Holiday Decorating When Selling Your Home: Does It Help or Hurt?

Selling a home during the holidays can feel a little tricky. On one hand, you want your space to feel warm, cozy, and festive. On the other hand, you do not want buyers to walk in and feel like they have entered Santa’s storage unit. So the big question is… does holiday decorating help sell a home, or can it actually hurt your chances?

The short answer: holiday decor can absolutely help your home shine—when it’s done with intention.

Here’s what really matters.

Holiday Decor Can Help… When It’s Light, Neutral, and Welcoming

Buyers shop with their senses. During the colder months, a home that feels warm, cheerful, and inviting creates an emotional connection right away. A simple wreath, soft lighting, a touch of greenery, and a neutral tree can make a space feel like a Hallmark moment (in a good way).

Holiday decor can also help highlight your home’s best features:

• A fireplace becomes even cozier with simple garland

• Large windows look beautiful with soft winter light

• A spacious living room feels warm with subtle seasonal touches

A little bit of seasonal charm can make a property feel lived-in, loved, and memorable.

Holiday Decor Hurts When It’s Too Much

Here is where sellers get into trouble: over-decorating.

Buyers are coming to look at your home, not your collection of snowmen from 1987. Too much decor can:

• Make rooms look smaller

• Distract from features buyers should notice

• Block walkways and natural light

• Create strong personal themes that aren’t universally appealing

You want festive, not cluttered. Cozy, not chaotic.

If the decor is the first thing someone comments on during a showing… it’s probably too much.

What About Religious Decor?

When selling, it’s always best to keep the home as neutral as possible.
A menorah, nativity, or other personal items are beautiful in daily life, but during showings, they can unintentionally make the home feel less inclusive to some buyers.

A safe approach:
Stick to winter greenery, warm lights, neutral ornaments, and seasonal decor.

Think “winter wonderland,” not “specific holiday celebration.”

Outdoor Decorations: Keep It Simple

Go easy outside. Blow-up characters, music, light shows, and inflatable Santas tend to distract and can make buyers wonder what the yard looks like without all the extras.

Simple is better:

• A wreath

• Soft white lights

• Potted winter greenery

Buyers need to see the home, not the Christmas extravaganza.

Does Holiday Decorating Affect the Sale Price?

Decor itself doesn't raise the value of a home, but the emotional connection it creates absolutely can influence buyer interest.

Homes that feel warm, clean, and inviting:

• Show better

• Photograph better

• Create stronger emotional appeal

• Encourage buyers to linger (which is always good)

Buyers who can see themselves living there are far more likely to write an offer.

The Bottom Line: Decor Helps When Done Thoughtfully

Selling during the holidays is a chance to make your home feel like the cozy, inviting space everyone wants this time of year. A few well-chosen pieces can create that emotional “ahhh” moment that buyers remember long after they leave.

Just keep the focus on the home — the space, the light, the layout — and let decor be the soft background that enhances, not overwhelms.