There’s nothing like the delicious smell of gingerbread to get you into the holiday spirit! Not only is gingerbread a tasty Christmas treat, but it also makes for wonderful home decor.
Gingerbread Christmas decor is a great way to make your home feel festive and inviting. Whether it’s tree ornaments, a centerpiece, or a gingerbread wreath, there are so many ways to get your family and guests in the holiday cheer.
Here are 10 of my favorite gingerbread decor ideas that you can get inspiration from this holiday season.
1. Start with a classic gingerbread house centerpiece
Building a gingerbread house is a Christmas tradition that many families look forward to every year — especially kids!
This is one of the best gingerbread Christmas decor ideas because you get to enjoy crafting a beautiful gingerbread house while also getting a charming work of art as a result.
When placed on your dining room table, your gingerbread house becomes the perfect centerpiece. You can either make your gingerbread house out of real gingerbread, candy, and frosting to fill the room with a lovely ginger fragrance, or you can make it with cardboard, wood, felt, and pieces of fabric, paper, and cork so it lasts for years and years to come.
2. Add some gingerbread men tree ornaments
Want to take your Christmas tree to the next level this year? Create some gingerbread men tree ornaments! It’s a fun and engaging craft to do with the kids and gives your Christmas tree a bit of personality.
There are several different ways to make this special kind of gingerbread decor. Make your gingerbread men out of wood, paper, or felt for a longer-lasting decorative item. Or, if you want to fill the room with a sweet aroma, make gingerbread cookies and decorate them with colorful frosting!
Feel free to have fun with it! You can select a specific color scheme to match your home decor, add a unique style such as glam or nature-inspired, or simply adorn your beautiful tree with your kid’s works of art. The options are endless!
3. Create a gingerbread-themed holiday wreath
Wreathes have been a decorative staple during the holidays for many years, which is why they would make a great addition to your gingerbread Christmas decor. Search in the off-season for great deals on wreaths.
Create your own gingerbread wreath by arranging your gingerbread items in a circular shape. It can be made with real baked gingerbread, or out of other non-edible materials. To complement the brown of the gingerbread, you can also add green leaves, flowers, fruits, and twigs just as a traditional wreath would have.
Hanging your gingerbread wreath on your front door will give those who visit a delightful little treat as they enter your home. You can also hang it inside, on windows, cupboards, chairs, and on door handles depending on its size.
4. Decorate your home’s exterior with oversized candy decor
Another great tradition for showing the holiday spirit is outdoor decor. But we aren’t just talking Christmas lights, you can actually bring your gingerbread Christmas decor outside by adding oversized gingerbread candy! You can find great deals at local superstores on these outdoor decor pieces.
Unless you want to attract a bunch of critters to your doorstep, we do not recommend making these items out of real gingerbread. You could even get your gingerbread decor from the store or online if you really wanted to! However, if you do want to make this into a DIY project, make sure the materials you are using can withstand the weather in your respective area.
5. Make a gingerbread-themed photo backdrop or cutout board
Make your holiday photos, postcards, and parties that much cooler by making a photo backdrop or cutout board! Your family and guests will have so much fun taking pictures, showing off their outfits, and making memories that last a lifetime.
Cutout boards are especially fun because everyone will have a good laugh when they see the results. You can get super creative with it and draw a gingerbread house, a winter wonderland landscape, or gingerbread men with festive outfits. It makes a wonderful craft that the whole family can enjoy as they get ready for the holidays. Plus, it’s a minimum price to pay in the grand scheme of things.
6. Make some gingerbread family yard decorations
Another great gingerbread Christmas decor idea is yard decorations. It’ll give not only those who visit a warm, cheerful welcome but your neighbors as well!
Make it even more fun by making an entire gingerbread family. You can make a gingerbread “man” for each family member. The bigger the better for this collection of gingerbread men, as you’ll want those who drive or walk by to stop and admire your festive home. Therefore, making them lifesize would be your best choice.
7. Use oversized colorful Christmas lights on your house
There’s something so cozy and charming about oversized Christmas lights, especially if they resemble the ones decorated on gingerbread houses! Get your house ready with this fun idea.
Take your gingerbread Christmas decor up a notch by hanging big colorful lights on your house. There’s no doubt your neighbors will be delighted by the sight, and it’ll make those who enter your home dazzled by the Christmas cheer.
To find the most ideal Christmas lights, check your local store or online for more options. There are always a lot of good deals before December hits! You can also get lights that are powered by the sun if you want to be more eco-friendly this year with your Christmas decor.
8. Line your front walk with candy canes or peppermint lollipops to add to the gingerbread decor
Transform your home into a gingerbread house by lining your front walkway with candy canes and peppermint lollipops!
Decorating your home like a gingerbread house will certainly bring out the magic of Christmas. Plus, adding these adorable items to your outdoor decoration is another creative way to get neighbors and guests to stop and appreciate your Christmas decor.
You can either DIY and make your own candy canes and lollipops, or you can find and select your favorite items online or at your local store. Making your own makes for a fun activity with the family, and you can also paint them to match your house color!
9. Make gumdrop garlands for stairways and doorways
You can also turn the inside of your house into a gingerbread wonderland by making gumdrop garlands for your stairways and doorways. Gumdrops are very cute and are bursting with color, so they are just what you need for spreading that Christmas cheer. It’s the perfect way to get ready for the holidays.
Keep in mind that gumdrops are also sticky, so using floral or craft wire will be easiest when stringing them together. As the gumdrops sit out, they will naturally harden on their own. However, if you want to ensure you don’t attract any pests, shellacking the entire garland will do the trick.
10. Use cardboard to make a giant gingerbread playhouse for the holidays at a minimum price
Our last and final gingerbread Christmas decor idea is to make a giant gingerbread playhouse! It’ll both bring the magic of Christmas to life and create wonderful happy memories as you get ready for Christmas.
There are great options that you can select online, including a cardboard gingerbread playhouse that kids can color on like a coloring book. However, making one at home is quite easy (all you need is a cardboard box!) and it gives your kids the option to draw and color more creatively.
I hope you loved these great gingerbread Christmas decor ideas! There is so much you can do with just a few cheap materials and your creativity. Not to mention, the internet is flooding with inspiration as well as pre-made items if you can’t quite find the time.
11. Add gingerbread-themed dishes
One of the easiest ways to add a gingerbread theme in a more subtle way is to use gingerbread-themed holiday dishes. From plates to mugs, there are quite a few very cute gingerbread-themed kitchen items available.
For more fun holiday decor inspiration, check out the other posts on my page:
FAQs
Is making a gingerbread house a Christmas tradition?
Yes! Making gingerbread houses is a Christmas tradition in many North American households.
How do you decorate a gingerbread house for beginners?
You can build your own gingerbread house from gingerbread made from scratch or buy a kit from the store. To decorate, use icing as glue and add any candy and sweets you want for designing. You could also create houses from cardboard and craft materials.
