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Today, we’re talking about my favorite way to welcome the holiday season.

‘Tis the season for mini Christmas trees, fairy lights, and cozy throw blankets. That’s right - it’s time to decorate your dorm room for the holidays!

In this post, I’ll be sharing all sorts of Christmas dorm decor tips, ideas, and inspiration to help you do just that.

I’m talking about everything from bedding, walls, desks, doors, nightstands and more.

Ready to turn your dorm into the ultimate trendy Christmas wonderland? Then, let’s jingle our way into these ideas!

27 Christmas Dorm Decor Ideas

#1: Red, White, & Grey Theme

One approach you can take with your Christmas dorm decor is to use a red, white, and grey color scheme.

This is a great color scheme to use if you want to achieve more of a soft and cozy vibe in your space.

A just red and white theme is great if you love a bright, high contrast look. Add in some grey, or replace white with grey, and it softens up the look!

#2: Christmas Desk Decor

As a college student, you probably spend a lot of time at your desk, so why not make it look festive?

Hanging a mini wreath above your desk is a fun way to do just that! You can easily hang it up with command strip hooks, and compliment it with other holiday signs and wall hangings.

Don’t forget to decorate your actual desk, too! Since your desk is probably small, using one of these desk shelves will give you more space to put out Christmas themed trinkets and other decor.

You can even hang garland along it for a super cute and festive look.

#3: Window Decor

Now for some window decor. A simple idea you can use is to hang ornaments from the top of your window.

Be sure to hang your ornaments at varying heights like in the example photo to achieve a well balanced look. Complement your bulbs by adding Christmas lights all around your window.

If you don’t want to hang ornaments, you can just decorate using the lights and you’ll still achieve a festive and pretty style!

#4: Throw Pillows

It’s not Christmas without some cute holiday throw pillows!

If you’re looking for a super easy way to add some holiday cheer to your dorm (that’s guaranteed to look good), throw pillows are your best friend.

My advice when shopping for and styling throw pillows is to get a variety of heights and sizes.

When styling, place taller and wider pillows in the back and shorter, smaller ones in front.

Typically, I’ve found that odd numbers of throw pillows (3 or 5 is a good aim) tend to look best. This approach usually provides a well balanced and visually appealing look.

However, that doesn’t mean your bed can’t look cute with an even amount of throw pillows. Play around with the presentation until you find one you like the most!

Pro Christmas dorm decor tip - if you already have throw pillows and don’t want to buy more, use pillow covers like these to instantly make them Christmas themed.

#5: Rustic Christmas Theme

Is red, white, and green holiday decor a little too cliche for your taste? If so, you might want to give the rustic Christmas style a try!

In a rustic Christmas dorm decor style, you’ll see lots of elements of nature in the decorations like wood, pinecones, fir trees, and garland.

Similarly, the color palette will also reflect a minimalist, subtle, and natural look.

Use different shades of green, brown, tan, off white, grey, or even a deep, desaturated burgundy to achieve this look in your dorm.

#6: Christmas Tree

For me, having a Christmas tree is an absolute must! It’s the most iconic piece of holiday decor, after all.

You probably don’t have room to decorate a large tree in your dorm, but you can find just about every size of mini tree to decorate instead.

I love mini trees that are about three feet tall, but if that’s still too big, I recommend getting a tabletop tree small enough to fit on a desk or nightstand.

When it comes to decorating your tree, I suggest getting a small pack of ornaments you can easily store after the holidays.

Along with ornaments, you can easily wrap string/fairy lights around your tree for some festive vibes. And don’t forget a tree topper, too!

#7: Polaroid Tree

How cute is this next Christmas dorm decor idea? It’s pretty easy, too.

Simply take a set of fairy lights with clothespins on them and arrange the lights in the shape of a Christmas tree by zig zagging them back and forth.

Then, hang your photos on the lights and enjoy your tree full of friends, family, and good memories. You can even choose Christmas themed photos for an extra special holiday touch.

Tip - if you want your photos to resemble polaroids but don’t have a polaroid camera, simply use a printer like this one.

You can connect it to your phone and print aesthetic “polaroid” photos directly from your camera roll! Quick and easy.

