When you think of the holiday season, images of trees and mantels decked in red, white, gold, and silver likely come to mind—they’re the classic Christmas colors, after all. But if you’re looking for something a little more lively and fun this holiday season, then you should look toward candy-toned Christmas decor.

This fun and colorful trend took off this year, popping up on shelves everywhere. We spoke to experts to bring you everything you need to know about incorporating candy-toned Christmas decor into your home this holiday season—so get your sweet tooth ready.

What is Candy-Toned Christmas Decor?

Candy-toned Christmas decor doesn’t necessarily require candy-themed decorations to make the look (although they’re definitely not prohibited). Instead, this playful decor trend is all about the colors—think fruity, candy-inspired tones like aqua, light green, bubblegum pink, light purple, bright yellow, and more. 

Like many other interior decorating trends we’ve seen pop up over the past couple of years, candy-toned decor offers a bright and colorful alternative to traditional or minimalist Christmas decor.

“Candy-toned holiday decorations are a fun, lighthearted way to incorporate many of the season’s home trends, such as Barbiecore and dopamine decor, while throwing in a dash of retro nostalgia,” says Rachael Sheridan, interior designer with the Knoxville, Tennessee-based Kozar Design Team. “It’s whimsical, fun, and happy, which is perfect for the holiday season.”

Plus, the look is surprisingly easy to incorporate into any interior—regardless of the rest of your home’s style or color palette. Here are a few simple ways to try out the trend with your holiday decor this year.

Choose Colors That Match Your Favorite Decor

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closeup of mantel decorated with white Christmas stockings and pink poinsettias

Unless you’re committed to the candy-toned look for the long term, picking colors that pair well with the holiday decor you already own allows you to ease into this trend in a realistic (and more affordable) way. Heather Malachowski, a managing partner and interior designer at Missouri-based Decorating Den Interiors, suggests adding an extra splash of color to your decoration stash, or trying out the color-washed look in just one room of the home. 

“Don’t do away with any of your favorite things,” she says.

Go Across the Color Wheel

For a color pairing that looks totally on-brand for Christmas (even when you stray away from traditional colors), Sheridan recommends crossing the color wheel as an easy way to successfully pair hues. Just like red and green, countering colors like lime green and bubblegum pink, soft mint and peach, and even pastel purple and lemon yellow can create a fun, high-contrast twist on the traditional Christmas color palette.

And if you want to really lean into a traditional iteration of a candy wonderland aesthetic, Kozar recommends using white as an anchor. Then, add in plenty of stripe- and swirl-based patterns to really give an already Christmasy room a candy-like feeling.

Use Small Decorations to Your Advantage

Use decorations like ribbon, garlands, colored glassware, and ornaments to incorporate candy-toned decor into your home in a small way (that still makes a big statement). Think colorful ribbon and garland strands in the Christmas tree, colorful string lights instead of the classic white bulbs, a handful of especially bright ornaments, or some colorful, glittery picks (faux berries, fruit, or grasses, for example) to perch in your tree and garlands.

“Regardless of your direction, ribbon is the MVP of holiday decorating,” says Sheridan. “When applied at an angle or curled, you can give boxes, banisters, wreaths, and more the appearance of being wrapped like homemade sweets or the swirled candy themselves.”

Stick to One Christmas Theme Per Room

While it’s hard to go wrong with holiday decorations—it’s naturally a more-is-more season, after all—Sheridan says there’s one tip you should keep in mind to help create a cohesive and sophisticated holiday setup.

“Try to stick to one Christmas theme throughout open areas,” she says. “There’s a bit of a whiplash effect in a room that features both a maximalist candy wonderland on one side and a minimalist rustic retreat on the other, so try to avoid that.”