Cottage Style Green Christmas Tree Decorations

As the holiday season approaches, there’s nothing like a beautifully decorated Christmas tree to set the scene. This year, I went in a slightly different direction with sage green mixed with cottage materials and warm brass.

I will also include simple design tips and inspiring ideas to help you bring a touch of timeless charm into your own holiday decor. Let’s embrace the spirit of Christmas with a tree that combines tradition, nature, and the perfect amount of cottage inspired cozy!

What is Cottage Christmas Style?

Cottage-style Christmas decorating theme is known for its cozy, nostalgic, and inviting feel. It often combines rustic elements with soft, nature-inspired details, creating a warm and approachable holiday aesthetic. Common elements include:

1. Natural Materials: Wicker, rattan, burlap, and wood decorations are staples. Think woven baskets, wooden ornaments, and pinecones that bring an organic feel.
2. Greenery and Natural Accents: Garlands, wreaths, and sprigs of pine, cedar, or eucalyptus add a fresh, outdoorsy look.
3. Soft, Muted Colors: Softened with earthy tones like sage green, cream, soft whites, and even touches of blush or warm gray.
4. Plaid and Tartan Patterns: Plaid ribbon, tartan blankets, and pillows contribute a classic, homey feel, often seen in deep greens, reds, and blues.
5. Vintage and Handmade Ornaments: Antique-style ornaments, metal bells, or handmade items like crocheted or knit decorations add an old-fashioned charm.
6. Warm Lighting: String lights, lanterns, or candles with a soft, golden glow help create a magical and inviting atmosphere.
7. Relaxed Charm: Vintage sleds, small chalkboard signs, galvanized buckets, or wooden crates are common for both tree decor and surrounding decor.
8. Textural Fabrics: Knitted stockings, wool blankets, and felted ornaments add texture and warmth, enhancing the cozy cottage feel.

Why This Palette Works

Even though I designed a navy and green Christmas tree last year, the inspiration for this year's tree actually started - with this single, beautiful hunter green tartan ribbon. Reminiscent of the official tartan of the Black Watch in Scotland, it completely stole my little Christmas heart! There was just something timeless about the deep green and navy combination, especially when paired with cozy textures and warm metallic accents.

In a cottage Christmas style, it's all about blending rustic and traditional elements to make your space feel soft, welcoming, and lived-in. I wanted a palette that felt peaceful but still rich with character - something that would look just as at home in a cozy cottage as it would in a modern space with vintage touches. The sage green Christmas tree decorations bring in that subtle, calming tone, while the deeper greens and navy from the tartan ribbon add contrast and depth. The result feels layered, natural, and completely timeless.

The tree itself is this 7.5-foot Frosted Frasier Fir, a perfect base for this mix of green tones. I paired it with our quilted embroidered tree skirt and this hyacinth tree collar that matches with other textures in the room.

The photo above shows the tree unlit so you can see how the green Christmas tree decorations coordinate naturally with each other - the soft sage, the muted pine, and that touch of warm brass all work together to create a cozy, cottage-style Christmas look.

Green Christmas Tree Decorations

The tree itself includes a variety of greens in the color scheme, from seafoam to hunter green. Hunter greens and deep teals are my favorite colors, so I coordinated with green-blue hues.

• Seafoam Green and White Leaf Balls – They call the color sage, but I disagree.
• Wired Sage Green Ribbon in 2.5 inches
• Green Tear Drop Ornaments
• Dark Green Flocked Ornament Balls
• Hunter Green Glass Ornaments

Coordinating Decorations and Floral Picks

• Brass Bells
• Glitter Grapevine Orbs
• Pinecones with white painted tips (homemade)
• Flat Beaded Snowflakes
• Birch Balls (similar)
• Eucalyptus sprays – Hobby Lobby
• Gold Berry Sprays
• Pinecone Sprays

Want to see how we put this tree together step by step? Check out the post, which includes VIDEO on How to Add Ribbon to A Christmas Tree here. I demonstrate both wired and non-wired ribbon!

After the ribbon, the other main inspiration for this green Christmas tree is brass handmade bells. They are similar to antique tin bells. I purchased 5 sets of 3 bells. I hung each set together cascading down the tree.

Coordinating Plaid Cottage Wrapping Paper

I love coordinating gifts in decorative trims and papers. Along with the green plaid ribbon, I bought paper in Sage Green Cottage Patterns and Navy Blue and Plaid Wrapping Paper. They are so pretty! I mixed in some neutrals and basic craft paper.

I have more trees than I can fill with gifts, so I often utilize things from around the house to create scenes under the trees. Spools of ribbon, candles, ornaments, figurines were picked. It doesn’t have to make sense; it just needs to bring joy.

Decorating Mistakes to Avoid

Because I've decorated trees for years, I've seen the missteps. Here are what to watch for.
- Too many competing colors (it dilutes the sage/wood/brass focus)
- Using bright white "cool" lights (they clash with warm wood/brass)
- Over-crowding branches without negative space (you lose that airy cottage vibe)
- Not coordinating the tree with the room (I tried to shoehorn red into a blue room for years and it never worked)
- Ignoring the packages (the bottom anchors the whole look)

And there you have it! I hope this Cottage style Christmas tree inspired some new ideas for your own decorations. With that said, I have to finish up my busy holiday list, so I better get to it! I’ll be sharing the coordinating all new mantle to this tree very soon. Happy Holidays!