My husband’s family has a tradition of heading to the mountains every year after Thanksgiving to cut a fresh Christmas tree. When we got married, we joined in and scaled the mountaintops, searching for our own perfect tree. We’ve done this for 11 years, and every year when we bring it home to put up, we find ourselves with a little more tree than we thought we had. (They definitely look smaller in the forest than in the living room!). I’ve been searching for ways to decorate with the extra pine boughs for the past several years. Of course, spreading them out over the mantel is an obvious solution. It always looks festive and nice. But I wanted to find other places that pine boughs can work. Here are five festive options I found:

Bathroom.

The bathroom is an often overlooked space when it comes to decking our halls. Perhaps this is why I loved this idea so much. Framing an unexpected piece, such as a countertop sink, carries the holidays into every nook and cranny. I especially find this use of greenery effective here, where the walls are red. What a lovely, simple arrangement.

Outside Porch.

Draped from a porch ceiling and strung with lights, these larger pine boughs help to turn the entry of this house into a welcoming evergreen wonderland. They serve as a nice balance to the door-flanking front porch décor, too. I love how this space has greenery at every horizontal level (floor, eye, and ceiling), making it so cozy and inviting.

Window Boxes.

If you’re lucky enough to have window boxes, there is a big chance they’re sitting barren this season. What a fun idea to let natural decorating elements be in, well, their natural element. Pine boughs (and pine cones) adorn window boxes here, peppered with festive touches of red. This is an easy way to dress up the outside of your house and can sensibly last the entire winter.

Framing Windows.

Inside or out, pine boughs used to frame windows is a sure-fire hit, as a natural transition from the outdoors to inside. Particularly these arched windows, since real pine boughs have a natural arch to them (and fake ones can be formed to fit). The pine boughs here are a perfect window treatment, emphasizing each window separately but also collectively forming the magic of Christmastime.

Single Bough.

Maybe you don’t have access to a multiplicity of pine boughs. Don’t worry, even a single sprig of evergreen can pack a punch. Paired simply and endearingly with the timeless red-and-white candy cane stripe, this bough boasts a huge pop of Christmas cheer. (I personally love how it’s slightly askew. Very charming all-around.)

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.