Joanna Gaines just tapped into one of 2023's biggest Christmas trends – using this exact garland

Her mantelpiece exhibits a rustic twist on an emerging holiday decor trend – here's how to replicate the look

Joanna Gaines
(Image credit: Alamy)

Joanna Gaines has started decorating for the holidays, and in doing so, she's tapped into one of 2023's key Christmas trends (with a traditional Jo-Gaines twist, naturally). The trend, mantelscaping, draws from the same ideology of tablescaping – only this time, it involves decorating, you guessed it, our mantelplaces. 

'Move over tablescaping, mantelscaping – AKA styling your mantel in a captivating way – is the new trend taking over fireplaces this winter,' comments Etsy's trend forecaster Dayna Isom Johnson. 

As Joanna demonstrates, this year is all about the mantelpiece decor. She layers her mantel with this garland from her Magnolia X Hearth and Hand collection at Target and branches from her backyard. 

Joanna Gaines

(Image credit: @joannagaines)

As Dayna explains, mantelscaping is one of the biggest Christmas trends of the year, and with Joanna's approval, we can see why. 

'This trend allows shoppers to unleash their Christmas spirit and personal style in the heart of their home. Whether choosing to create a winter wonderland village using vintage putz houses, snow globes, and iridescent baubles or a forest scene featuring mini wooden trees, garlands, and seasonal florals – the options are endless,' Dayna explains. 

It may come as no surprise that Joanna has opted for a rustic twist on this contemporary design trend – pairing her Christmas garland with branches from her famous Waco yard. It's natural to want to follow in her lead, but this trend allows us to play with whatever theme best suits our homes. 

'Many shoppers are already planning their themes: we’ve seen an 86% increase in searches for candle lanterns*, a 67% increase in searches for ceramic trees, and a 52% increase in searches for accent ornaments on Etsy,' Dayna adds. 

Dayna Isom Johnson
Dayna Isom Johnson

Dayna Isom Johnson is Etsy's trend expert with over a decade of experience unearthing the latest and chicest styles. She is unwavering in her pursuit of new and unique finds and is passionate about helping shoppers find exceptional pieces that showcase their personal style.

Plus, even if we don't have a mantel, we can get the look by bringing a garland and other decorations to various flat surfaces around our living room. 'Shoppers can always improvise by using sideboards, TV stands, or shelving,' she says.

As a pro tip,  we should also be sure to mix up the height, shape, and textures of our various decorative elements to create a truly memorable Christmas setting. And, as Dayna suggests, it's also a beautiful opportunity to incorporate some sentimental pieces and family heirlooms that will make our space yet more personal. 


To further achieve the Joanna Gaines look this season, we're picking up some favorites from her brand Magnolia below. 

Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.