How To Use Holiday Tartan In Your Christmas Decor: 10 Ways

Is there anything more festive than a Christmas tree covered in deep red and green tartan bows? Or a navy, green, and black tartan table cloth setting the stage for glittering set of cocktail glasses? Tartan is one of the most classic holiday prints. It feels historic and relevant all at once, and, from party decor to holiday interiors to clothing, it’s a go-to for introducing a cozy winter feel in November, then making the season feel merry and bright come December.

“Tartan can bridge the seasons and ground your space in something timeless and evocative. It’s layered with heritage, yet it doesn’t demand you understand its backstory to feel its pull,” says Katie Gutierrez, lead designer at Errez Design. “Use it sparingly for an understated touch of tradition. Go bold, and it can help set the stage for something more grand.”

Want to infuse a jolly tartan into your home? Here’s how to use tartan in your own Christmas decor and what you need to know about seven of the most popular holiday tartan prints .

How To Decorate For Christmas With Tartan

The beauty of decorating for the holidays with tartan is that it can carry you through the seasons. Depending on the colors, it can read as wintery rather than Christmas-specific, and you don’t need to rush to put it away come January 1.

Use A Wool Blanket As A Tablecloth

If you’ve ever stumbled across a fabulous Pendleton tartan wool blanket at an estate sale, don’t pass it up. Even if you don’t need another blanket, you might need a tablecloth. “I’ve been known to use a tartan wool blanket as a tablecloth for Christmas,” says Willow Wrigh, owner of Urban Redeux.

Keep A Tartan Blanket On The Porch

Add a touch of tartan to the porch with a wool blanket that lives there permanently. It’s the perfect indoor-outdoor cozy moment. Wright explains, “I always keep two tartan blankets on my front porch during the winter. On chilly mornings, bundling under one with coffee for some fresh air is a perfect way to spend a few minutes of the day.”

Create A Paper Chain Garland

Whether you’re crafty or you want to occupy the kids, a paper chain garland is a fun and nostalgic way to infuse tartan into your home. Molly Kunselman, founder of Molly Kunselman Design, says, “Make your own from sheets of plaid wrapping paper. Drape the garland across a wall, mantle, banister or around your tree. Or hang it from a chandelier!”

Cover The Coffee Table

Your dining table doesn’t need to be the only table that gets draped in fabric. “Cover your coffee table with a tartan tablecloth. Use one that is a few inches too long for a luxurious and festive look,” says Kunselman.

Add Accent Pillows

The easiest way to add tartan to your holiday decor is through accent pillows. You don’t even need to coordinate them—the mix of colors and patterns has a charming and collected Christmas look. Kunselman says, “Replace the toss pillows on your sofa, chair, or bed with tartan pillows. Plaid coordinates with most other patterns and the layering adds warmth.”

Replace Your Lamp Shades

“Temporarily replace shades on lamps and chandeliers with plaid fabric shades. Etsy is a great source for unique lampshades, or spend a little more for custom,” says Kunselman. Because this look is more unexpected and goes a step beyond adding in decorative items, it gives your holiday decor a sense of permanence and sophistication.

Wrap Up Boxes

Want to make your home feel like a festive Santa’s workshop and don’t want to spend a lot of money Find a tartan wrapping paper that you love, and go to town. Kunselman suggests, “Wrap everyday items like tissue boxes, pencils, and pillar candles with plaid wrapping paper.” Sprinkle them throughout your home for pops of tartan.

Choose A Tartan Tree Skirt

“As the air sharpens and winter calls for something more festive, lean into richer red, deep green, or even a classic Royal Stewart Tartan,” says Gutierrez. “A tartan tree skirt, for instance, does more than anchor your tree. It sets the tone for everything above it, pulling the space together like a great pair of shoes pulls an outfit together.”

Deck The Dining Room In Tartan

From tablecloths to napkins, the dining room is just the place to create an old world tartan holiday scene. Gutierrez explains, “Dining rooms—that’s where tartan truly sings. A table runner paired with simple, elegant settings feels intentional, not overdone.”

Add Tartan To The Bedroom

The bedroom doesn’t always get its fair share of holiday touches, but tartan is perfect for adding a cozy element. “Don’t overlook the bedroom. A tartan blanket folded at the foot of the bed doesn’t just look good—it invites you to sink into the season,” adds Gutierrez.

Seven Of The Most Popular Holiday Tartans

Most of the tartan prints we see today have roots in centuries-old Scottish clan patterns. Today, the tartans that are commercially used are often referred to as universal tartans, meaning that anyone can use or wear them. These are several of the most festive holiday tartans.

Royal Stewart Tartan

Royal Stewart is perhaps the most iconic tartan, and its red and green color palette is perfect for holiday decor. This was the official tartan of Queen Elizabeth II, and it’s often seen on anything from dinnerware to holiday bows.

Black Watch Tartan

Black Watch is a deep, masculine tartan that is lovely fall through winter in a library or family room. Picture it in a wood paneled space, surrounded by leather and wood. It was originally worn by Scottish soldiers, and it maintains that stately feel today.

Mackenzie Modern Tartan

Mackenzie Modern comes out of the Scottish highlands, and it’s a darker variation on red and green. Because it’s a more subtle holiday look, it’s perfect on a throw pillow that you plan on pulling out in November and keeping out into March.

Ramsay Red Tartan

The crisp red and black of Ramsay Red feels right at home next to any Santa Claus motif. It’s a rich, vibrant tartan that looks lovely on wrapping paper or interspersed with a smaller red and black buffalo check.

Dress Stewart Tartan

Red and green pop against a classic Dress Stewart tartan, which is a favorite for holiday table linens. Set a table with Dress Stewart napkins and a tablecloth, or mix it with other tartans for a delightfully collected look.

Flower of Scotland Tartan

The Flower of Scotland tartan is less distinctly holiday, which makes it the perfect choice for an all-winter-long tartan. The pop of red against the kelly green and navy feels festive and wintery, and it’s lovely on an accent pillow or throw.

Classic Scottish Tartan

A Classic Scottish tartan is just as classic as it sounds. With deep hunter green, vibrant holly red, and touches of yellow, white, blue, and black, it feels festive and merry. This is the ideal tartan for a tree skirt, a big bow on a wreath, or a tablecloth.