Decorating & Design
November 5, 2022
10 Favorite Mantels Decorated For Hanukkah & Christmas
We asked a few of our favorite designers from across Canada how they decorate their hearths for the season. Spoiler alert: fresh (or faux) greenery, subtle sparkle and nostalgic touches are the key ingredients. Get inspired to steal their holiday style!
Jessica Waks – Toronto, ON
“I love decorating for Hanukkah because the shimmering metallics and different shades of blue complement my home’s color scheme perfectly. I always incorporate traditional items like dreidels and Hanukkah gelt (foil-wrapped gold coins) into my decor — it looks so festive! A show-stopping menorah in brass or gold is always the centrepiece. Chag Sameach!”
Brian Gluckstein — Toronto, ON
“I wanted to keep the look simple but festive and integrate the colors in the room, so I used snowy whites, soft gold and green. I love reindeer as a symbol of the holiday season, and I collect nutcrackers, so I always have to incorporate them into my holiday decorating. This year, I went with classic all-white. I love softening a mantel with a garland — this one is faux because we like to leave it up for quite some time.”
Deb Nelson — Halifax, N.S.
“The holidays can be hectic and I often don’t have a lot of time to decorate, so I add natural elements to what I already have. I fill antique baskets with excess boughs cut from the balsam fir trees in my backyard. I love the scent of a Christmas tree in the house, and the boughs add even more fragrance. And while greenery gives a burst of color, tall branches will add height to your mantel.”
Gillian Segal – Vancouver, B.C.
“To create a festive holiday feeling, I alway suggest people focus more on the season than the actual holiday. This can work for both Hanukkah and Christmas. A big part of the story of Hanukkah was celebrating and using foods fried in oil, so there is a big focus on olive oil. There was just enough oil for one night, yet it lasted eight. To bring that tradition home, I placed olive branches throughout the house. I think going too “themed,” or literal can be a mistake and as it turns out, the olive-tree focus just happens to fit perfectly with the design of our home itself.”
Erin Feasby — Toronto, ON
“We have these jewel-toned monogrammed stockings in plaid, tartan and houndstooth patterns, and I wanted to pull out their claret and plum palette. So, I tucked gold and wine-colored eucalyptus leaves into a faux garland, and mixed in black iron candlesticks, my silver trophy and real amaryllis. I love lighting the fire and seeing our initials all lined up in a row.”
Rosie Daykin — Vancouver, B.C.
“Our Christmas tree doesn’t get a makeover because of the memories attached to all the decorations we hang, so the mantel is a great opportunity to try something new. I asked my friend Jessica Clark of Quince Fine Florals to create a large-scale arrangement. I foraged greenery from the yard and neighborhood, and Jessica brought along some lovely winter hellebores. It’s all real, and it smells divine! With very little money and effort, the scale of the piece completely transforms the space. This is an achievable project for everyone. Wire some florist oasis onto a metal tray that’s hidden beneath where the branches will be, and start arranging, beginning with the largest boughs and working outward.”
Garrow Kedigian — New York City, NY
“My decorations tend to get more elaborate with each passing year. It started with just a bough of evergreen, then I added faux berry branches — real ones become a decorator’s nightmare when the berries end up on the carpet — and this year, the pinecones along the top. My mantel offers a wonderful vista in my open-concept apartment, and I like that it’s a nice deep, dark finish — colorful holiday decorations really pop!”
Sophie Burke — Vancouver, B.C.
“I wanted the mantel to feel really warm and natural, and I liked the idea of just using greenery, instead of mixing in any color. I often use fir or cedar branches to decorate but decided to switch it up with eucalyptus this year. I made the garland myself by laying the eucalyptus pieces out in the shape I wanted, and wiring them together. I’m not a big fan of faux greenery. You miss the scent from the real thing! I love the look of large baskets filled with firewood and how all the candles add a soft glow to the room.”
Sarah Walker — Toronto, ON
“Our holiday decor was inspired by the simple beauty of nature. Boughs of green and sculptural branches take center stage in every nook and cranny of the house. Our favorite traditions include a decadent meal of chateaubriand on Christmas Eve. My two boys then open one gift of their choosing by the fire and everyone opens and dons their Christmas jammies for games and movies.”
Aly Velji — Calgary, AB
“Our holiday style definitely has a lot of mid-century inspiration. We live in a house that was built in 1959 (we call it our Brady Bunch House), so we love all the kitsch, bright colors and unexpected elements. My husband, Jason, and I have a tradition of watching Love Actually every year at some point in our pyjamas, opening up our gifts and just being together. With leading such busy lives, sometimes it is nice to just stop and do nothing!”
House & Home November 2020