In Part One of our 2025 Christmas decorations guide, we looked at the practical side of Christmas in New Zealand: when to put decorations up, how to style each room, and how to make your tree work with solid oak and solid wood furniture.
Part Two is for anyone who wants Christmas to feel a bit more personal.
If you are drawn to DIY Christmas decorations, nostalgic touches, or even a slightly Victorian-inspired Christmas, this guide from Oak Furniture Store will walk you through ideas that are simple to create, easy to live with in a Kiwi summer, and beautiful alongside solid oak furniture.
DIY Christmas Decorations That Still Look Polished
DIY does not have to mean messy or childish. With a few simple materials and a clear colour palette, homemade decorations can look as refined as anything you buy in store.
Natural garlands and simple centrepieces
One of the easiest ways to add warmth is to bring in natural elements:
- Dried citrus garlands – Slice oranges or lemons, dry them on low heat, then string them on twine.
- Foraged greenery – Eucalyptus, olive branches or pine cuttings in a vase or laid along the centre of a table.
- Nuts, cones and fruit – Bowls of walnuts, pinecones or red apples add quiet colour and texture.
These pieces suit New Zealand’s summer Christmas perfectly: they feel fresh, they smell good, and they are easy to compost or reuse after the holidays.
✨ Solid wood styling tip – natural décor
Natural decorations look especially good against solid oak and solid wood furniture, because the tones are already so close. A dried orange garland hanging above a solid oak sideboard, or eucalyptus branches running down the centre of a solid wood dining table, create a calm, layered look without feeling overdone.
Paper projects that don’t feel like school craft
Paper decorations can go wrong quickly if they are too bright or flimsy. Keep them grown-up and cohesive by choosing:
- Neutral or muted paper colours (kraft, cream, olive, deep red).
- Simple shapes like stars, circles, diamonds or folded fans.
- Repeating just one or two designs throughout the house.
Folded paper stars, paper chains and fan ornaments are light enough to hang on tree branches, mantel hooks, curtain rods or mirrors.
✨ Solid wood styling tip – paper and oak
Hang paper stars around a solid oak bookcase, or tape a short paper garland along the back edge of a solid wood TV unit (using low-tack tape that will not mark the finish). The contrast between crisp paper folds and natural timber grain keeps the look from feeling childish.
Personalised and Custom Christmas Decorations for Kiwi Families
Personalised decorations are a simple way to make Christmas feel considered without needing to change everything every year.
Names, initials and stockings
You do not need a full customised set to get the effect. A few small touches go a long way:
- Initial ornaments for each family member on the tree.
- Simple fabric stockings labelled with stitched or painted names.
- Place cards or wooden name tags at the dining table.
These work particularly well in New Zealand homes that host different combinations of family and friends each year – you can add new names as you go without changing your whole scheme.
✨ Solid wood styling tip – personalised touches
Hang stockings along a solid wood blanket box at the end of the bed, or line them along a solid oak TV unit instead of a traditional fireplace. Name tags can be tied to the backs of dining chairs, echoing the colour of your solid oak dining table for a quiet, coordinated look.
Handmade gifts and wrapping that double as décor
DIY does not stop at the tree. Thoughtful wrapping can become part of your decorating:
- Wrap gifts in kraft paper or plain white, then add natural string and a small sprig of greenery.
- Use reusable fabric wraps in neutral tones that can be packed away afterwards.
- Handwrite simple labels instead of using bright printed tags.
Stacked on or under solid wood furniture, these parcels add to the atmosphere rather than fighting against it.
✨ Solid wood styling tip – presents and placement
If you have smaller children or pets, consider stacking wrapped gifts on a solid oak sideboard or console table instead of directly under the tree. The warmth of the oak and the calm wrapping scheme help the space feel styled rather than crowded, and you keep presents safely out of the way until the big day.
Vintage Christmas Decorations NZ: Nostalgic, Not Cluttered
“Vintage” can mean anything from true antiques to pieces that simply feel a little older – glass ornaments, brass candle holders, embroidered linens. The key is to be selective so your home feels nostalgic, not cramped.
Choosing a vintage-inspired palette
Start with colour. Vintage Christmas usually leans towards:
- Deep greens and forest tones
- Claret red, burgundy or wine
- Navy, midnight blue or charcoal
- Warm metallic accents (soft gold, brass, copper)
You do not need all of them. Choosing two main colours and one metal is enough. The more consistent your palette, the more intentional your vintage look feels.
