As the busy festive period approaches, more people start planning their Christmas getaways to spend quality time with their loved ones. So you, as a host, may be wondering how to make your Airbnb rental extra special for guests during the holiday season.
Although putting up seasonal décor involves extra effort and costs, decorating your Airbnb for Christmas is definitely worth the investment, both financially and time-wise. This way, you can make your property more festive and inviting for guests, and it can help you stand out from other short-term rentals in your area.
Besides, you’ll be able to attract guests looking for a unique stay to celebrate the Christmas holidays away from home. If you are looking for ways to get your vacation rental ready for the holiday season, in this blog, you’ll find some tips on adding Christmas decor to your Airbnb without breaking the bank.
You may also want to check out our blog article, where we share some of the best Airbnb living room ideas and tips that can help you create a welcoming, cozy atmosphere and impress your guests.
How to Decorate Your Airbnb to Ensure Perfect Christmas Getaway
Adding Christmas decorations to your listing doesn’t have to be an expensive or laborious task. Little touches can go a long way to make your rental space feel more festive and ensure your guests have a great holiday.
You’ll have more time to implement your creative decorative ideas if you streamline your business operations using vacation rental software like Hospitable. Our tool will allow you to automate 90% of your routine hosting tasks.
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Keep it simple and neutral
Christmas décor is all about calming tones, so stick to soft neutral colors, such as sophisticated white, muted greys, gentle creams, and pale blues, and combine them with bronzes, silvers, and soft golds. These timeless colors can create an elegant and tranquil atmosphere, allowing other elements of your Airbnb décor shine. Besides, if you go with classic Christmas decorations, you can reuse them the following year.
Consider your space
Consider the size and layout of your rental space when choosing decorations to ensure they fit seamlessly. For example, if you own a tiny house or a small apartment, it might benefit from a tabletop tree or wall-mounted decorations and Christmas tree prints. But a large living room with a high ceiling can accommodate a grand Christmas tree with plenty of ornaments, lights, and other festive accents.
Source: The Log House – Wellington
Add some greenery
You can also decorate your home with artificial greenery. For example, garlands are great accents for entrances, instantly making them more welcoming, and potted trees are a great way to add cheer to dining rooms and small areas. Packing jugs and vases with traditional fresh flowers, wintry evergreens, such as eucalyptus, holly, and ivy, or berry branches to set a festive mood for the holidays.
Source: Hollyhock House Cotswolds
Hang wreaths
Wreaths are a popular Christmas decoration, and you can hang them on a front door, window frames, main walls, over a mirror, or above a bed. You can find wreaths in many local craft stores or make your own DIY wreath that matches your Airbnb interior design aesthetic. Try using greenery and neutral tones to create a sense of calmness, and decorate your wreath with ribbons and flowers.
Source: Christmas Cottage—Indiana
Leave your guests holiday-themed treats
Think about some treats relating to the holiday season, and add them to your welcome basket. It can be a couple of candy canes for kids, some fruit mince pies, a little Christmas pudding, and some home-baked star-shaped cookies. You may also provide Santa chocolates and a box of Christmas tea. Wine and champagne are also always a lovely addition.
Decorate your home with paper snowflakes
Paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling are a great way to turn your home into a wonderland. They make perfect decorations for almost every room, and best of all, you only need some paper and a pair of scissors to make them. You can also stick snowflakes to your windows and walls, create a garland, or turn them into a wreath.
Source: The Christmas Cabin on a real Christmas tree farm
Use lights
Christmas string lights are always a festive addition to any holiday decoration scheme. You can use them inside your rental, for example, wrap them around your Christmas tree and wreaths, or outdoors, and wrap them around trees and shrubbery. A perfect way to decorate for Christmas is to wrap a garland around a banister and add lights to create a welcoming atmosphere.
Source: Kinnettles Mansion—the UK
Add Christmas throw pillows to your sofa
You can refresh your interior décor by adding an extra holiday-themed blanket and switching up your soft furnishings. For example, you can add cushions with Christmas motifs to your sofa in the living room to bring some winter tones and festive spirit. Plenty of blankets and cushions around the seating areas will allow your guests a cozy downtime.
Put up Christmas stockings
If you have a fireplace in your rental, hang Christmas stockings from the mantle. If you don’t have a mantel, hang them on the wall. These colorful, simple decorations offer a fun way to add a personal touch to your Christmas-themed Airbnb. They are always a hit with kids and a great way to give guests a small welcome gift.
Source: The Williamsburg Retreat Gorgeous Private Acreage
Don’t overdo it
It’s fun to go all out with holiday decorations to infuse your rental with coziness and cheer, but you should remember that less can often be more. Don’t overcrowd your space with too many decorations because it can create a cluttered and chaotic look. Instead, focusing on critical areas and creating a cohesive design throughout your Airbnb rental is better.
Decorating your Airbnb for Christmas to make it feel festive, inviting, and cozy is a crucial element that will help ensure unique and memorable stays for your guests. It’s also important to thoroughly clean your rental space during each turnover, so delegating this task to professional vacation rental cleaners is better. If you opt for Hospitable, our system will assign tasks to your cleaning crew automatically based on booking information.
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Decorating Airbnb Christmas Cabin
While some enjoy the big-city Christmas experience, many prefer a winter getaway to spend quality time with their loved ones. A perfect way to escape city crowds is to rent a beautiful cabin in a remote location and celebrate Christmas with family among stunning natural scenery.
When decorating your Airbnb cabin for Christmas, choosing seasonal items that work with the existing décor is important. For example, if your cabin is nestled in the mountains, you could add cute ski chalet decor like a vintage ice skate hung on the front door and filled with holly. But if you have a beach cottage, a good idea is to add a small Christmas tree made out of driftwood and seashell ornaments to add holiday cheer to your space.
You should also stick with your Airbnb’s existing color palette. Red and green are traditional Christmas colors but may not work with your aesthetic. Then, you may want to use blues or whites or simply add metallics of silver and gold. When used together, these calm hues create a beautifully decorated home for the holidays—elegant and peaceful, and they will never go out of style.
Christmas-Themed Airbnb
Check out these amazing Christmas-themed Airbnbs, where Christmas is celebrated all year round. These themed Airbnb listings can inspire you to transform your rental space into a cozy holiday retreat.
Source: Adirondack Christmas Cabin
This cozy three-bedroom cabin tucked away in the Adirondack forest is decorated for Christmas year-round, and every room is full of Christmas cheer. It’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy some time in the mountains, watching the snowfall.
Source: Winter Wonderland – Near TTU
This enchanting two-bedroom rental comes with a lot of Christmas décor so guests can immerse themselves in the season’s spirit. The spacious open-concept living area is adorned with beautiful holiday decorations, twinkling lights, and a Christmas tree, and three comfortable bedrooms are decorated in different Christmas themes.
Source: Pastural Sunrise—Virginia
This peaceful and charming Christmas cottage with a gorgeous view and private yard has everything for a relaxing stay. It’s so cozy that it feels like a home away from home and promises one of the most festive weekend getaways.
Final Thought
Hopefully, these ideas and tips will help you transform your listing into the perfect Airbnb Christmas holiday rental and make your guests special and welcome. Your guests will surely appreciate your extra effort to create a festive atmosphere and a sense of home away from home, and they will leave positive reviews that can help you get more bookings.
Just update photos in your listing to showcase how you prepared your Airbnb for the festivities and share some of the local holiday events in the area to entice travelers to book.
You may also want to check our guide on how to choose the best bedding for Airbnb to ensure a fantastic sleeping experience for your guests during their stay.
