A Farm Fresh Christmas Tree sign brings a warm, rustic farmhouse feel to holiday decorating. The simple silhouettes of spruce, pine, and fir trees nod to the tradition of cutting your own tree, while the weathered-board background adds texture and character to mantel displays and other seasonal vignettes.
Shop the look at local craft stores or online marketplaces—many makers sell sign patterns, stencil sets, or ready-made signs inspired by this classic farmhouse design.
Decorating the mantel is one of my favorite parts of the season, second only to trimming the tree. The mantel is the focal point of holiday décor in many homes: it’s where I layer meaningful pieces, seasonal accents, and unique finds so the whole room feels finished and festive.
I spend quiet evenings with a cup of tea, browsing Pinterest and design magazines, collecting ideas for the mantel each season. It’s a small ritual that helps me refine a theme and balance the items I already love with a few new pieces.
The “Farm Fresh Christmas Trees” sign has become a popular holiday motif, and variations of it appear everywhere. After a bit of sleuthing I discovered the original design was created by Katie at Modern Mountain Life. Once I found her work, I purchased the SVG file of the silhouette and used it to make my own sign. If you prefer not to make one yourself, many sellers also offer finished signs and stencils based on this design.
A little tip: I made my sign reversible so I could switch looks without storing multiple pieces. One side features the classic tree silhouettes on a distressed background, and the other side uses a different message and finish. Reversible décor is an easy way to get more mileage from one project.
I’ll also be sharing my approach to creating the faux shiplap background in a future post, and I have a separate tutorial for making a large wooden sign if you want a straightforward step-by-step guide. Whether you build from a simple board, layer painted slats, or apply a shiplap finish, a handmade sign is an affordable way to personalize your holiday display.
To keep the mantel from feeling cluttered, I left most of my usual galvanized baskets filled with lamb’s ear in place and kept the cotton stems from autumn. I added a few rustic pomegranate branches for color and texture. Small updates—like swapping in seasonal stems or switching a pillow—can refresh the mantel without overhauling the whole space.
I couldn’t resist adding a whimsical “Let’s Mistletoe” pillow to the mix. I try to limit new throw pillows to one per season so the look feels fresh but not overdone—one seasonal pillow goes a long way in updating a room.
The wooden nesting houses on the mantel are a simple neutral element that balances the stockings on the other side. Small architectural pieces like these add charm without competing with taller focal items.
Our living room tree is our family tree, filled with ornaments collected over the years. I love the memories each piece holds. I dress it with plaid navy ribbon and a few vintage-style accents, like wooden skis from a past Target run, and I still adore the ruffled burlap tree skirt I found a few seasons ago.
Small layers, meaningful ornaments, and a few well-chosen new pieces are all you need to create a cozy, cohesive holiday home. I’ll be sharing more rooms and decorating ideas over the coming weeks—stay tuned for more seasonal inspiration and DIY tips.