If you love, love, love decorating tiered tray but need some Christmas inspiration, keep reading! You’ll learn all the style tips for decorating tier trays, what to put on them, plus gorgeous pictures to inspire your own! Keep scrolling for classy farmhouse-style tiered trays for Christmas – lots of trendy neutral Christmas decor ideas!
Versatile Holiday Decor: Christmas Tiered Trays
If you’ve been following farmhouse decor for any period of time now, you know tiered trays are a huge trend. Many people often think of them as decor for a coffee bar or cocoa station (which they definitely are), but they go so much farther and are a decorating vignette all on their own.
I love decorating these trays because it allows you to have so much creativity in such a small space. And, you can even move your tray from space to space if you see that you have an area in your home that needs a little extra something.
And, if you happen to be a seasonal decorator like me, you already know Christmas is one of the best times to decorate your tray.
How to Decorate a Farmhouse Style Tiered Tray
Before we get into the Christmas inspiration, first let’s go over the basics of decorating a tiered tray.
1| Go get you a tray!
This probably should go without saying, but I’ll say it – if you don’t have a tiered tray yet, go get you a tray! You can find some beautiful ones on Amazon or Target – sometimes in Bulleye’s Playground if you catch it on a lucky day. You can even DIY a tray with a pizza tray, 2 round pans and candle sticks from Dollar Tree.
2| Decide on a look you want.
There are all kind of themes for Christmas tiered trays. Maybe you like the traditional gingerbread or Santa & elves, etc. Or it may be by a color scheme: like reds or silver-and-gold or neutral. Or it might be a by a style – rustic, modern, whimsical, etc. This post will hopefully give you some inspiration. But you should have a ‘look’ you’re going for.
3| Decide on some anchor pieces.
Depending on how many levels your tray has, you’ll want 2-6 strong anchor pieces. Lots of different objects can be an anchor – but these will be some of your larger objects. It could be a mug, a candle, a decorative house, a mini Christmas floral arrangement, a sign... just a few pieces that are on a larger scale.
4| Add in your fill-in objects.
Here you want to selectively add in some of the small objects or fill-ins. It might be mini-ornaments to fill in a mug. It may be paper straws in a jar. It could be a Christmas-y knick knack or piece of decor. It maybe some beaded garland.
For this step, you want to take your time. You’re aiming for balance and symmetry here. Balance out your colors, For example – you don’t want all of your greens on one side of the tray and all of your whites on the other. Or, you don’t want all of the whites on the top level and all of the greens on another. Be sure you balance them out.
Also be sure to balance out the scale and variety – mix up your different types of decor (candles, signs, mugs, etc) to be spread out and balanced. You don’t want all of your large pieces on one level and smaller on another; the same is true for left to right. It doesn’t have to be perfectly symmetrical – just make sure it’s balanced.
It’s totally OK to do this by trial and error. I am constantly editing my trays – even after I think I’m done!
This is the step where a lot of people overdue it. Don’t be that person! The next step will take care some of those empty spaces.
5| Finally, add in your stems.
To fill in some of the space on your tray, carefully place some evergreen or berry stems throughout open areas. Gently hang them over the edges or even place them in a small bottle.
One word of caution about a tiered tray: LESS IS MORE! If you try to put too many items on your tray, it’s going to look messy and be very busy and cluttered; you don’t want that. The eyes won’t be sure where to focus and the end result is sloppy instead of classy!
What Can I Put on a Christmas Tiered Tray?
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As you read through the above steps of decorating your tray, several ideas were included for each step. In general, you can use lots of the same types of decor you probably have around your house, but with one qualifier: mini. Items that go in tiered trays should be small in scale, mini-versions of decor you might have in other locations in your home.
Here’s a quick list of things you can include. Be sure to shop your own home to see if you have any of these already!
Mini Tiered Tray Christmas Signs
Mini Christmas Decor (reindeer, Santa, snowglobes, sleighs, etc.)
