Ho, ho, ho, Upper East Siders. It’s time to hang your stockings and jingle all the way, the holidays are upon us. Will B’s Christmas Decorations wow her guests, or is Santa skipping the Waldorf’s holiday party this year? I guess there’s only one way to find out, XOXO – Gossip Girl.
Okay, I had way too much fun writing that. As I started diving into this year’s Christmas decor trends, I noticed a distinct old-money elegance vibe emerging: classic greenery paired with preppy details like modern ribbon bows and updated color schemes. Instantly, I was transported back to the iconic holiday episodes of Gossip Girl—the velvet headbands, tartan plaid outfits, and Blair’s signature chic-meets-glam style. This trend feels like it walked straight out of the Waldorf penthouse.
Inspired by these Upper East Side vibes, I put together a mood board centered on mixing traditional holiday charm with polished sophistication. If you’ve ever dreamed of decorating your home in true Gossip Girl fashion, complete with preppy touches and a touch of glam, keep reading for all the details—and don’t miss the curated shopping guide to make this look yours.
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Quiet Luxury Christmas Decorations
Alright, I know. There is nothing quiet about Blair Waldorf’s idea of luxury, but there is something to be said timeless elegance that screams “old money”. Imagine this- a lush, full Christmas tree (real preferred but I’m never giving up my pre-lit tree) in every room, artfully decorated with hand selected ornaments from years past, with the most beautiful topper we’ve ever seen.
A few ways you can add some quiet luxury to your Christmas decorations this year includes:
- Incorporating luxurious textiles: plaid wool blankets, chenille pillows, and velvet ornaments or ribbons are easy to get or mimic. Try layering multiple blankets artfully, in a vignette I designed below I used a tartan wool look blanket as the first layer with a luxurious looking chenille blanket over top to give some added dimension.
- Evergreen florals: head to your local craft store or Christmas tree farm and get all of the garland! Wrap it around banisters, railings, set on your mantel, or above your cabinets if you don’t mind the clutter up there!
- Unified color palette: be super intentional with the colors you’re picking for your preppy Christmas decor. A traditional red and green palette works beautifully, but tone down the hues to deeper shades—like forest green and wine red—for a sophisticated twist.
Preppy Christmas Decoration Colors
When it comes to color, this look strikes the perfect balance between tradition and trend. Start with a classic red and green palette, but consider softening the aesthetic with an unexpected pop of mauve or millennial pink. These feminine tones play beautifully with deeper, richer hues and add a whimsical flair to your decor.
For a polished look, avoid overly bright tones like candy cane red or Grinch-green. Instead, lean into shades that feel moody and timeless. A deep cranberry red paired with emerald green and accented by gold or champagne tones will give your space that signature Gossip Girl sophistication.
I find that our pink selections go much better with our reds than the greens, it’ll be hard to get our green and pink pairing right with such deep tones. (Unless you’re going for a Wicked Christmas, then you know exactly what to do.)
Interior designers create our color palettes using the 60-30-10 rule – 60% of our room/decor will be the primary color, here I would choose black and white, 30% of our decorations will be the main contrast, I love a good pink so I’d probably go for that in my home, but you do you boo. Finally our 10% is that cherry on the top, in this instance I would go with red! Play with the ratios in person, and if you’re gonna shop, buy a TON. You want to get those ratios just right and you’ll never be satisfied if you feel like you’re missing just one more thing, but don’t feel comfortable buying more. In any decorating scenario, as a designer I always buy too much and then return what I don’t use.
To bring this look together, I’ve curated a vignette imagining I’m designing the foyer for Blair’s Christmas party. She would totally have a vintage feel chair, artfully styled with a little kitch (like, we see her headbands I can’t imagine she would hate that pillow) paired with a quietly luxurious floor lamp.
Bringing the Look Together
To channel these luxe holiday vibes, it’s all about the details. Here are a few ideas to pull it all together:
- The Tree: Decorate with a mix of matte and glossy ornaments in your chosen palette. Add in a few plaid accents—like ribbon bows or tartan-patterned ornaments—for a playful preppy nod.
- The Mantel: Style your mantel with fresh or faux garland, candle clusters, and a small decorative mirror or frame for depth. Blair would approve of layers and dimension!
- The Entryway: Greet guests with a festive setup that says “holiday elegance”—a small tree adorned with fairy lights, a vase of evergreen branches, or even a plaid umbrella stand for a playful touch.
