16 Cute Christmas Dorm Decorations You’ll Love
This post is all about Christmas dorm decorations.
Christmas is a time for giving and receiving, but it can also be a time for decorating while in college. The typical college student may think that it is impossible to have a festive holiday feel when decorating a small space such as your university dorm room. However, this does not have to be the case. With these 16 Christmas dorm decorations, there are plenty of ways you can decorate your room without breaking your bank or taking up too much space in your room.
Christmas Dorm Decorations
Check out these Christmas dorm decorations so you can recreate for your own college dorm room.
READ: 39 Gorgeous Small Apartment Christmas Decor Ideas You’ll Love
1. Turn a wall photo collage into a Christmas tree
If you’re fond of keeping photos as keepsakes, turn those memories into a fun and festive DIY Christmas project. If you’ve got some photos of your family, friends, or even pets (after all, they are always with us!), the easiest way to turn those memories into another decoration for the room is by creating a wall photo collage in the shape of a tree to bring that extra bit of Christmas cheer.
Gather photos you’d like to use for the project and print them out onto photo paper (you’ll need one piece of paper per picture), or have it printed at a local printing store. Cut the photo paper into small squares, rectangles, or triangles.
Use scotch tape or double adhesive tape to attach the photos to a piece of cardboard. Finally, use double-sided adhesive strips or tacks to hang up your Christmas tree collage on the wall! Don’t forget to buy Christmas lights for dorm room and place it along the edge of the tree collage.
This dorm decor idea is easy yet effective in making you feel that festive holiday feeling even when away from home for college! Plus, it only takes about an hour to make, so it’s perfect for those who are looking for quick and easy Christmas dorm decorating ideas.
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2. Decorate your door
Turning your dorm room door into a festive holiday entrance is another way to decorate the space without going overboard. Dorm doors are often left open during this time of year, so why not spruce up their appearance by styling your dorm room door in a holiday theme?
I found this Santa’s Good List door decor idea on Pinterest and I thought it was so cool. All you need is Christmas wrapping paper, a santa hat, scissors, faux garland, and a long sheet of white paper.
It’s one of the easiest Christmas dorm room door decorations to put together with your roommates. It’s an effortless way to add some holiday cheer into your dorm while also hiding any unattractive characteristics of the door at the same time.
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3. Ornaments
When it comes to dorm room Christmas decorations, like ornaments, there are tons of different options. Just keep in mind that anything with glitter will leave a mess behind, and you might want something more practical for decorations if your room doesn’t have much storage.
You can make your own ornaments with supplies you already have around the house. Use old baby food jars and fill them with buttons, beads, or anything else that might look nice.
You can also have a lot of fun with inexpensive Christmas ornaments from the dollar store, Target and Walmart. You’ll find them in all kinds of shapes and themes, from snowmen to winter animals or a big red ribbon bow, so it’s easy to get something that matches your room decor.
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4. Decorate a small Christmas tree
You can’t celebrate Christmas without a tree. While we all know that space is often an issue in dorm rooms, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a miniature Christmas tree.
You might find a mini tree in the gift shop at your school, your local store or ask someone to bring you an extra from home. Look for something around three feet tall that’s green or white, so it fits nicely on top of your desk and does not take up too much space in the room.
Once you have a dorm room Christmas tree, all you need are some decorations. You can start to hang ornaments and then move up to tinsel, lights, garland, bows, bells—whatever strikes your fancy to get you in the holiday spirit.
You might also choose to put a star on top of the tree even if it doesn’t have one naturally because this adds height for an extra impact. Or you can use a white candle instead of the star to create something different without taking up too much room on your desk or another flat surface where you plan to set it up.
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5. Light a few candles
If you don’t like the mess that comes with artificial decorations, candles are a great way to go. They have a warm, cozy look that instantly makes any place more festive.
Candles are especially lovely because you can use them in so many different ways when decorating for Christmas in your dorm room. You don’t even need to buy actual candles if you prefer something like tea lights or votive holders instead—just make sure they’re battery-operated, so you don’t have to worry about an open flame.
Place candles on top of the mini Christmas tree for a nice, natural glow that makes it feel like home while also creating some festive mood lighting. You can even use them around your window or any other part of the room where they might stand out positively without taking up too much space.
