Early Holiday Decor: How I Decorate in November

In this post: how I ease into holiday decorating in November with a layer of natural, neutral pieces that looks right at Thanksgiving dinner and only needs a few quick additions to be Christmas-ready in December.

Every year it happens the same way. I walk into a store in early November and it’s wall-to-wall Christmas trees, ornaments and twinkle lights, while back home our porch still has pumpkins on it. I’m not ready to haul out the Santas and stockings before we’ve even planned the Thanksgiving menu. But I’m also a little done with fall by this point, and I want our home to start feeling like the holidays are on their way.

Being in California adds a twist. In San Diego it can still be in the 70s this time of year, and the light over the ocean is more golden than wintry. Up in the Bay Area the mornings are starting to feel crisp, and that first fire in the fireplace feels amazing. However, neither one looks like the snowy scenes on the holiday catalog covers, so traditional heavy “winter decor” never quite works for us. Velvet and faux snow on a 75 degree day just feel out of place.

Styled 2 Ways

It’s time for another monthly Styled 2 Ways, a collaboration between From the Bay to the Beach and Master”pieces” of my Life. Each month, creator MaryJo and I pick a theme and put our spins on it. This month we’re focused on winter decor. I can’t wait to see what MaryJo has been up to. Be sure to check out her post HERE. You can also find MaryJo on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Early Holiday Decor: What to Put Up in November

The Rule That Makes It Work: Decorate in Layers

So a few years ago I started treating November as its own decorating season. Instead of jumping straight from pumpkins to full Christmas, I put up a quiet holiday base that carries us through Thanksgiving, and then I layer on the sparkle after the turkey leftovers are gone. If you read my fall decor capsule post, this is the same idea, just picked up where that one left off.

The whole approach comes down to thinking in layers rather than holidays. You aren’t decorating for Thanksgiving and then starting over for Christmas. You’re building one look in two stages.

Layer 1, right now:

Natural, neutral pieces that suit both holidays: greenery, candles, wood, woven textures, soft linens and warm brass. Nothing here says “Christmas” out loud, so it all sits comfortably next to a turkey and a pie.

Layer 2, after Thanksgiving:

This is where the sparkle comes in: ribbon, ornaments, stockings, twinkle lights and a pop of red or metallic. Because the base is already in place, this part goes quickly.

What I hold off on until December:

Santas, stockings, nutcrackers, red and green plaid, and anything that is overtly Christmas. It keeps Thanksgiving feeling like its own holiday, and it means the December reveal still feels a little bit special.

The November Foundation Pieces

These are the pieces that do the heavy lifting. You likely already own several of them, and the ones you do buy will earn their keep for two full months, which is where I like to spend a little more.

Greenery

Greenery is the single biggest signal that the holidays are coming, and it’s the easiest way to bridge the two seasons. I lean toward eucalyptus, olive branch or cedar garlands rather than classic fir, because they feel softer and more Californian. Eucalyptus in particular has that silvery green that works with both a coastal palette and a wine country one. Drape a garland on the mantel, lay one down the center of the dining table, or tuck a few stems into a pitcher on the kitchen counter.

If you want your garland to look full, use two layered together rather than one sparse strand. I walk through exactly how I do that in my mantel garland layering tutorial, including the Command garland hangers I use so nothing damages the mantel.

Full confession: Some years, when I’m feeling particularly festive, I will set up our artificial pre-lit Christmas tree before Thanksgiving so that we can enjoy the glow of its soft white lights during dark November evenings. However, I don’t decorate it until the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers are put away.

Candles

By November the sun is setting before dinner, and candles are what make a room feel cozy instead of just dark. I use a mix of taper candles and pillar candles in hurricanes, all in warm neutrals like ivory and cream. In our San Diego home I rely on battery-operated candles with timers, so they turn on by themselves each evening. That glow just after sunset is one of my favorite parts of this time of year.

Wood and Woven Textures

Texture is what makes a neutral look feel rich instead of plain. A wooden bowl, a string of wood beads, some pinecones, or a woven basket adds warmth that carries straight from fall into the holidays with the addition of some shiny ornaments.