My sisters used this method to print photos for their dorm rooms and they came out so cute.

P.S. this also makes a cute gift idea for anyone who loves taking pictures and decorating!

#8: Door Decor

I’ve talked a lot about the inside of your dorm, but how about decorating your front door?

The above photo is a great jumping off point for door decor if you’re unsure where to start!

You can use command strips to hang stockings for you and your roommate, a welcome sign, or a wreath. Add some festive touches with paper snowflakes and garland.

Another easy decor idea for your door is to use those stretchy gel window stickers, but Christmas themed of course. They’re adorable and so easy to decorate with!

#9: Christmas Themed Bedding

There’s no better way to give your bed a Christmas makeover than by getting a holiday themed bed set!

Keep in mind, this isn’t always the most practical decor option because you’ll have to find somewhere to store the set after the holidays.

But if you can manage it, bedding is such a fun and easy way decorate a large part of your dorm all at once.

#10: Ornaments In Jars

Next is a simple DIY project that makes for a gorgeous decoration in your dorm room. For this project, gather a clear/glass jar or vase and fill it with all sorts of holiday decor pieces.

You can use anything from ornaments, pinecones, fairy lights, garland, and more.

You can use the simpler method of just filling up your vase, or you can recreate the photo above by hanging ornaments from a stick placed on top of the vase.

Both options produce beautiful results! Depending on the size of your vase, this decoration can go on a desk, nightstand, dresser, or on any surface in your dorm.

#11: Christmas Garland

My next Christmas dorm decor idea is all about garland. Garland is a classic piece of Christmas decor that will bring holiday cheer wherever it’s placed.

Depending on the size of yours, you can play around by draping it across your headboard, desk, dresser, mini fridge, and more. Get creative with it!

#12: Throw Blankets

Love the idea of Christmas themed bedding but don’t want to buy and store a whole other bed set?

Get a cute holiday throw blanket instead! Use it to spice up your bed, bean bag chair, desk chair, or wherever. Plus, you’ll stay cozy all holiday season long!

#13: Fairy Light Tree

This one is similar to the polaroid tree idea, but this time without the polaroids.

Take your fairy lights or string lights and shape them to make a Christmas tree with a little star on top.

For similar projects in the past, I’ve used sticky putty to hang stuff on my wall. It’s surprisingly strong, yet gentle enough to not damage your walls.

If you’re not able to use thumbtacks (most dorms will not allow this), I definitely recommend trying the putty instead.

Tip - when using sticky putty, use a color that best matches your wall! This way, the putty will blend into the wall and be less noticeable.

#14: Snowman Fridge

How fun is this next Christmas dorm decor idea? This is also one you can keep up all winter long!

You can easily find packs of stickers or magnets online to create the eyes, nose, mouth, scarf, and buttons on your fridge snowman.

#15: Wall Decor

Now, I want to talk about some ideas you can use to decorate your dorm room wall for the holidays.

First, I absolutely love the effect these curtain fairy lights have. They look like falling snow!

You can layer your fairy lights with a Christmas garland to create an extra festive wall decor display.

Cute holiday prints are a must! If you can’t find physical prints you like, remember to check Etsy for digital art that you can download, print, and hang up yourself.

This is a great way to save a little money while still getting a cute and festive look in your dorm.

#16: Mini Christmas Tree Light

How cute is this mini tree light? This makes the perfect little accessory for decorating your desk, dresser, nightstand, windowsill, or other surface in your dorm.

Turn off your lights with this on for some extra cool and cozy vibes in your space!

#17: Light Box Sign

Next for your Christmas dorm decor is a classic light box. These are a starter pack essential for any aesthetic dorm room!

What I love about these is that you can customize them whenever you want, including during the holidays.

Try writing your own holiday greeting on yours to add some Christmas cheer into your space.

After the holidays, another idea you can try is writing a motivational quote or a goal/resolution you have for the new year so you’ll see it whenever you pass by.

This is also a great tactic to use for reminding yourself of important errands or assignments you keep forgetting to complete, haha. It’s hard to miss a big light up box, after all!

#18: Aesthetic Christmas Photo Prints

I have been OBSESSED with aesthetic photo collages lately. I have them on my apartment wall, and as my phone and desktop backgrounds.

