With Halloween a few days a day, it’s time to think about decorating for the holidays! It can be especially difficult to decorate when you have a chronic illness. To make that a little bit easier, I’m sharing decorating tips and holiday decorating ideas for a variety of holidays that are coming up.
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Holiday Decorating Tips: All Holidays
Decorative Pillows – Want to talk “easy”? Put some pillows on your coach, chairs, or bed. Poof, you’re decorated for a holiday.
Tea Towels – This is pretty similar. Hang some holiday towels in your kitchen and/or your bathroom and you’re decorated.
Garlands – These aren’t just for Christmas. There are a lot of options out there, and some are for Christmas, but hanging things is an easy way to decorate. And there are some garlands that you can make yourself and/or with kids.
Now that I’ve talked about some easy holiday decorating tips, I want to share some great pieces of decor out there for key holidays: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.
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Holiday Decorating Ideas: Thanksgiving
Grateful Thankful Blessed Wooden Block Set ($14.99)
Thanksgiving Mini Crate ($14)
Fall Dining Table Wooden Signs ($12.99+) – The word options are “thankful,” “grateful,” “blessed,” and “gather.” You can get a variety of options or just a bunch of 1 or 2. And there are 8 color options, 3 of which are glitter. So there are so many combinations! These can be placed on plates at Thanksgiving or on the table in some other way or used for some other form of decoration!
Thanksgiving Napkin Rings ($2-$100)
Book Pumpkins ($24-$92)
Assorted Felt Pie Banner ($30) – Want Thanksgiving decorations that aren’t, you know, suspect given the icky origins of Thanksgiving? This pie banner celebrates the real hero of the holiday: pie. Perfect for the Dean Winchesters out there 😉 The banners are 4 ft long with 2 ft without pie on either side. Oh, and you can customize your banner so it’s all 1 type of pie or each piece is a different type of pie!
Pumpkin Pie Garland ($10-$12)
Felt Ball and Turkey Garland ($18-$33)
Fall/Winter Double-Sided Welcome Sign ($59) – You get to choose what goes on what side (and you don’t have to pick a logo for the back side) but generally one side is fall-themed and the other is winter or Christmas-themed. You could do “welcome” on both sides with the “o” being a pumpkin on one and a snowflake on the other. There are a lot of options, but just know that it’s 48” tall!
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Holiday Decorating Ideas: Hanukkah
In 2021, Hanukkah starts on Sunday, November 28, and ends on Monday, December 6. That’s right – it starts the Sunday after Thanksgiving! So when you’re planning your Thanksgiving decorations, you should also be planning your Hanukah decorations at the same time. Keep reading for easy Hanukkah decorating ideas.
Happy Thanksgiving/Happy Hanukkah Reversible Blocks ($23.50) – One piece of decor, two holidays! Just turn it around on Black Friday and you’re ready for Hanukkah.
Hanukkah Countdown Blocks ($18.95)
Personalized Hanukkah Stickers ($5 per set)
Hanukkah Tissue Paper Tassel Garland ($16.99)
Happy Hanukkah Banner ($28)
Hanukkah Tea Towel Set ($11.95+) – Cute towels! You can order towels that read, “I love you a latke,” “Happy Challa Days,” or 1 of each. Get them for yourself or as gifts.
Happy Hanukkah Pillow Cover ($15.30+)
Glass Wire-Wrapped Star of David ($16.50)
Wooden Dreidel Engraved with Hebrew and English Instructions ($5+)
Happy Challah Days Doormat ($54+) – Don’t let Christians have all the fun with Christmas mats! r
Hanukkah Serving Platter ($30.49-$37.49)
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Holiday Decorating Ideas: Christmas
The thing about holiday decorating when you have a chronic illness is that you might want to go all out but you can’t necessarily do that. Here are a bunch of ideas to help you get in the spirit!
Christmas countdown blocks ($18.95-$22.95)
Rustic Christmas Centerpiece ($55+) – Perfect for those looking for a rustic vibe!
Christmas Mini Signs ($18)
Felt Leaf Christmas Garland ($30+)
Christmas Wood Candle Holder ($26+)
Christmas Placemats ($25+)
Book Snowman ($30+) – Great for bookworms looking to decorate.
Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal Mat ($30+)
Oh holy night, Christmas light decoration ($20+)
Solar Metal LED Christmas Tree Decoration String Lights ($30+)
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Holiday Decorating Ideas: New Years
I don’t have as many ideas for New Year’s Eve decor, but many from other holidays can be repurposed for NYE.
Happy New Year Cursive Gold Glitter Banner ($10)
Kiss Me at Midnight Banner ($10) – Exactly what it sounds like!
NYE Tassel Garland ($22-$75)
12 Sparkle Gold or Silver Tinsel Cupcake Toppers ($4.99) – Make your food stand out and decorate at the same time!
I hope this helps you get ready for the holidays, whatever holidays you celebrate. Just because you deal with chronic illness doesn’t mean you can’t decorate!
Like this post? Check out:
56 Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes To Make This Year, Holiday Survival Guide: Living Well with Chronic Disease, Chronic Illness and the Holidays: 10 Rules for a Great Season, Chronic Illness Hacks for the Holidays
Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.
I love your quick decorating ideas!
Great tips for busy moms too!
Thanks for taking the time to pull these ideas together along with links. As a chronic illness warrior myself, I can attest that decorating for the holidays can feel extra burdensome at times and it’s helpful to simplify. But I can ALSO attest that decorating my space to be special for the holidays is 100% worth it in the simple joys and excitement it brings each day. Especially for those of us who don’t get out much!
Interesting recommendations
I can’t believe it’s nearly the holidays! You’ve given me some good decorating ideas 😀