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Here is one of the easiest Christmas decorating ideas I know: you don’t need to replace your everyday faux greenery and stems for the holidays. I just add a few festive red berry stems to the arrangements I already have, and it’s an instant Christmas refresh.
Below is my quick video, the berry stems I love from Target, exactly how I mix them into my greenery, and everything on my entryway console linked below each photo, so just swipe through to shop!
The Target Berry Stems I Wait for Every Year
I got these berry stems at Target last year, and I was so excited they brought them back this year. They’re the 36″ Berry Stem from Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, and they are the best. The red is a pretty, kind of neutral red, so it’s not too bright, and I like that each stem has a little greenery on it too. Those leaves help the berries blend right into an arrangement instead of looking like they were stuck on.
They’re also pretty affordable, which makes them such an easy way to create a holiday floral arrangement without buying a whole new set of stems. Here are the berry stems I used, plus a few cedar and pine stems that look pretty with them:
How I Add Berry Stems to My Everyday Greenery
For the big pot on my entryway console I used three berry stems and two green stems. I literally just put them in with my everyday greenery. Here’s how I do it:
- Start with what you already have. Keep your everyday faux greenery in its vase. It gives you the shape and fullness, so the berries only have to add color.
- Pick a soft, deep red. A muted red looks cozy next to neutral decor, where a bright cherry red can look a little loud. Three stems were plenty for a large vase; one or two is enough for a small one.
- Tuck them in at different heights. Push one stem in deep, leave one a little taller and let one lean out to the side, so the red is spread through the arrangement instead of sitting in one clump.
- Bend the branches. Faux stems have wire inside, so gently shape them so some berries reach past the leaves and a few hang lower toward the console. That is what makes it look natural.
- Step back and check it from across the room. If one side looks heavier, move a stem. That’s it, no need to start over for the holidays.
Here is what I used, plus a few other green stems and vases that work for this same look:
Why I Love Red Berries More Than Just Cedar or Pine
Sometimes I feel like just doing cedar or pine can feel kind of, I don’t know, a little too cold. I like the warmth the berries add, and I love how soft and festive it feels without going full red-and-green. It’s such a simple way to make a neutral home feel like Christmas.
A few more places berry stems look pretty:
- A pitcher or crock on the kitchen counter
- A vase on the dining table, kept low so you can see across it
- Tucked into the garland on a mantel or staircase
- A small bundle on top of a stack of coffee table books
If you love that warm red as much as I do, repeat it once or twice more in the same space so it looks intentional. On my console the berry wreath on the mirror ties right in with the stems in the pot. Here are some berry wreaths and garlands with the same warm look:
My Christmas Entryway Console
This is the console by my stone wall where I filmed the video. I kept everything else simple and neutral: a ceramic lamp, an arched mirror, a few coffee table books, a little stone bowl and brass candle holders, with two upholstered ottomans tucked underneath. The berries are the only red, so they really stand out against the white stone.
Everything on my console is linked here:
More Easy Christmas Decor Ideas
If you’re decorating this week, see how I decorate my Christmas tree so it looks full, how I style a Christmas tree in a basket, and my pre-lit stems for the table. You can shop the berry stems and everything from this video on my LTK.