Last year, when we were still living in the big house, I had NO idea it would be my last "mantel Christmas" ever. A few months later we'd be moving to a much smaller house... and the mantel would stay behind.
Honestly? I'm so glad I went out with a bang. A green, furry, slightly crass bang!
How a Bored Decorator Ended Up in the Grinch Aisle
Here's the thing. I have ALWAYS done Christmas up big. But I'd done the red and gold Christmas. I'd done the green and silver Christmas. Blah, blah, blah. I was a little bored with myself, to be honest.
Then on Black Friday I found myself wandering into a Hobby Lobby. (I generally don't shop there because of their stance on gay people, and me having two dads and all... but it was right next to the Bed Bath & Beyond, so in I went.)
And to what did my wondering eyes should appear? A GRINCH section. Wait, what? There are Grinch holiday decorations?
Now, you need to understand something about my littlest granddaughter, Skye. She is ENAMORED with the Grinch. Not the charming, cute cartoon one we grew up with... oh no. The Jim Carrey one. The icky, crass one. We watch it on repeat for HOURS at a time the whole holiday season... sigh.
So I stood there in the aisle and thought... Skye would LOVE this.
I bought up a ton of Grinchy stems, a few Grinch stuffies, and went home to decorate with a mix of old and new.
Tips for Decorating for a Grinch Christmas
1. Start with the color palette: lime green and bold red
Think Grinch fur and his red Santa coat. That acid lime green paired with a bold, true red is instantly recognizable... even before anybody spots an actual Grinch. Toss in plenty of white to make both colors pop, the way the white trim on his Santa suit does.
2. Buy a few "Grinch approved" pieces, then shop your own stash
You do NOT have to buy everything new. I picked up a few signature pieces, like those green flowers with the white edges and red centers and a fuzzy lime green cone tree that looks like it's made of Grinch fur. Then I went digging through my own bins.
The red and white foliage I already had from my "cute Christmas" decorating era? It fit RIGHT in. Big velvet poinsettias with white edges, gingham and candy-striped poinsettias, white berry picks, peppermint candies... red and white is basically Grinch-adjacent anyway.
Cute grinch-like boxes that I might get for this year's decorations!
3. Mix in ornaments, bunting and stems in the right colors
I had a bunch of lime green ornaments and glittery lime holly leaves that worked just fine. Were they officially "Grinchy" enough? Honey, no one was judging. If it's the right color, it's on the team!
Bead garlands are your best friend here. I draped strands of lime green and red beads along the mantel and let red and white ones dangle from the wreath like candy. And a MERRY pennant banner across the front ties it all together. (Yes, one of my letters is aqua. It's FINE. A little pop of something unexpected keeps it from looking too matchy.)
4. You don't need a thousand Grinches to make your point
Admittedly, my actual Grinch stuffy was a little small. So I gave him the place of honor, right in the middle of a big lime and red holly wreath with a striped bow and long streamers. Didn't matter one bit how small he was! Everyone who walked in the room understood exactly what the theme was... and they LOVED it!
The colors do the heavy lifting. The Grinch is just the punchline.
5. Add a hint of pink for Cindy Lou Who
A little pop of pink softens all that red and green and gives a sweet nod to Whoville's favorite little girl. I tucked a tiny Cindy Lou Who stuffy right in the center of the mantel, peeking out from the greenery. (Perfect if you have a little Cindy Lou of your own running around!)
6. Go BIG on height and let it cascade
A Grinch mantel should look a little over the top... it's Whoville, after all! So don't stop at the mantel shelf. Build UP and build DOWN.
- Up: The tall pillars on each end are my favorite find of the whole display. I spotted them in the Michaels clearance section, and the cashier told me they were returns from the website that originally cost about $15 each. I got them for a couple of bucks apiece! We painted them in lime green and red stripes to fit the theme, then set little red and white striped cone trees on top. The pillars make those tiny trees stand out (and UP), and they add so much height to the whole mantel! Plus they have that wonky, Dr. Seuss feel that frames everything perfectly.
- Center: The wreath hangs above it all, so your eye goes straight to the Grinch.
- Down: The garland cascades down both sides of the fireplace almost to the floor, stuffed with poinsettias, ornaments, bead strands and a tied rag ribbon garland in red, white, green and polka dots for that fun, messy texture.
7. Hang it without putting holes in anything
My wreath is hung on two clear removable hooks. No nails, no drilling, and it disappears right into the background. If you're decorating a rental (or you just don't want to patch holes come January), removable hooks are the way to go for wreaths, garland and banners!
These are the Command hooks that I used to hang things on my mirror!
The Secret My Father-in-Law Taught Me
My father-in-law is the one who taught me how to make amazing Christmas displays years ago. His rule?
When you think you have enough... add about 20 more things!
For real, the secret is to LAYER on as much as you can find to cement the theme of your Grinch-mas. Sort out everything you own in red, lime green, white and pink, and pile it on. Flowers, then picks, then ornaments, then beads, then ribbon... then 20 more things. More is more here.
Make It a Family Project
Those clearance pillars weren't our only DIY. My son and his girlfriend painted a few wooden ornaments red and then added lime glitter so they'd fit the theme. Were they perfect? Nope. Did it matter? Not even a little.
Adding our own handmade pieces made my family more invested in the whole thing... and the kids had an absolute BLAST.
Tip: Keep an eye on the clearance aisle, especially for website returns. A plain piece in the wrong color can become exactly what your theme needs with a little paint.
Take the Video Tour
The Grinch mantel was the star of the show, but it wasn't the only area I decorated last year. In the video you'll see the whole house: a little boho corner with a garland snake, a colorful Christmas with colorful trees and baubles, my beloved HomeGoods Santa, a dark green Wicked area with a tiered tray tree in pink and black, and of course... the Grinch mantel. My daughter Desi decorated the spot up top where the little dog sits.
Final Thoughts
If I could tell you just one thing, it's this... MAKE IT FUN.
Gather your stuff. Gather your friends or family. Layer that Grinch up and go a little crazy. Christmas decorating doesn't have to be elegant every single year. Sometimes the best one is the one that makes your granddaughter squeal.
And if, like me, you didn't know it would be your last mantel Christmas? Make it one worth remembering.
Cozy Up With a Christmas Classic
If your house is anything like mine, the Jim Carrey movie is on a loop... but don't forget the original! Pick up a copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss to read with the grandkids (it's a whole lot shorter than the movie, which your sanity will appreciate). I also love pairing it with The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore for a sweet Christmas Eve reading tradition.
Prefer to listen while you decorate? Grab both on Audible here: https://marketingartfully.com/audiobooks
