Mercury glass Christmas décor adds vintage charm with a bit of bling to your event. It’s a growing trend in décor, but it’s not just for homes. You can deploy touches of Mercury glass throughout your holiday event to wow guests.
What Is Mercury Glass?
You probably recognize mercury glass when you see it, but what is it? Antique mercury glass is a double-walled glass construction. A silver liquid is poured into a hole to fill the thin area between the two walls to give the piece a silver burnish. It was originally envisioned as an alternative to sterling silver for families who couldn’t afford the real thing.
Today, you can find replica mercury glass in a variety of decoration forms, from Christmas ornaments to serving trays. Mercury glass is often silver, but you can also find decorations in multiple colors. The reflective finish may be flecked or aged so that it appears antique. Its shiny, metallic effect is part of what makes mercury glass so perfect for your Christmas decorating ideas.
What Pairs With Mercury Glass?
Many stunning textures, materials, and colors go well with mercury glass. When you're decorating with mercury glass for Christmas, you have an endless possibility of accents to use. Use mercury glass decorative balls or other features to create natural, whimsical, modern, or vintage Christmas décor. Because the material is versatile, you can put decorative mercury glass throughout an event space.
1. Mercury Glass Christmas Ornaments
Vintage-looking Christmas ornaments are often made of mercury glass, and they should be a part of your event decorating scheme. Mercury glass ornaments work for items other than just decorating a Christmas tree. Getting imaginative with the ornaments can result in some unique party décor ideas. Try some of these uses for mercury glass ornaments.
2. Monochromatic Christmas Tree
Stick to a single color for all your decorations to get an elegant tree. Turquoise mercury glass plastic ornament balls are perfect for a blue-themed tree. Silver ball ornaments paired with silver tinsel, bows, and other tree decorations also work well. For an equally classic look with different sizes, a gold theme with mercury glass ball ornament garland and mercury glass plastic ornament balls adds a sleek yet interesting look to a monochromatic Christmas tree.
3. Tabletop or Mantel Decoration
A thick pine garland works well as the base for a tabletop or mantel decoration. Strands of lights woven into the garland add extra sparkle, and battery-powered string lights are perfect for tabletop decorations. The display gets a vintage touch with the addition of assorted mercury glass ornaments. Red mercury glass plastic ornament balls add contrast to the green garland, which then works well with gold or silver accents. Position the decorated garland along the top of a mantel or the edge of a table.
4. Jar of Ornaments
Fill a large, clear glass vase with mercury glass ornaments. Restrict them to a single color or mix a variety of ornament colors. You can also tuck in sprigs of pine, holly berries, or other accents for an extra touch of Christmas class. A sleek, glass vase paired with mercury glass decorative balls creates a beautiful combination of vintage and modern décor. Use two or more vases and decorate the area around them with berry garland or string lights, making stylish Christmas décor for events during the holidays.
5. Place Cards
Mark each guest’s spot with a mercury glass ornament as a placeholder. Attach a ribbon to each ornament, with a name card tied onto the ribbon. The ornament also doubles as a party favor for the guests.
6. Hanging Ornaments
Suspend plastic mercury glass ornaments from the ceiling using Christmas ribbons. This decorating idea works well in a hallway or entryway. Fill the area with the dangling ornaments suspended at differing heights for added drama. You can also mix in hanging strands of lights, faux snowflakes, and other decorations to round out the hanging display. This also works as a backdrop against a wall. Set it up behind tables for fun Christmas décor for events.
7. Wall Garland
Group several mercury glass decorative balls together into a garland to decorate a wall behind a table or display area, or try this pre-made mercury glass ornament garland. When decorating with mercury glass for Christmas, the décor can range from minimal to extravagant. Mercury glass ornament garland can be a simple way to fill space on a blank wall or an all-out decoration for a feature wall or entryway. Use one strand of garland for a minimal design or cover a small wall completely for statement Christmas décor.
Mercury Glass Centerpiece Ideas
When you're decorating with mercury glass for Christmas, carry the decoration to your event tables for stunning centerpieces. Candles and lights reflect beautifully off the shininess of the mercury glass, giving a twinkling effect perfect for holiday decorations. Check out these mercury glass centerpiece ideas that are sure to dazzle as Christmas décor for events.
1. Tray Arrangement
Base your centerpiece on a mercury glass mirrored tray, which introduces a reflective quality for additional sparkle. Arrange a layer of pine or holly boughs on the tray, letting some of the mirror and mercury glass accents show. Add mercury glass ornaments or other holiday decorations on top.
While the tray will contain mercury glass decorative balls and other accents, it is still an essential part of the centerpiece. If you are content with the mercury glass ornaments already in the centerpiece, you could pick a different material for the tray. Your options are limitless when it comes to choosing a tray, and you could consider:
- A gold square or rectangle tray, which adds a modern touch.
- A mirrored tray for extra sparkle.
- An antique tray with handles for a vintage look.
- A tray with glass sides to show off the ornaments inside.
2. Floral Arrangements
For a simple, classic approach, fill a mercury glass vase with a selection of Christmas flowers. You can go with small, low arrangements or taller ones depending on what the rest of the table looks like. Again, you have plenty of options for mercury glass Christmas centerpiece ideas. A mercury glass trumpet vase is a sleek yet eye-catching choice, and a pedestal vase adds an antique flair to Christmas event décor.
3. Tree Arrangement
Anchor your centerpiece with many sizes of mercury glass Christmas trees. Using groupings of three trees pleases the eye. Add greenery, candles, lights, or other decorative elements around the base of the trees, or position them on a tray with faux snow covering them for a snowy tree scene. Create a monochromatic look with mercury ornament garland in the same color as the trees or add different colors for fun and festive flair.
4. Candlelight Arrangement
If you plan to feature votive candles in your centerpieces, display them in beautiful mercury glass candle holders for an intriguing candlelit display, and use the mirrored tray as the base, with a variety of mercury glass candle holders in different heights, shapes, and sizes.
Arrange the candle holders on top of the mirrored tray in a way that appeals to you. You can also incorporate some other elements, such as mercury glass containers or bottles, for an even more glistening look.
5. Pine-Filled Urn
Give a mercury glass centerpiece more height by starting with a tall mercury glass urn. Fill it with long pine boughs that stick up and retain their shape. Tuck in other accents like a red berry pick. For added greenery, choose a berry pick that features leaves. Get a glittered variety of berry picks for added shine.
Tips on Decorating With Mercury Glass for Christmas
It’s hard to go wrong with mercury glass. It’s a beautiful, versatile decoration that fits in well with holiday décor. Mercury glass naturally gives off a Christmas vibe because of the silver color and shine. If you want more advice on mercury glass, we’ve got you covered. Follow these mercury glass decorating tips:
- Mix and match: Part of the charm of mercury glass is you can mix and match the pieces. Experiment with pieces of assorted heights, shapes, and sizes to bump up the contrast in your decorations.
- Double up on dazzle: Maximize the natural shine of mercury glass items by pairing them with items that sparkle. Candles, lights, and mirrors work well.
- Balance it out: Contrast the shine of mercury glass decorative balls and elements with natural pieces. Green garland or faux berries play well with the vintage vibe.
- Make it a theme: Use mercury glass elements throughout an event space to create a cohesive theme. Mercury glass vases for centerpieces play with ornament place cards and wall decorations.
Mercury glass is an on-trend addition to your holiday décor, and it’s the perfect way to dial up the dazzle at the events you coordinate this holiday season.
