Get cosy with the deliciously warm world of gingerbread this Christmas! No longer just for eating, the gingerbread Christmas tree trend is gaining serious momentum this season.
While the pastel Candyland look is still popular, gingerbread is stealing the spotlight with its nostalgic, retro, and slightly more sophisticated appeal.
It’s all about those rich, spicy brown shades—think coffee and espresso alongside warm gingerbread hues. Outlined with white “frosting” details, this theme is both playful and charming, with a home-baked, cosy feel.
Whether you’re adding a touch of gingerbread to your decor or going all out with sugar and spice, here are some gingerbread Christmas tree ideas to inspire your design!
Click here for more about this year’s top trends for Christmas.
Complementary Colours
First, let’s dive into the gingerbread colour palette. It’s fabulously as versatile -equally at home alongside pastels for a Candyland look, or with red, white, and even pink for a playful, candy cane theme.
If you want to go full gingerbread Christmas tree vibe, try pairing dreamy gingerbread brown with deep coffee tones, champagne gold, cream, and crisp ‘frosting’ white.
The gingerbread colour palette is full of warm browns, champagne gold, cream and white.
Of course gingerbread isn’t just one colour but a whole range -from the honey browns of a light gingerbread bake to rich cinnamon tones.
For a lighter aesthetic, focus on champagne gold and cream with pops of gingerbread. For a moodier vibe, lean into darker coffee shades and add warm gingerbread accents to brighten it up.
12 Gingerbread Christmas Decor Ideas
If you fancy going for some gingerbread spice this Christmas, here’s 12 ideas and colour combinations I’ve spotted whilst exploring trade fairs and decorator displays over the year. What’s calling to you..?
Pastel Gingerbread
Pastel pinks, teals, blues, and greens look fabulous with gingerbread brown, adding a playful twist to your tree. This colour palette looks great set against a flocked or white tree for extra pastel vibes.
Decorate with sweet treat ornaments like candy, ice cream, cupcakes, and, of course, gingerbread people. Carry the theme to sideboards or tables with pastel nutcrackers, candy-decorated gingerbread houses, and macaron “trees” for an all-out whimsical wonderland.
Gingerbread and pastel Candyland are a popular pairing with the snow-covered gingerbread houses looking particularly cute as a backdrop for pale pastel shades.
Gingerbread and Gingham
For a traditional vibe, gingerbread and gingham make a perfect team. Think gingham bows, gingerbread houses with red and white details, and felt mice with little gingham aprons! Add mini kitchen equipment ornaments and Scandi-inspired touches for a magical, bakery-inspired Christmas display.
Gingerbread Christmas tree with cute Christmas mice in gingham & Scandi inspired outfits
Gingerbread & Candy Canes
This look uses a similar colour palette but with a modern twist. Combine spiced browns with candy cane stripes, and bring in softer textures with felt and fabric ornaments to create a charming, inviting look.
Gingerbread and candy canes are two of the classic Christmas staples. Have fun incorporating both on your tree!
Kitsch Gingerbread
Retro styles are all the rage this Christmas, so why not blend them with gingerbread for a kitsch gingerbread Christmas tree? Think classic rosy-cheeked gingerbread people alongside plenty of red, white, teal, and pink. This cute, colourful, and quirky design that I’m sure will bring plenty of festive cheer.
Blending the gingerbread and kitsch themes can make for a fun, colourful display.
Coffee & Gingerbread
For a moodier, sophisticated take, I adore the idea of bringing deeper coffee and chocolate shades into your gingerbread Christmas tree design. This creates a rich, warm brown palette that looks stunning with champagne gold, cream, and frosting white accents.
Play with light and dark chocolate, coffee and gingerbread brown colours to create a warm eye-catching display as seen by Hannah at Longacres Garden Centre in Surrey
All the Baked Goods
The trend for quirky, food-related ornaments is huge, making it the perfect time to deck out your tree in delicious baked goods!
From croissants and pretzels to macarons, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate-covered treats, there’s no limit to the tasty-themed decorations you can add. Why not throw in a few espresso martini ornaments too? It is Christmas, after all!
Have fun with quirky glass ornaments celebrating all the baked goods and chocolatey treats.
Lean Into Cream
If you prefer just a hint of gingerbread, focus on a soft, neutral palette with champagne, cream, and white. Add small touches of gingerbread, with a few brown and white baubles to subtly tie everything together.
A light neutral Christmas tree with hints of gingerbread and a fabulous gingerbread base.
Play With Texture
A gingerbread Christmas tree is the perfect canvas for mixing textures. Add a delicate lace ‘frosting’ effect to soft materials like fabric and felt. Combine honeycomb paper ornaments, satin ribbons, velvet accents, glass and shimmer to add intrigue to your tree and invite guests to lean in for a closer look. What other textures would you add to your design?
Have fun with texture and lean into the warm, cosy vibes of gingerbread with lots of felt, fabric, and paper.
Gingerbread Holiday House Village
Looking beyond the tree, another huge trend for this Christmas is the Anthropologie-inspired holiday house village. So why not create your own “street” of gingerbread houses on the sideboard or down the centre of the table? It’s a cute, decorative touch full of nostalgia and charm.
Embrace the holiday houses theme by adding a collection of gingerbread houses to your sideboards.
Home Baked Gingerbread Decorations
Nothing beats the aroma of real gingerbread! Get back to basics with homemade gingerbread ornaments for your tree or decorate gingerbread houses for display. They’re not only lovely for your own décor but make thoughtful gifts for visiting guests too. Plus, don’t know about you but I’m quite partial to a gingerbread house decorating competition…
Homemade gingerbread not only adds to the décor theme but also ensures a gorgeous spicy aroma throughout the house!
Create a Hanging Display
How cute is this idea? Make a little go a long way by hanging gingerbread-inspired ornaments from the ceiling or rafters using beautiful cream ribbon. Suspend them at different heights for a magical, eye-catching effect. Love this enchanting floating display – it’d make a fabulous table centrepiece (without taking up room on the table!) or a different, easy way to lean into the gingerbread Christmas décor theme!
Hanging decorations at a variety of heights from ribbons is a great way to make just a few decorations go further and makes an eye-catching display.
No Need for the Gingerbread
You don’t even need gingerbread ornaments to capture this look—the warm gingerbread-inspired colour palette does the job on its own! Select decorations you love in rich browns, creams, and soft golds, and enjoy crafting a beautiful, cosy gingerbread brown Christmas tree display.
Lean into the gingerbread brown shades for a rich, warm tree design.
Looking for more inspiration?
- Thinking Pink This Christmas? Try These Fab Pink Christmas Ideas
- How To Create A Retro Christmas Look: Styling Tips & Ideas
- REVEALED! This Year’s Top Christmas Colour Trends
And be sure to check out The Hottest Christmas Décor Trends for more decoration inspiration!
The gingerbread Christmas tree trend is growing fast, bringing cosy, nostalgic vibes into our homes this season. I hope these ideas have sparked some inspiration for your gingerbread Christmas tree and beyond. What other ideas do you have in mind?
If you’re in the market for more festive inspiration, check out our guide to the latest Christmas trends. It’s a treasure trove of ideas from luxe metallics to youthful optimism, natural beauty and so much more.
