| by jeffrey bollinger | october 1, 2023 |

have yourself a merry little dough bowl.

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas

decorating a dough bowl makes for a beautiful, rustic holiday centerpiece. this article explores different ways to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using vintage, natural, or holiday-inspired pieces. learn how to create a woodsy look with pine cones and greenery, make a bright display with christmas ornaments and ribbons, or use candlelight to create a cozy glow. whether you decorate with natural elements, metallic bells, evergreen cuttings, or a mix of festive embellishments, your dough bowl will become a stunning christmas decoration. discover holiday dough bowl decor ideas that range from vintage and antique-inspired to bright, ornate, and natural.

miss the christmas decorating window?! check out our post about how to decorate a dough bowl with succulents, plants, flowers and more!

images © parker + gibbs 2023

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using vintage pieces

decorating a dough bowl for christmas using vintage pieces is a great way to create a rustic, old-fashioned holiday look. start by filling the bottom of the dough bowl with old books to create height. then, tuck in sprigs of natural greenery like pine, cedar, and fir around the outside of the stack of books. add a few vintage christmas ornaments like mercury glass balls, velvet ribbons, and pine cones for festive pops of color and texture. top off your vintage dough bowl christmas decoration with more natural elements like berries, pine cones, and rustic jute twine. the vintage books, ornaments, and organic materials will give your dough bowl a cozy, antique feel perfect for the holidays.

Wooden dough bowl filled with pine cones, gold balls, moss, and a gold reindeer.
Wooden dough bowl filled with christmas ornaments, Santa Claus, greenery, and ornaments.
Wooden dough bowl filled with holiday ornaments, plaid ribbon, poinsettias, and berry sprays.
images © parker + gibbs 2023

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using holiday-inspired pieces

for a bright, festive dough bowl christmas decoration, use holiday-inspired pieces. start with a base of pine cones, holiday ribbon, and red berries or floral picks inside the bowl. then, tuck in glittery christmas ball ornaments, faux white poinsettias, and plastic reindeer figurines for a splash of christmas whimsy. pull it all together by weaving strips of burlap ribbon around the inside rim of the dough bowl and scattering a few pine clippings around for a natural touch. the classic christmas colors and emblems like reindeer and poinsettias will make your dough bowl the perfect festive centerpiece.

images © parker + gibbs 2023

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using natural elements

a dough bowl decorated with natural elements makes for an organic, rustic christmas display. start by filling the bottom with pine cones, greenery clippings, tree branches, and clusters of red berries. pine boughs, cedar sprigs, magnolia leaves, and fresh cranberries all work beautifully. next, tuck moss around the edges of the dough bowl, allowing it to spill over the sides for a woodsy look. finally, add pops of warm light by placing a few battery-operated candles throughout the arrangement. the neutral tones of the natural items offset by twinkling lights will give your dough bowl an effortless outdoor christmas feel.

Succulent arrangement in decorative centerpiece tray.

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Wooden dough bowl filled with candles, berry sprays, pine cones, and pine tree cuttings.
Round wooden dough bowl filled with greenery, pine cones, berries, and tapered candles.
Wooden dough bowl candle with holiday lights in background.
images © parker + gibbs 2023

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using candles

candles make a dough bowl glow for christmas. start with clusters of greenery cuttings, pine sprigs, and red berry picks placed throughout the bowl. then, nestle 3-4 glass jar candles into the greenery, staggering the heights for dimension. surrounding the jars, tuck in some taller taper candles—they look especially pretty tucked into additional greenery and berries. as the candles flicker, they will cast a cozy glow and reflect off the other decorations. the green foliage paired with warm candlelight makes for a bright, inviting dough bowl centerpiece.

images © parker + gibbs 2023

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using holiday bells

holiday bells are a fun, festive way to decorate a dough bowl for christmas. use a combination of materials to create visual interest. place a mix of brass jingle bells and silver sleigh bells into the bowl, adding a few larger copper bells for height. then weave in sprigs of pine, magnolia leaves, and red berries throughout the bells for pops of color. you can also alternate bell colors and finishes within the dough bowl by grouping a few silver, a few brass, and a few copper at a time. the metallic sheen of the bells complemented by fresh greenery makes a beautiful christmas dough bowl arrangement.

Wooden dough bowl filled with colored ornaments.
Wooden dough bowl filled with vintage silver and gold ornaments with Christmas tree in the background.
Long wooden dough bowl filled with bright colored Christmas ornaments with Christmas tree and fireplace in the background.
images © parker + gibbs 2023

how to decorate a dough bowl for christmas using ornaments

christmas ornaments add a colorful, festive touch to a dough bowl centerpiece. use a mix of complementary ornament colors like red, green, silver, and gold for visual appeal. start by placing larger glass ball ornaments in the bowl as a base, then fill in with smaller hooks, icicles, and tree-shaped ornaments, mixing textures and shapes. use ornaments in different metallic finishes like shiny, matte, or glittered. tuck in bits of fresh pine foliage and sprigs of berries to offset the ornaments. grouping colors and textures of ornaments and greenery lends to a bright christmas look perfect for displaying on a table or mantle.

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Jeffrey Parker Bollinger blog article profile image.

jeffrey bollinger is a co-founder of parker + gibbs. he established himself in the information technology field after spending over two decades based in atlanta. upon becoming a homeowner, he discovered a hidden talent for interior design. he now cultivates this passion into curating stylish, livable spaces for his own place and lends his stylistic eye to consulting clients on their interior design and décor needs. oh...and writing blog posts. :)

@parkerandgibbs

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2 comments

I am looking for ideas for a large bowl with large balls for Christmas. I see your idea with the reindeer. I have some similar ones and hope the size will work. Thank you!!!

Sharon Reich

Talk about inspiration! Great article and even better pictures! So many ideas!

kris

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