This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Hannah Yarrington. Find her on Instagram at @513hny. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
It’s Christmas time! Well, almost. After it hits November, I am full of Christmas spirit and adore all the decorations. There are so many ways to decorate for the holiday season, and I’ve been seeing loads of cottage-core-inspired decorations. Think of cozy, warm, simple, yet full of character homemade decorations that have been passed down from generations, or just think of the Little Women house from 2019. Now, if you don’t have the things readily available and don’t want to spend a fortune on decorations plus buying presents, here are some things to look out for when thrifting this season, along with general cottage Christmas decorating ideas that will give you the desired aesthetic. So, head over to your local thrift store, and let’s get started.
Village houses
In my home, we have a whole town full of little Christmas houses that we set up every single year, and these things are so easy to find while thrifting. Get a couple of these little houses, and it’ll give your room a lovely vintage feel when placed on a mantel or on the coffee table.
Garlands
Not only can you find a traditional garland of pine, but I’ve also seen so many people make their own dried orange garlands that are so adorable. People dry out some orange slices, loop some string through them, and hang them all over the place. You also get the added bonus of your house smelling like yummy oranges. Also, try hanging regular garlands in your archways, down a staircase, literally anywhere and everywhere.
Candlesticks
Don’t overlook all those candle sticks you see lying around in the thrift store. Instead, take them home with you, see if you can’t find a brass holder with some vintage designs on it, and put them all over your house. Nothing says cottage Christmas like firelight and candles.
Gingham table runners
I think Gingham is the universal pattern for cottage-core and is such a simple way to dress up your home for the holiday season. Green and red gingham will give you a cozy Christmas feel, and you can find them just about anywhere.
Stockings
When it comes to cottagecore stockings, people generally go for ones that look quite old and vintage. If it seems like something your grandma might have owned at some point or another, you’re doing it right. But a sturdy cable knight stocking looks really great as well.
Vintage Pictures
Hanging up old Christmas paintings, you find out thrifting is an excellent way to decorate your house effortlessly. Instead of going for some of the most colorful adorned with bright red and green, I would lean more towards the more subdued ones that capture the beauty of winter weather and Christmas activities like ice skating, snowball fights, etc.
Ornaments/tree decorating
Decorating your tree is objectively one of the most fun parts of Christmas. In order to give off the cottage-core feel, try going for yellow string lights instead of colorful ones, throw in some pine cones you found in your backyard, and tie some pretty red ribbon around the tree. As for ornaments, finding old, vintage ornaments at the thrift store isn’t a challenging task, and it gives your tree a lot of character.
Wreaths
Wreaths are also a massive staple in a cozy cottage household during Christmas. You can buy all kinds of wreaths now, but people tend to stick to the classic pine ones with pine cones and red berries. The main thing about this Christmas aesthetic is that you want greenery everywhere. So don’t hesitate to put a wreath on all the doors in your house if you want to.
What did you think of these cottage christmas decorating ideas? What have you been able to find and thrift this year so far? Let us know!
Leave a Reply