Rustic Christmas Trees: So Simple and Stylish!

Do we have a treat for you today! Six heartwarmingly rustic Christmas tree finds that had us sighing in sheer delight as we discovered each one. Their origins alone—Finland, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Denmark—explain their stylized Scandinavian simplicity in decorating for the holidays. No fuss. Minimal frills. Sheer hand-made charm. In other words, we can all have Christmas trees this pared down and precious!

Get Inspired to Decorate Your Tree!

The key to this decorating approach is definitely “less is more”! But as we studied our finds more closely, we noted how just a few well-chosen elements make all the difference.

Show off the tree. Rather than have the tree laden with ornaments, leave it mostly exposed to enjoy the greenery or to show off the texture of an all-wood tree.

Go with neutrals. No loud Christmasy colors in this spare Scandinavian look. Instead, stick with organic greens and browns. Plus ivory, white, taupe, and ‘kraft paper’ tones—with touches of holiday red.

Celebrate the handcrafted look. Ornaments that you’ve made yourself or that are family collectibles definitely up the charm factor several notches. Think crocheted snowflakes, stuffed fabric birds, lace angels, glittery snow globes, paper fans made from sheet music, and woodsy stars made from twigs.

Keep the twinkle simple. There’s no need to have your entire tree ablaze with lights. See the magic that just a string or two of firefly bulbs and a few LED candles can create!

Use a creative container. A woven basket, a galvanized iron tub, and especially an old-fashioned snow sled are just perfect for rounding out the rustic holiday look of your tree. Even a simple clay pot can be bundled up in faux fur or burlap—or (and this is a touch we love!) simply surrounded by a pile of “brown paper packages tied up with string”!

Image credits:

1 – Via Hvítur Lakkrís
2 – So Leb Ich via Keltainen Talo Rannalla
3 – Mormor Martas
4 – Mia’s Interior
5 – Herz-Allerliebst
6 – Mokkasin