There is no denying the whimsy these little elves make to holiday decorations. Their sweet little faces peeking out from a wreath, Christmas tree, centerpiece, lantern, garland always create an unexpected surprise. If you want your holiday decorations to truly stand out, adding an elf is a simple way to create a whimsical touch. Here are ten creative ways to decorate with Christmas elves from classic ideas to a few unique favorites you may not have considered.
1. Tuck them into a holiday tree
The most logical place for an elf is tucked inside a Christmas tree. After all, isn’t that exactly where a merry little elf belongs? There is something magical about catching a glimpse of that sweet little face peeking out from among the branches. It adds an unexpected element of whimsy that often becomes one of the first things guests notice when they walk into the room.
These charming little characters seem to bring a tree to life. Suddenly the tree becomes more than just ornaments and lights; it tells a story. You can almost imagine your elf busily helping in Santa’s workshop, delivering packages, or keeping and eye on all the holiday preparations.
Whether you decorate with a single elf or create an entire collection, these whimsical characters have a way of bringing a touch of childlike wonder to the holiday season.
“There is no denying the playfulness that an elf adds to your holiday decorating”
2. Add a whimsical touch to a candlestick
A bit of the unexpected here! A little elf wrapped around a candlestick – especially ones as cute as these, add a high end look and some dimension to a plain candlestick.
An easy way to accentuate your holiday theme. Add a Santa elf, a candy theme elf, or a traditional read and green. Whatever your theme is for the year, little elves will make it pop.
The arms and legs, and even the body is bendable. You can bend and shape them any way you want. Wrap him around a candlestick, kick up a leg or raise a hand. They start to take on their own little personalities.
3. Add to a holiday wreath
A wreath is definitely a time honored tradition for Christmas. Of course, there are many options and styles in wreaths, but any wreath – from a simple pine wreath to an elaborate, decked-out wreath – would look great with an elf tucked in. Attach it to a simple wreath and it becomes the focal point. In a wreath design that is elaborate, I’ve always liked tucking a little something into a wreath that isn’t immediately obvious. But each time you look, you see something you didn’t see before.
4. Add to a Swag
Swags have become a staple in our design business. It is a popular look and something a bit different than a traditional wreath. A little elf can easily be attached to the central spine of the swag. We like to wire them on so they can easily be removed for another use at a later date.
How to attach an elf with wire VIDEO (Coming Soon)
5. Add to a Candlestick Topper
Candlestick toppers are one of our exclusive designs. It is a floral design that’s made on a wood base that can easily be set on top of anything from a candlestick to any type of container, basket, vase, wood container, or ceramic pot. You can even get more creative – what about on top of a teapot, cookie jar or plate tray? We even set one made for fall with a scarecrow in it, on top of a clear glass vase filled with water and bobbing fresh apples.
Now that’s a unique centerpiece! So it’s easy to imagine an elf candlestick topper used in so many different design options. Candy theme placed on top of a clear glass vase filled with real or fake candy? You complete the design with your own creativity in choosing how to display it.
6. Arrangement
Most of us enjoy having a seasonal or holiday arrangement on a table throughout the year. It’s an easy update.
When it comes to Christmas decorating, you can make it special by adding a holiday elf. You can wire him into an existing floral arrangement or make him your focal point for a new arrangement.
- Thinking of rustic nature theme arrangement with pinecones and pine branches? There’s an elf for that!
- Thinking of a Santa theme arrangement with traditional ornaments and holiday sprays? There’s an elf for that!
- Thinking of a trendy candy theme and adding all the things faux candy? There’s an elf for that!!
Search Elves for all the different styles we have available.
7. Add a 16” elf to a large bow
I love making things that are quite simple in design but can be used in a number of ways. This is one of those items. Using 4” wired edge ribbon holds the shape of the bow nice and crisp, even for a larger bow. I used chenille stems to wire the elf to the bow. Now, anywhere you put that bow is going to get a huge pop of whimsical fun. This is large and will definitely make a statement. Where could you use this bow?
- Wire on to a wreath base
- Add to the top of a lantern
- Add some style to an extra tall candlestick
- On both ends of a garland would be stunning
- Tree topper for a large tree
8. Add a small 9” elf to a smaller bow
The reason I’m mentioning this as a separate option from the one above is because it really gives a different look and can be used in different ways. A smaller bbow with a smaller elf can be used more in addition to another design element. So, this design could be easily tucked into your Christmas tree, added to a candlestick, with a candlestick topper sitting on top, hanging over the back of a chair or even added to a gift for a very special someone.
9. Add to a Garland
Whether you’re adding a garland to a mantle, shelf or around a door, it’s easy to wire the little elves in for some whimsical fun. I always add a pine garland to my fireplace mantle for the holidays. Since the pine sprays are already wired, you can easily wrap them around the elves to hold them in place without any additional wire. If you are making a garland arrangement to sell, obviously that would be a totally different situation, and everything would need to be wired in either with 22 gauge wire or chenille stems.
It really makes decorating you mantle fun when you can position and arrange these little elves to give them unique personalities. You can raise their hands up in the air, put their hand over their heart or kick up a leg. A whimsical paradise.
10. Attach to anything, yes anything
When you think outside the box, you can put them anywhere. In this picture we added them to a frame as it they were decorating the swag that sits in the center. I attached large ornaments to their hands to give the illusion they are busy at work, helping with all the decorations. You could also add him perched on top of a curtain rod, wrapped around a lamp base or table leg, peeking out from behind a pot, hanging onto a chandelier, or peeking behind books on a shelf.
“You better not cry, you better not pout”. Because these little elves are watching and they’re reporting directly to Santa!!
🌿Happy Decorating!
About Timeless Floral Boutique
Although we run an online store, we feel that shopping with us is an individual experience, where customers become friends. We want to get to know our customers, listen to their feedback, and continually create new and unique items to bring them joy. Well-designed decorative accent pieces show guests how you value your home, family, and friends.
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