Last year I was thrust into a Grinch Christmas mantel decorating frenzy for my littlest granddaughter, Skye, who loves the Grinch more than Santa Claus himself! But what about my other granddaughter, Emmy? How could I make HER Christmas dreams come true at Grandberry's house?
By decorating the counter for Wicked, of course!
What I didn't know was that this would be my last year with that giant counter. We've since moved out of the big house and into a space less than half the size... ack! So consider this a love letter to the counter that started it all.
I figured "of course there will be Wicked decorations," so I went looking for some to juje up the counter. Alas... there were NO Wicked decorations to be found. So I had to get creative!
WALKTHROUGH VIDEO
Step 1: Lock In Your Wicked Color Palette
The color theme for a Wicked Christmas is pretty set in stone:
- Dark green and black for Elphaba
- Pink and gold for Galinda
I started by going through my holiday stash. I had a fair bit of pink from ghosts of boho Christmas past, a bunch of gold to pull from, and a little black I could borrow from my Halloween box. (Yes, Halloween decor can absolutely pull double duty at Christmas!)
Other than that, the cupboard was pretty bare.
Step 2: Fill The Gaps With A Few Smart Purchases
Next I trotted on over to Michaels and grabbed one of those HUGE sleeves of pink ornaments. They were the fastest way to bring in color. I got a variety of finishes and a texture boost, and they covered a big area all at once. Glittery, matte, shiny, disco-ball mirrored... it all plays together beautifully.
I also picked up dark green ribbon, and that's where things got tricky.
Surprisingly, finding dark green Christmas decor was the HARDEST part of this whole process.
You might think you could use acid green for Elphaba, and you could! But for me, that acid green veered WAY too close to the Grinch sun, and I already had a whole Grinch mantel going. If you're only doing Wicked, there's plenty of room to use the lime green you already have around the house. If you have both themes going, though, deep emerald green keeps the two from blurring together.
Step 3: Get Creative When There's Nothing "Theme-y" To Buy
Having no real Wicked-branded pieces meant I had to get creative with my arrangements. Honestly? I think it turned out BETTER this way.
- A tiered "tree": I used a tiered star cookie stand and filled each tier with garland and ornaments to make a Christmas tree shape. Then I topped it with a big dark green velvet bow and let the ribbon tails cascade down the sides.
- Big black fronds: I bought some large black fronds for the tall arrangements. I was sad I couldn't find more pink... and then I got the black, and I LOVE how it looks. It gives the whole display that little bit of Emerald City drama.
Step 4: Mix High And Low (This Is The Secret!)
This is the trick that makes Christmas arrangements look amazing instead of cluttered: mix high and low elements.
You can't just lay stuff on the counter and expect it to look cute. You need layers. Here's how I build mine:
- Start with a base of garland. I ran greenery the full length of the counter and tucked in fairy lights.
- Add baubles and bead garland. Tuck ornaments right into the greenery and drape bead garland through it so it weaves in and out.
- Add a little height. Use hat boxes, cake stands, or risers to lift some pieces off the counter. My pink vintage-style hatbox did double duty as a riser AND a pop of color.
- Finish with a tall arrangement. This gives height to the whole she-bang. I used tall vases filled with black fronds, pink candy-stripe picks, glitter balls, and mirrored ornament picks.
Low, medium, tall... your eye travels across the whole display instead of stopping at a flat pile of ornaments.
Mixing Old And New Makes It Yours
I had such a fun time pulling these elements together from both new and old decorations. A few new pieces filled the gaps, but most of what makes this display special came out of boxes I already had. That's the beauty of a theme like Wicked. The palette does the heavy lifting, so you don't need licensed decor to make it read as Wicked.
What I'm Adding This Year To Make It Even Better
- Green and pink picks for a hint of glimmer!
- Large pink and green bow... split down the middle... so cute!
- Green and pink gradient ornaments... FINALLY some green bits to add!
Wrapping Up
If your grandbabies (or YOU!) are Wicked obsessed, don't let the lack of themed decor stop you. Pick your palette, raid your holiday AND Halloween boxes, grab a few fill-in pieces, and layer high and low. Your counter will be positively Popular.
And if you're in the holiday spirit and want to spend a little more time in Oz, these are perfect for cozying up with between decorating sessions:
- Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. This is the novel that started it all, and it's darker and richer than the musical.
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. It's the original classic, and it's lovely to revisit as a grownup.
- Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith. It's a great read for anyone (ahem, me) learning to make a smaller space feel layered and intentional.
All three are wonderful on audio, too. You can grab them on Audible here: https://marketingartfully.com/audiobooks