Mixing old and new pieces
If you are lucky enough to have inherited ornaments, candle sticks or doilies, bring them out and mix them with more modern items:
- Place old glass baubles front and centre on the tree, then fill in the rest with plain modern baubles in similar tones.
- Put a vintage embroidered runner on a solid oak sideboard, but keep the accessories on top clean and minimal.
- Combine a few genuine old pieces with new items that echo the era, such as ribbed glass candle holders or classic bell ornaments.
✨ Solid wood styling tip – vintage and timber
Vintage decorations shine when they sit on real materials. A solid oak dresser or sideboard gives old glass, metal and fabric a sturdy foundation. Instead of covering every surface, pick one or two furniture pieces to be “vintage zones” and keep the rest of the room simpler so the eye has somewhere to rest.
Victorian-Inspired Christmas: Bringing Old-World Charm into a Kiwi Home
Victorian Christmas images often show heavily decorated rooms, candlelit trees and rich fabrics. You do not need to recreate that exactly to borrow some of the charm.
Layered greenery and candlelight
Victorian homes used a lot of fresh greenery indoors:
- Garland around mirrors, stair rails and mantels.
- Sprigs of holly or similar greenery tucked into picture frames.
- Candles in groups rather than single sticks.
In a modern New Zealand home, you can adapt this by:
- Laying a thick garland along a solid wood dining table or TV unit, then adding LED candles of varying heights.
- Wrapping greenery around the frame of a mirror hung above a solid oak console table.
- Using clusters of LED candles instead of open flame for safety and heat control in summer.
Textiles, ribbons and small details
Victorian-inspired style is all about layers:
- Velvet or grosgrain ribbons on the tree.
- Heavier fabrics in table runners or cushions (even if they are just for the season).
- Lace or crochet doilies under small decorations.
You can bring this through in small ways: one velvet ribbon around a vase, or a single patterned runner on the table is often enough to signal “old-world Christmas”.
✨ Solid wood styling tip – Victorian atmosphere
Deep colours and heavier fabrics feel grounded on dark-stained oak or walnut furniture. If your home leans lighter, you can still borrow the Victorian mood by keeping most of your solid oak pieces exposed and concentrating richer fabrics and colours in a single area, such as a dining table or an entry console. That way the space still feels airy and summery, just with a touch of drama.
Combining DIY, Vintage and Solid Oak Furniture: Three Simple Vignettes
To keep things practical, here are three quick combinations you can recreate with pieces you might already own.
1. Living room sideboard: “Memory and candlelight”
- A solid oak sideboard as the base.
- A vintage-style runner or simple textured cloth.
- A group of framed black-and-white family photos.
- Two or three LED candles in glass holders.
- One small bowl of old glass baubles or dried citrus.
This gives you a quiet, nostalgic corner in the room without overpowering the rest of your decorations.
2. Dining table: “Victorian greenery, Kiwi-friendly”
- A solid wood dining table left mostly uncovered.
- A garland of eucalyptus or mixed greenery laid down the middle.
- LED candles at varying heights tucked into the greenery.
- Simple white plates and plain glassware.
- Fabric napkins tied with ribbon that matches one colour from the tree.
The result feels rich and traditional but still fresh enough for a warm-day Christmas lunch.
3. Bedroom: “Soft DIY Christmas”
- A solid wood bed frame and oak bedside tables.
- A string of warm fairy lights draped loosely along the headboard.
- A small bowl of folded paper stars or dried orange slices on each bedside.
- One photo or memory tag tucked into the frame or mirror.
You get a seasonal touch without turning the bedroom into a second living room.
Ready to Try a More Personal Christmas Look?
Part One of our OFS 2025 Christmas guide focused on timing, layouts and the practical side of decorating Kiwi homes. Part Two is about slowing down a little: DIY decorations, vintage pieces and Victorian-inspired layers that make your home feel like it could only belong to you.
You do not need a full house makeover to get there. A few handmade garlands, some thoughtfully chosen colours and a handful of nostalgic pieces, all anchored by solid oak and solid wood furniture, are more than enough.
If you are planning to build on your Christmas look this year, you can explore:
- our Christmas decorations collection for wreaths, baubles and LED candles
- our living room furniture for solid oak TV units, coffee tables and sideboards
- our dining room furniture for extendable solid wood dining tables and chairs
- our bedroom and storage ranges for bed frames, bedside tables and blanket boxes
Start with the pieces you already own, add a few homemade or vintage touches, and let your furniture do the rest. The result is a Christmas look that feels calm, personal and ready for many summers to come.