15 Simple and Elegant Christmas Fireplace Mantel Decor Ideas

Christmas will be here before you know it and one of the most enjoyable ways to exercise your creativity is by decorating your fireplace mantel. Unlike upgrading ornaments on your Christmas tree or using real greenery for your garlands, styling your mantel for the holiday doesn't have to be nearly as nerve-wracking.

Depending on your style, you can keep it classic with simple red stockings and snow globe cloches, or create a DIY advent calendar. All that's required are a few simple touches and a willingness to experiment with the right decorative accents.

Are you ready to get started and make your fireplace the focal point of your home? Take inspiration from these well-rounded selections of festive Christmas mantel ideas to celebrate the holidays in style. 

1. Signs of Christmas

Skip the garland and stick to framed photos of your favorite holiday sayings — and then take your mantel one step further with rustic name tags on your stockings. Via Good Housekeeping

2. Magnolia Wreath

Who says a wreath is just for the front door? Bring the outdoors in with a magnolia wreath at the center of your mantel, surrounded by greenery and other natural touches. Via Pinterest

3. Christmas Countdown

Make your DIY advent calendar the star of the show, with a display that puts it front and center so you can feel the anticipation for Christmas as it gets closer. Via Shades of Blue Interiors

4. Classic Christmas

Red, white, and green come together beautifully on this mantel, which includes just a few touches of contrasting black, like the black-and-white wallpaper that’s used as a background for the wreath. Via Crisp Collective

5. Christmas Mantle Banner 

This banner for your fireplace mantle or anywhere else (dining table, kitchen counter, buffet table, etc) will add some merry cheer to your elegant decor!

Gorgeous stainless steel, chrome, lush ribbons and thick, hefty card stock that is UV-coated to resist fading. Easy set-up-In less than 2 minutes, you can have your centerpiece ready to go. Now that’s what I call stress-free holiday decorating. 

Unpack, Celebrate, Repeat-It's reusable!  We love when we can use one home accessory for various holiday party kit and birthdays too.  

6. Winter Forest

Scour your backyard for branches, tree trimmings, and bright berries, then bring your findings indoors and arrange them all on your mantel. Via Craft Berry Bush

7. Peachy Garlands

Tired of the same old red-and-green color palette? These pretty display, featuring whites, ivories, and peachy hues are a beautiful complement to fresh greenery and a neutral decor. Via Jacquelyn Clark

8. Chalkboard Christmas Sign

Write new festive messages (holiday greetings, song lyrics, etc.) above your mantel every day of December with this rustic chalkboard Christmas display. Via Mom 4 Real

9. Christmas Carol Sign

This blogger fashioned this pretty mantel by layering greenery, garland, stockings, and white branches under a sign featuring some of her favorite Christmas song lyrics. Via From My Front Porch to Yours

10. Plaid Blanket Stockings

Blogger Nora Murphy used a series of old blankets, which had seen better days, to make these adorable tartan and fringe stockings for her home's mantel. Now they hang beautifully next to lush, homegrown garland. Via Country Living

11. Golden Touches

The owner of this Connecticut home tucked gold garland throughout the arrangement. For a final stroke of genius, he draped glass beads from elk antlers hung on high. The silver and gold strands help the mixed metals seem intentional. Via Country Living

12. Advent Calendar Christmas Mantel

Simple garland and gold star wall decals frame the beautifully hung advent calendar. Touches of gold on top of the mantel tie everything together with decorations like candle sticks, a vintage banner, tinsel, and bottle brush trees. Via Alice Wingerden

13. Christmas Mantel Decor with Snow Globe Cloches

It’s the perfect fit as the cloches look just like giant snow globes! To make these cloches look like large snow globes, buffalo snow was added (not the flake kind but the kind that’s like cotton batten) to the base. Then bottle brush trees are added and pushed the base through the buffalo snow. In some of the cloches, wrapped boxes, red velvet and plaid ribbon were added to them. The last step was wrapping the gifts and trees with LED string lights on wire to get the full Christmas effect. Via So Much Better With Age

14. Modern Red and White Scandinavian

Here is a more modern and minimalist twist, with a hint of Scandinavian style mixed in. The “trees” on the mantel are very striking and different. The stockings have been given a bit of glam with crafted flowers. Via Cozy Little House

15. Natural winter greenery 

Not only is this the place where stockings will be hung with care, but it’s also the focal point for the room. Bundles of silver dollar eucalyptus, juniper berries, Carolina sapphire cypress and white pine were created and added into the garland rope to build a full and natural design. These were bundled with florist tape and then attached to the cedar with florist wire. Via West Coast Gardens

Summary

As you can see you don't have to be an interior designer to pull off something beautiful. So get started with your Christmas mantel decor and turn your fireplace into an eye-catching focal point for the holidays.