled in at random. It’s a neat and colourful idea and just a little bit original, too.
Hanging baubles from a simple branch sitting in a vase is another contemporary take on festive decorating – and it works beautifully.
Add as a place decoration
Tie a name card to a pretty bauble and use it to mark out places at your festive table. Thread some ribbon through the bauble, too, for extra impact.
Tie a name card to a pretty bauble and use it to mark out places at your festive table. Thread some ribbon through the bauble, too, for extra impact.
Pile into a bowl
Create a treasure chest effect by stacking beautiful baubles into a large, shiny bowl. Then just add beaded decorations, gold-sprayed shells or anything else slightly over the top and fabulous that you can find, for a decadent take on a Christmas centrepiece.
Create a treasure chest effect by stacking beautiful baubles into a large, shiny bowl. Then just add beaded decorations, gold-sprayed shells or anything else slightly over the top and fabulous that you can find, for a decadent take on a Christmas centrepiece.
Suspend from a branch
Create some festive wall art cheaply and beautifully using a found branch or two hung on the wall with picture wire. Then tie baubles to it, suspending them at various heights – simple, fast and pretty.
Discover 11 ways to bring nature into your sleep space
Create some festive wall art cheaply and beautifully using a found branch or two hung on the wall with picture wire. Then tie baubles to it, suspending them at various heights – simple, fast and pretty.
Discover 11 ways to bring nature into your sleep space
Drape from the rafters
Source large-scale baubles and hang them from ceiling beams with long lengths of festive ribbon for a Christmassy take on the glitter ball!
Source large-scale baubles and hang them from ceiling beams with long lengths of festive ribbon for a Christmassy take on the glitter ball!
Loop over a door handle
Seek out places that naturally lend themselves to a bauble this Christmas. How about a door handle? It’s the right shape to support a festive decoration or two. These paper baubles work especially well as they won’t make an irritating clicking sound when you open and close the door and there is no risk of smashing them, either.
Check out 10 decorative handles that would transform any door
Seek out places that naturally lend themselves to a bauble this Christmas. How about a door handle? It’s the right shape to support a festive decoration or two. These paper baubles work especially well as they won’t make an irritating clicking sound when you open and close the door and there is no risk of smashing them, either.
Check out 10 decorative handles that would transform any door
Use as a napkin ring
The loop that would typically be used to hang a bauble from a branch can also be used as a ring for a napkin for a Christmassy table setting. A drop-shaped bauble works particularly well here and will lie neatly against the beautifully folded linen.
The loop that would typically be used to hang a bauble from a branch can also be used as a ring for a napkin for a Christmassy table setting. A drop-shaped bauble works particularly well here and will lie neatly against the beautifully folded linen.
Dot along a mantelpiece
Use baubles to bring your fireplace display to life. Sit them in-between church candles or tuck them in among foliage and tealights to bring shape and shine to your arrangement.
Check out more traditional Christmas decorating ideas
Use baubles to bring your fireplace display to life. Sit them in-between church candles or tuck them in among foliage and tealights to bring shape and shine to your arrangement.
Check out more traditional Christmas decorating ideas
Hang in the stairwell
Ramp up the festive feel in your hallway by suspending baubles from the landing above, so they dangle beautifully overhead. Twist some lights around the banisters, too, to create lovely reflections in the baubles and lots of extra sparkle to welcome family and friends.
TELL US…
How do you decorate your home at Christmas? Share ideas and photos in the Comments below.
Ramp up the festive feel in your hallway by suspending baubles from the landing above, so they dangle beautifully overhead. Twist some lights around the banisters, too, to create lovely reflections in the baubles and lots of extra sparkle to welcome family and friends.
TELL US…
How do you decorate your home at Christmas? Share ideas and photos in the Comments below.
If space is too tight for a large tabletop centrepiece, hang baubles from a pendant lampshade above. Alternatively, boost the Christmas feel of a classic chandelier, if you have one, by suspending a few choice designs from its arms.
For either idea, use ribbon and hang the baubles at different heights for a ‘raining down’ effect. Stick to one shade of bauble and ribbon for a coordinated look.
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