5 Last Minute Decorating Ideas to Steal from Our Favorite Christmas Movies

This time of year, there’s really nothing better than channel surfing and landing on a Hallmark holiday movie marathon or spending a whole weekend streaming classic Christmas movies. But as many times as you’ve watched “Home Alone” or “Love Actually,” have you ever really taken notice of the films’ holiday decor? I mean, you can’t have a Hollywood Christmas without lights, a tree, and other festive flourishes, am I right?

Set designers kill it with their fake interiors year-round—it’s no wonder their film Christmases are just as spectacular. We took a look at some Christmas classics, new and old, for a little last minute decorating inspiration. Hopefully, our picks will inspire you to look a little closer while you binge watch this month—and maybe try an idea or two from this list or another one of your flicks.

Yes, that iconic lamp from “A Christmas Story” is available for purchase, thanks to Bed Bath & Beyond (and probably a few other places). It’s guaranteed to be the hit of your holiday party. I don’t think the rest of the decor in this classic movie was particularly inspiring, but sometimes, all you need is one funny, festive touch to get people going. And could decorating get any easier than just adding one extra lamp?

Vanessa Hudgens is starring in a new Netflix Christmas movie called “The Princess Switch.” And while all the interiors are gorgeous, I’m focused on how the set designer dressed up that window. If you’re trying to make your place a little more festive on the cheap, this idea is for you. Just get some inexpensive ornaments, tie them to some ribbons, and then tie those around your curtain rod. You can always add a garland if you want to take it up a notch.

Channel chill holiday decorating vibes with a tabletop neon tree or wall-mount sleigh that will feel reminiscent of what’s hanging on the walls in the American bar scene from “Love Actually.” Who knew these kinds of signs would actually be a thing that we could buy and hang in our homes 15 years later? I didn’t fully see this trend coming, and I’m also not sure when it will end. But what I do know is places like Target and Amazon have inexpensive, small holiday neon signs that will make it look like you tried way harder than you did.

Remember those paper chain garlands and folded snowflakes you used to make in kindergarten with just paper, a scissors, and some glue? You can use those to turn your house into a winter wonderland à la “Elf.” This is a pretty low budget but high impact idea, especially if you can use regular old computer paper (or even better, recycled paper bags) and recruit a kid or two (or a real life Buddy!) to just go gangbusters making these things. Hang ’em on the mantel or your staircase bannister, drape one across a counter or your kitchen island, use them to trim the tree—the sky, er, the ceiling’s the limit really.

Okay, maybe you can’t change your wall coverings and colors to riff off a classic Christmas palette like the red damask wallpaper and green paint combo the McCallisters have going on in their upstairs hallway in “Home Alone.” But you can put poinsettias on all the tables in your house. Or just a couple of them. Trader Joe’s has a bunch of different sizes and colors. Point is, they add a bit of holiday flair to any spot you place them.

What are your favorite holiday movies? And have you ever stolen a holiday decorating idea from one of them?