If you still feel like you’re struggling with what to put on them, Etsy sells Christmas Tiered Tray bundles, where you can purchase all the coordinating decor at once.
25 Tiered Tray Christmas Decorating Ideas: Classy, Neutral, Farmhouse
While there are lots of different themes for Christmas decor, the ones I’m sharing today fall into the categories of classy, neutral, and farmhouse styles. There is absolutely nothing wrong with other types of Christmas decor for tiered trays, but I want to share that at the outset so you know what to expect!
I didn’t include trays that have a lot of ‘cutesy’ themes or that are a little more cliche. You won’t see many Santas or red trucks or elves; you might see a few gnomes – they are borderline cutesy, lol.
The decor I went with in this roundup leans more toward modern farmhouse or a rustic Christmas tiered tray, with a more neutral color theme: basically your greens, blacks, whites, greys, and browns. Toward the end of the lists, there are a handful of tray with red decor, but they work wonderfully and are great options if you can’t give up your red.
Many of these trays come from wonderful Instagrammers who allowed me to share their fabulous vignettes with you! Be sure to check them out, follow them or give them some love!
Be sure to take your time and really look at the trays – there are so many hidden gems for unique ideas in each of them!
@jcdesignsanddecor
This one has all of the vintage charm and nostalgia. The snowmen, the snowglobe, the mini house... brings you right back to a rustic, old-fashioned Christmas.
@thetennesseehome
Here's another one with a clean look that's not overdone. I love the black accents here, that perfectly off set the wood and the greens.
@fourthlinedecor
This tray has some super cute decorations that takes it beyond what is typical - the winter sleigh, the book stacks... this is a very clean and stylish look.
@houseonwren
Green is the primary color on this one, with a mix of Christmas plaids - and here you have a cozy and festive tray. You can never go wrong with a tree theme at Christmas!
@1776fauxfarmhouse
This monochromatic look is masterfully put together with just a pop of red for some Christmas cheer.
@farm_charm_chic
This one has a few statement pieces - enough to draw your attention to each level, without being over done. The mini-window and mini-tobacco basket are some more unique pieces you won't see on every tray!
@farm_charm_treasure
If you're a fan of Christmas gnomes, you can totally use them in rustic neutral Christms decor! All of the accents work perfectly on this one - love the white berry stems and multi-colored beads. So many beautiful things to look at here!
@birchlanebyjennifer
This is another super-fun vignette! Another adorable Christmas gnome along with those fabric snow-covered trees makes this a magical wonderland!
Neutral Tray on Pinterest
If you like a little bit of a Scandinavian vibe in your decor, be inspired by this tray! (PS, I have an entire post dedicated to Scandinavian Christmas decor ideas!)
From Pinterest
This is another tray that fits in beautifully with that rustic Christmas feel. The wood branch "JOY" sign does it for me 100%!
From Rain and Pine
If you are on the neutral train for holiday decor, I love this one. The muted whites, the frosted evergreens - this is perfect!
From The House on Silverado
A mix of rustic and vintage - I love that this tray seemlessly transitions right into winter decor.
From The Creativity Exchange
If you lean a little more toward rustic glam, this tiered tray will inspire all the shiny Christmas bling (More rustic glam Christmas decor here!)
From The Painted Hinge
This is such a creative way to think out of the box to set up a Christmas village! The symmetry and balance here are spot on!
From Inspiration for Moms
Don't count out black as Christmas decor! Buffalo check is a given but you can incorporate it in a crisp, clean way!
From Dining Delight
More black and white buffalo check, with some cozy and cute friends invited to the party!
From Living on Cloud 9
If you lean towards more a fun and whimsical look in your Christmas decor, you can still include that in neutral Christmas decorations! This black and white themed tiered tray totally nails the festive feel!