Textiles

A neutral linen table runner and a few throw pillows in oatmeal, cream or soft sage set the tone without committing to a holiday. In the fall I bring out our throw blankets and drape them over chairs and sofas around the house, and in November they stay right where they are. A chunky knit throw over the arm of a chair says “stay a while” in any season.

Warm Metallics

A little brass or gold adds shine without tipping into full holiday sparkle. Aged brass candlesticks and a brass tray look elegant on a Thanksgiving table, and in December they’ll catch the light from the tree. I love how brass contrasts with the rougher textures of wood and woven pieces.

After Thanksgiving, I swap out the fall florals for my bottlebrush Christmas tree centerpiece with the candleholders flanking it on either end.

Scent

Scent is the quiet layer that people notice before they can say why. In November I move away from pumpkin spice and cider toward cedar, fig and citrus. They feel fresh and a little bit wintry without being full-on Christmas tree. A simmer pot of orange slices, cinnamon sticks and a few sprigs of rosemary on the stove is my favorite trick on the day guests are coming.

Where to Start, Room by Room

You don’t need to do the whole house at once. If you only have an afternoon, these four spots make the biggest difference.

The Mantel

Start with your garland and candles, and stop there for now. Leave the front edge of the mantel open, because that’s where the stockings will hang in a few weeks.

The Dining Table

Your November centerpiece needs to work for Thanksgiving dinner, so keep it low and natural. A garland down the runner with a few candles, a dough bowl of pears and greenery, or a wheat sheaf like the one from my coastal fall tablescape all work beautifully. Keep it airy enough that guests can see each other across the table. That’s always my rule.

If you’re hosting, my free Thanksgiving printables include place cards and menus that go with a neutral table.

The Entryway

A simple eucalyptus or olive wreath with a plain linen or velvet ribbon is all you need on the front door. It feels fresh and welcoming at Thanksgiving, and in December you can add a bigger bow or a few bells.

The Coffee Table or Console

A bowl or tray filled with pinecones, dried orange slices or a few mixed greens is an easy, low-cost update. On our coffee table I keep the oversized driftwood candle holder and rustic bowl from fall and swap the little pumpkins for pinecones and dried citrus. It’s a five-minute change that makes the whole living room feel different.

What to Do With Your Fall Decor

Not everything has to come down. Here’s how I sort it.

Keep out: dried stems, wheat, amber glass and wood pieces. They have the same warm, natural feeling as the holiday base and blend right in.

Store now: anything Halloween, plus the bright orange pumpkins. Those read as October no matter how you style them.

Transition through Thanksgiving: white, cream and sage pumpkins. They still feel seasonal on the Thanksgiving table and come down the weekend after.

If you made a set of my easy DIY coastal pumpkins, those sandy neutrals can stay out right up until Thanksgiving too.

The December Add-Ons

Once Thanksgiving is behind us, here are the five things I add to finish the look. Since the base is already done, it takes an afternoon instead of a whole weekend.

1. Ribbon on the garland. A velvet bow at one end of the mantel garland draws the eye and instantly says “holiday.” Last year I made a brown velvet bow to match the small bows on our tree.
2. Stockings. Hang them along the open space you left at the front of the mantel.
3. A few ornaments in a bowl. Drop a handful of glass or mercury glass ornaments into a wooden bowl or a hurricane. Instant sparkle, no tree required.
4. Velvet pillow covers. Swap the linen covers for velvet in a deep green or cream for a richer, wintry texture.
5. Twinkle lights. Battery-operated fairy lights woven through the garland add the final glow. My rustic jingle bell garland is another favorite finishing layer.

For a smaller space, a little tabletop tree can be your December add-on too. I shared my best tips in 10 Stylish Tabletop Christmas Tree Tips for Small Spaces, and my bottlebrush tree centerpiece is an easy one to make.

Easing Into the Season

I love that this approach gives Thanksgiving its own moment while still letting our home feel like the holidays are on their way. There’s no frantic weekend of tearing everything down and starting over, and when December arrives, the fun part is already half done.

So tell me, are you an early decorator, or are you firmly on team “not until after Thanksgiving”? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear how you handle the in-between.

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