Holiday Bar Cart Styling

Every year, I love decorating for the holidays, because it lifts my spirit in the winter - especially with the twinkling lights, the holiday music, and all the merriment. I have so much fun decorating for the holidays. This year holiday decor has been especially important to me. The year 2020 is very different for all of us. It seems to be the year where I am really in the need of all that spirit because...it’s been tough. We can't spend time with family, friends, or relatives like we are used to. We can't really go anywhere to enjoy all that the seasons have to offer.

Through home decor and decorating for the holidays, and being the enthusiast that I am, I can rekindle that spirit and keep the positive vibe alive here at home, all the while keeping my creative juices flowing. As we remain quarantined and can't have big gatherings this year, we can still celebrate in small measures. For us, it's with something sweet, something visually appealing, something with taste to enjoy in our day to day life.

Towards the end of the night, whether it's enjoying a warm cup of hot cocoa or snacking on a holiday confectionery, when we’re all into sweets, something simple yet functional works - adorned with tiny holiday details, bringing that holiday spirit. Here’s my dessert bar cart on wheels. I went with a simple dessert station setup or you can say... a seasoned snack station.  Although it is a bar cart, this one is obviously not set up for drinking purposes.

With my husband having a major sweet tooth, it’s pretty often that we have homemade dessert in the house on the most random days. So, if ever there is a situation where we do need to bake a dessert, my husband is always super enthusiastic about stepping up (Now, cooking meals is a different story).  So, it made sense for our home to have a dessert cart just for the holidays, and he made these seasonal rice crispy treats. 

Now let's dive into styling. How to style a holiday bar cart?

1. organize and group
2. create visual interest (texture/height/shapes)
3. add holiday details
4. bring in the snacks/dessert

I like to start with gathering sets of three... usually... to start. As I go on, I add pieces where I see fit. You can add a tray to group a set of identical items together. I used this tree bark server to organize and highlight my holiday bulb sipper cups I got from HomeGoods. I honestly thought of decorating my bar cart after I saw these. They’re so fun looking! (Here are some other cute options). I used a string to tie a jingle bell to each sipper, giving it more of a personality. What can I say, I’m extra ;) Talking about giving the bar cart some personality, this joyful and cute Llama musical snow globe adds mine :-)  It plays the festive music “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” Let's not forget the Christmas gnome to add that seasonal flair.  

You have seen me use books on various occasions to create dimension. Cake stands and serving platters of different size and style can do just the trick. I’m using a high (on sugar) cake stand, mini houses of varying size and color (it’s a set only for $5 from Target!) and Bottle Brush Mini Tree to add height and visual interest. ​

Bring seasonal snacks of your liking. My husband and I have been munching on these Butter Toffee Caramel popcorn every week (*Cry face*) Every time we seem to make a promise to ourselves to not restock, but every time it gets the best of us. Blame toffee (and quarantine) for the extra weight I'll be gaining this season! Remember that your cart or station will fill up very quickly if you aren't thoughtfully choosing pieces or eliminating choices. You don’t have to add all the holiday dessert items you can possibly find. Choose a few favorites and stick to them. If you must have more, then add another designated area to include more options, instead of cluttering the cart.

I love to add pine leaves here and there at home! There are various options in the stores as well for fresh florals and fresh greenery if you want to add them! If you are someone who feels safer with faux leaves, there are several options for that too. You can also add string lights and garlands. 

Now back to listening to my christmas music (playing all month long). Happy decorating!