From Cuter Tudor
I love the classy feel of this tray! A little rustic glam with the shiny copper mugs is a stylish addition to the Christmas decor here. A sweet contrast to the galvanized metal tray.
From A Shade of Teal
Faux stems and greens go a LONG way in styling a tier tray for Christmas. A few extra decorations and embellishments, and you've got a finished look.
From Clean and Scentsible
Essentially, it's greens and ornaments in this tray but it's really all you need! The lights warm it up and the hat on top is a super-cute touch.
via Pinterest
Reindeer decor is an ideal accent in rustic Christmas displays. This is another tray that is a seamless cross over to winter.
Via Pinterest
Take your time looking through this one! The rolled-up book pages, the gingerbread house, the Scrabble pieces... a truly unique beauty!
From The Shabby Creek Cottage
While there are pops of red in there, this is mostly a striking black and white theme, and it looks stunning. A few strong sign pieces really command the entire look.
From Wilshire Collections
Again, while not necessarily neutral, it has a singular color theme and that make it suitable to work with neutral decor. A tiered tray is a relatively small piece, so in the midst of neutral decor, it adds a pop of color without disconnecting the theme.
A Hundred Affections - Rustic Glam (2020)
While not necessarily neutral, it has a single color theme here, and that works with neutral decor. Sometimes all you need is mess of jingle bells and ornaments in the same color to pull off a themed look!
A Hundred Affections (2021) Cozy Rustic
This is another tiered tray I created - it has more of a cozy rustic feel, with lots of winter greens and wood tones, along with the red! Perfect for a coffee or cocoa bar!
A Hundred Affections (2022) Cozy Cottage
Another version of my tiered trays! I kept some of the same elements, but added a pillar candle at the tops, less greens and more berries!
So many great ideas, right?! It’s hard to choose just one, but to be honest, I have a several Christmas tiered trays in my home to solve that problem! I love how elegant and classy these trays are – just bringing the Christmas sophistication up a teeny bit (which is hard when you have kids in the house! Ask me how I know that, lol).
What’s great about these trays is that many of these ideas will work just as well with a coffee table tray or cake pedestal as well!
If you want more ideas for Christmas tiered tray decor, take look at this video where you can DIY your own with Dollar Tree items! Beautiful and budget-friendly!
Even More Christmas Inspiration
Over the years, I’ve built up quite a library of Christmas content. I wanted to make it easy for my readers to find it, so I put together a post with ALL of my Christmas content in one place! I consider this my Ultimate Guide to Christmas, and once a new post is created, I add to the guide! You’ll find all of the Christmas ideas for home decor, crafts, DIY, gift guides and DIY gift ideas, Christmas cookies and treat recipes, activities for kids… everything for Christmas!
30 Farmhouse Christmas DIY Projects for the Home: This post is my #1 during the Christmas season each year! And here are 21 of my Easiest Ever Christmas DIY Decorations – most can be done in just one sitting – 30 minutes or less!
25 Stunning Farmhouse Christmas Mantels to Inspire Yours for 2021: These ideas can also work for console tables and shelves!
30 Farmhouse Decorating Ideas for the Coziest Christmas Ever!: Gorgeous ideas for your whole house!
30+ Best Farmhouse Christmas Porches on Instagram (+ Pro-Decorating Tips!): Don’t forget about the front porch! First impressions are everything!
30 Creative Ways to Display Christmas Cards: Even Christmas cards can count as decor!
I’d love to see what you come up with for your Christmas tiered tray ! Please leave a comment on Pinterest or tag me on Instagram @100affections!
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!
Your post with pictures inspired me to make my own. I never knew where to begin. I had so much fun and as I was shopping for items, I found myself getting things that reminded me of my mom. When I got home I found some things she’d given me like the pine cones to add to it. Thanks for the post on this!
I love this, Susan! I’m so glad you shared this with me on Instagram – I love seeing it in real life! And the idea of using things that reminded you of your mom is just perfect! Merry Christmas! 🙂