How I Created the Coziest Advent Decorations For My Home (on a Budget)
Looking for easy Advent decorations for your home? Try these simple, cozy DIY projects for a beautiful holiday home.
I was sitting in my tiny living room, morning latte in hand, watching the leaves fall outside my window.
And then it hit me.
Advent is just around the corner.
The official start of the Christmas season. High time to get the boxes down and start my favorate seasonal decorating. And for me that starts with making a four candle Advent table decoration.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year. The cozy sweaters. The warm drinks. The way the house starts to feel a little more magical with every decoration. But I also know that not everyone has the time or the energy for elaborate holiday setups.
If you’re like me, you want something simple, something cozy, something ridiculously easy, but that still looks like you put in a little extra effort. (Can you relate?)
So today, I’m sharing my favorite easy Advent decorating ideas. The kind that don’t require a degree in fine arts or a trip to every craft store in town. Just a little creativity, a few supplies you probably already have, and a lot of heart.
Come on, let’s take a peek.
10+ Easy Advent Decor Ideas (Step-by-Step)
An Advent decoration doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, all you need is a little creativity and a few simple supplies. If you have a wreath, you are off to a great start.
I’ve used all kinds of wreaths for my Advent table decor over the years.
A straw wreath with walnuts.
A ready-made evergreen wreath from Ikea.
Even a rustic twig wreath with vintage-style candle clips.
Idea 1: From Fall Wreath to Advent Table Decor
For my walnut wreath Advent decor, I used a DIY fall walnut wreath I made a couple of years ago. I replaced four of the nuts with candle holders and added wooden stars and pearls for a little extra sparkle. It’s simple. It’s pretty. And it’s perfect for the center of your table. You can find the full instructions for making this walnut wreath Advent centerpiece here.
Idea 2: Upgrade a Cheap Faux Evergreen Wreath Into Advent Decor
This Evergreen Four Candles Advent Wreath was made using a ready-made wreath from Ikea. In the middle, I nested a four-bottle caddy. The bottles (filled with some sand) were the perfect candle holders for my four Advent candles. Some additional faux greens were stuffed in the wreath, and I crafted silver stars for additional fun.
Using a cake stand for my wreath was just the perfect finishing touch for this super easy Advent wreath idea.
Idea 3: Rustic Advent Wreath
This Rustic Advent Wreath DIY is quite fun and unexpected. I love the combination of vintage-style candle clips, natural twigs, and the simple numbered pot. Of course, when the second advent arrives, you simply turn the pot until the number 2 is visible. Rustic and natural Advent at its best. Click the link for the rustic Advent wreath tutorial.
Simple Advent Table Decorations
You don’t even need a wreath to create a beautiful Advent display. Sometimes, all it takes is a grouping of four candles.
Add some numbers if you like. Or little tags with the meaning of each Sunday.
I’ve used soda bottles, jars, and even old baking trays to hold my candles. A little greenery, a few ornaments, and you’re done.
It’s that simple.
Idea 4: Soda Bottles Advent Candles
This quick and easy bottle Advent decor is beautiful in its simplicity. Four soda bottles, a little red ornament, and some green twigs were all that was needed to dress up the plain white candles into a lovely Christmas / Advent decoration.
Idea 5: Decorated Advent Glass Jars
If you don’t have bottles, you could use jars. And instead of using numbers, you could use little tags with the meaning of the four Advent Sundays (hope, peace, joy, and love).
Easy, quick, and very simple to make decorated Christmas jars.
Idea 6: Pillar Candles Advent Table Decor
Looking for a simple Advent decoration idea? Why not arrange four tall pillar candles on an old baking tree, add some greenery and some ornaments, and four rustic crate numbers. You can whip this up in 10 minutes, and you’ll have a lovely little Advent decoration with natural materials.
Idea 7: Simple Numbered Pots Advent Candle Holders
How easy and simple is this Advent decoration? A tray filled with nuts, pinecones, and tiny ornaments is the base for four painted terracotta pots with a number. The pots are filled with sand and covered with moss. The perfect candle holder for Advent candles.
Best DIY Advent Candle Holder Ideas
If you have a little time on your hand. You might like to craft yourself an Advent decoration. From the ‘wreath’ to the numbers, the arrangement, or the candle holders, there is an infinite number of Christmas craft ideas that can be reworked into an Advent decoration. Here are my favorites from years past.
Idea 8: Advent Centerpiece For Dining Table
I used basic floral arranging techniques to make this DIY Advent Centerpiece. The ‘enamel’ tags are lookalikes of the real thing and are made with metal tags, embossing powder, and stamps. Click the link for the full tutorial.
Related Reading: 25 Advent Calendar Ideas
Idea 9: Advent Table Decoration With Bottles
When I found these wide mouth milk bottles, I knew they could be turned into a perfect DIY Advent Decor with Bottles.
The corks were crowned with tea lights, and number tags were added to dangle inside the bottle. A bit of evergreen, some additional ornaments, and ready was my DIY four-candle-bottle Advent decoration.
Click the link for a full description and more details on how to make your own version of these bottle Advent decorations.
Idea 10: Teacup Advent Candle Holders
My Upside Down Teacup DIY Candle Holders are a long-time favorite of mine. At the time, I didn’t use them as my Advent decor, but I totally could have. If I had used numbers instead of ornaments, they would have turned into perfect Advent Candle Holders.
Modern Advent Decor Idea
Advent decorating doesn’t have to be traditional. It can be modern, minimalist, or even a little bit rustic.
But what I always turn back to is using natural materials like twigs, pinecones, and greenery. It’s a great way to bring the outdoors in and create a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
My most recent Advent decoration is a combination of many of the things above. I fashioned a simple evergreen wreath, decorated some plain white buckets , and came up with a way to add some numbers to the arrangement. My DIY Advent Candle Holder with Wreath is one of my favorite Advent decorations so far. And it was really easy and fast to create (go check out the link to see how I made these).
So how about it? Do you feel inspired to create your own Advent decoration? I hope so. I had fun getting this collection together, and I am sure I will add new projects in the years to come.
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Advent Decorating FAQ
What is the meaning of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sunday of Advent?
In many traditions, the four candles represent (in order) hope, peace, joy, and love. Each candle is lit on the Sundays leading up to Christmas, symbolizing the anticipation and preparation for the holiday.
Do Advent Candles Have to be White?
In my childhood church, the candles on the giant Advent wreath in the center of the basilica were always white. Since then, I have learned that in other traditions, the candles are often either red or pink and purple. The candle colors have meaning and are mostly related to the liturgical vestments that are worn during Advent time.
What Does an Advent Wreath Represent?
Advent wreaths are usually circular, representing God’s infinite love, and are often made of evergreen leaves, which “represent the hope of eternal life. Advent wreaths are, in origin, a Lutheran tradition, although nowadays, they are common in all Christian churches.