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6. Add fairy lights
Fairy lights are extremely versatile, and you can use them in all kinds of ways when it comes to your holiday decoration.
You’ll want to make sure that your fairy lights are battery-powered or at least have an option for using batteries instead of a plug outlet because this allows you more freedom with the decorations around the room.
One way to use these dorm Christmas lights is to create a garland by wrapping them around anything you can find. You might try making your own tree branch or using one of your bookshelves for this purpose if it’s bare and just needs something extra on top.
You could also simply string lights behind pictures or posters, along window sills, under furniture, or even around your bed frame. The sky is the limit when it comes to decorating for Christmas with fairy lights, so try them out in different places and see what works best for you.
You can also choose a specific color of light or mix multiple hues together to create something unique that makes your dorm room feel more festive without adding too many decorations that take up too much space.
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7. Hang a small wreath
There are several ways you can use wreaths in your dorm room to create the perfect holiday atmosphere.
You might choose to hang them on the door, which is especially easy if it’s not getting much else decorated or has nothing hanging there at all. You don’t even need any supplies for this—simply pick up a small wreath from the gift shop and hang it on the door.
You can also put them above your window or anywhere else that fits your room decor to create a warm, inviting look while still keeping things simple.
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8. Get holiday bedding
If you have your bed, consider getting some holiday-themed sheets or a blanket for the colder months.
You can mix and match different patterns to create something that looks festive without being too complicated or messy looking. Don’t stop there, add a holiday-themed area rug too with the same color scheme!
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9. Christmas pillows
Partnered with your holiday bedding, you can also find matching Christmas pillows or pillow covers to go with the theme.
You might consider getting a few of these throw pillows to use in different places around your dorm room because they can match any kind of arrangement you want or coordinate with other items that are already there without needing anything else to complete the look. These decorative pillows I found at Target are some of my favorites.
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10. Get a seasonal mug
If you prefer something to drink hot chocolate or coffee in, consider getting a holiday-themed mug. I remember going through a few gift guides on a budget and I really liked this “Merry Christmas ya Filthy Animal” coffee mug. I couldn’t believe I was able to find one on Amazon!
You can also pick up one of these from the gift shop, and it will add an instant touch of festive cheer without requiring any effort on your part when decorating for Christmas in your dorm room.
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11. Christmas banner
A Merry Christmas banner makes the perfect addition to your Christmas dorm decorations for your door or any other area where you want to spread the holiday cheer. You can make your own using white or red construction paper. You could also buy one, but it’s always nice to personalize the banner. Ask your crafty friends for help, as this is one terrific way to bond with your roommates.
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12. Decorate your refrigerator
If you have a fridge in your dorm room, get creative and find some cool ways to decorate it! You can use magnets, stickers or small decorations on the surface of the fridge itself, or maybe hang something on the door that’s related to your theme.
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13. Use candy canes as Christmas decor
Candy canes are a very traditional Christmas decoration, and you’ll want to make sure they’re prominently displayed if that’s your style.
You might place them on each window sill or doorknob as a cute little reminder of the holiday season—the candies will look especially festive in containers with red cellophane paper wrapped around them.
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14. Make Christmas wall art
If you have any empty wall space, consider using Christmas-themed canvas prints to decorate it or make one yourself. You can also get creative and cut some small shapes out of the canvas to add a fun, unique touch that matches your own personal style.
15. DIY with pinecones
For these Christmas dorm decorations, you can make use of pine cones. Pine cones are a very easy way to add some Christmas joy with minimal effort.
Simply gather them from the ground or purchase in bulk at your local craft store, and use paint if you want something more festive than their natural color. You could also buy some fake snow pine cones for winter looking decor to help turn your dorm into a winter wonderland.
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16. Use Block Letters
Grab some white letters from your local craft store and paint them yourself or with friends to spell out “JOY” (or any other message you want) on each of your windows to bring that ho-ho-ho jolly Christmas spirit to your dorm room!
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Now that you have all these tips for creating a warm, inviting holiday atmosphere in your dorm room, it’s time to use them! Fill up the space with as many decorations as possible and make sure they’re also personalized or related to your personal style.
What do you think about these Christmas dorm decorations? Share your thoughts for commenting below!
