How to Decorate Your Bookshelves for the Holidays

Let’s just accept it: the bookshelf is the most important part of any room. And sadly, rarely do the shelves get any attention while we spruce up (sometimes literally) for the holidays. But not this year! Use these ideas to get started.

First, start off with a good cleaning. Run a duster over your shelves, and tidy up any papers or knickknacks sitting on your shelves already. Stowe any treasures in a special shoe box or other undisclosed location for the duration of the holidays – they can come back when you take down your holiday décor.

Once your shelves are clean and orderly, you’re ready to get started! Here are some nifty ways to jazz up your bookcase for the holiday season.

Hang your stockings with care
Even if you’ve got a fireplace, try hanging a few stockings from the edge of your bookshelf. For the super bookworms out there (we know who we are) try adding the names of your favorite characters to stockings hung by treasured books. If you use the miniature stockings with a few candies in them, you can even give them away to visitors during the season.

Add a festive winter-terrarium
Glass-jar winter-scapes are gorgeous, even if you opt to make them without the lights inside. Pop one of these on the shelf next you’re your books or on top of a stack of books for an undeniably wintery feel.

Add wrapping paper as a backsplash
We often see decor magazines adding patterns and pops of color to the back of built-in shelves. Why not get out the double-sided tape and put your favorite gift wrap up as a background before re-shelving your books? This way you’ll see your favorite wrapping paper all season long instead of just for a little while under the tree.

Hang special ornaments from the top
The tree is nice and all, but we all know your book collection is true focal point of the room. Hang ornaments on ribbons from the top of your bookshelf to show them of and get your personal library into the holiday spirit.

Arrange your favorite toys as bookends
Add toys, decorations, candles or pinecones to your shelves clustered around bookends or on top of stacks of books. Remember, anything festive that you love deserves a place of honor in your home – even if (especially if) it’s your holiday R2D2 snow globe.

Making your home a welcoming place with your own personal treasures is part of what makes this season so awesome. So get to decorating, and enjoy!