By the way, I designed some free to use photo collage phone wallpapers for my readers. Feel free to explore them here.

When I saw these Christmas themed photo prints, I thought “okay, I need those.”

These prints are really fun and easy to hang, too. I usually use this sticky putty which is strong enough to hang up photo prints but light enough not to damage your walls.

You can copy the example collage in the image above or have fun, get creative, and design your own!

#19: Snowflake String Lights

Would it be an article on Christmas dorm decor if I didn’t talk about lights? I don’t think so! My next favorite find are these beautiful hanging snowflake lights.

These are perfect for adding a magical, wintery touch to your dorm room throughout the Christmas season and even in January and February (or from October all the way through April if you live in Upstate New York like me).

#20: Snowman Fridge Magnets

If you have a mini fridge in your dorm (or even a regular sized fridge), these snowman magnets are a must have!

These are just the cutest things and make opening up your fridge a delightful and festive experience.

They’re small enough to comfortably fit on a mini fridge but they’ll look great on fridges of all shapes and sizes.

#21: Gel Window Clings

How fun are these squishy gel clings? These are the perfect, inexpensive, easy way to decorate your window and spread holiday cheer to everyone walking by outside!

#22: Light Up Hanging Window Decor

Still looking for window decorating ideas? If you love light up decor, these hanging Christmas window lights might just be the thing for you.

You hang them up using suction cups, so set up is easy peasy. Pair them with string lights going all the way around your window for a look that’s extra merry and bright.

#23: Mini Tabletop Christmas Tree

If traditional trees are more your style, mini ones like this one are the way to go for any college student living in a dorm or small apartment.

This specific one from Amazon is ideal because it comes pre-lit and with a set of mini ornaments plus a star topper. Set up could literally not be any easier!

#24: Christmas Curtain Tie Backs

Curtains might be one area of your dorm you wouldn’t think to decorate or you might be unsure how to, but good news!

There are plenty of ways you can decorate your curtains for the holidays just like the rest of your space.

One of the easiest ways is by using tie backs. Not only are these a convenient way to keep your curtains open when you want them that way, but they look like they’re giving your curtains a hug.

#25: Christmas Throw Blanket

For me, Christmas equals cozy season, and there’s no better way to get cozy than by snuggling up with a soft throw blanket on a cold winter night.

Stay warm while also adding some holiday vibes to your space with one of these super cute throws. I love the Christmasy pattern on these blankets, too!

When you’re not using it, drape it on your bed or over your desk chair to use as a decorative piece.

#26: Christmas Door Hanger

Spruce up your boring old doorknobs for the holidays with these darling door hangers.

Not only are these perfect for bathroom doors, closet doors, etc. but they’re also fun to hang on your front door.

Living in a college dorm at Christmastime is super fun because you get to walk down the halls and see everyone’s holiday door decorations.

I used to love doing that when I lived in dorms my freshman year of college! Students would put up wreaths, use gel stickers, door hangers, garland, you name it.

It’s such an awesome way to get into the holiday spirit and share it with your neighbors, too.

#27: Small Door Wreath

Speaking of door decor, wreaths are pretty much the most iconic piece of door decor there is.

I love this wreath specifically because it’s not too large, so it’s perfect to hang on your dorm door, or even inside your dorm if you’d rather have it there.

The ornaments, little wrapped presents, and floral pieces are such pretty touches, all complete with a festive red bow and bells at the top.

Every time you open your door, you get to hear jingle bells. How fun and Christmasy!

Outro & Closing Thoughts

Just like a present, it’s time to wrap up this blog post. I hope you found the perfect inspiration for your Christmas dorm decor have fun decorating!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, and thank you for reading my post on Christmas Dorm Decor Ideas To Recreate This Holiday Season!

If you loved this one, you may also like: 7 Ways To Romanticize College Every Day (Aesthetic & Motivating)

For handmade digital art prints, icon packs, wallpapers, & more designed by me, be sure to stop by my digital boutique: Designed By Nikki Lo.

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27 Aesthetic Christmas Dorm Decor Ideas To Use This Holiday Season!