Christmas Cake Stand Decor: 16 Thrift Store Displays That Look Like a Bakery Window
Christmas Cake Stand Decor is the cheapest way to make your kitchen look like a fancy bakery window this year. A cake stand lifts anything you put on it. A few bottle brush trees turn into a snowy forest. A bowl of old ornaments starts to look like a shop display. Best of all, thrift stores sell glass and milk glass stands for a few dollars every week. In this list you will find a mini village, an ornament tower, a gingerbread house on a pedestal, a cookie swap table, a tiny advent stand and even a pretty bathroom tray. Each idea has a short supply list and three easy steps. Grab one stand or five and start styling tonight..
Christmas Cake Stand Decor Starts With a Snowy Mini Forest
Picture a tiny snowy forest standing tall on your kitchen island. That one stand makes your kitchen feel like a holiday bakery. This is the easiest display on the list and the one guests notice first. Pick trees in three heights and cluster them close, like a real grove. A few red ornaments tucked in the snow add the pop. If you love these little trees, our bottle brush tree ideas show even more ways to use them. Set a second stand of cookies beside it and swipe on for more..
You will need: a white pedestal cake stand, 7 to 9 bottle brush trees in mixed sizes, a bag of faux snow, small red glass ornaments and a short piece of pine garland.
How to make it: 1. Pour a thin layer of faux snow over the stand. 2. Set the tallest trees in the back and the small ones in front, close together. 3. Tuck red ornaments between the trees and lay pine garland around the base.
A Milk Glass Stand With a Tiny Paper Village
Milk glass stands turn up in almost every thrift store, and this Christmas Cake Stand Decor idea shows why they look so sweet with a little village on top. Cut simple house shapes from white card stock, fold them and add glitter to the roofs. Place them on a bed of faux snow with a few mini trees between. Battery tea lights inside the houses give a soft glow at night. Want more tiny towns? Our handmade Christmas village has plenty of house ideas.
You will need: a milk glass cake stand, white card stock, a house template, craft glue, fine white glitter, faux snow, 4 mini bottle brush trees and battery tea lights.
How to make it: 1. Print and cut the house shapes, then fold and glue the walls and roofs. 2. Brush glue on the roofs and sprinkle glitter. 3. Arrange the houses on a layer of snow with trees in between and slip a battery light inside each one.
Christmas Cake Stand Decor as a Tiered Ornament Tower
Stack three thrifted glass stands and you get a tower that looks like it came from a department store window. The trick is to go from big to small. A simple cake stand has been used to raise food for parties for a very long time, so it is made to hold weight. Fill each tier with ornaments and cedar sprigs. If you like this look, our tiered tray Christmas decor has more layered setups.
You will need: 3 glass cake stands in large, medium and small sizes, clear museum putty, about 30 shatterproof ornaments in red, green, gold and silver, and fresh cedar sprigs.
How to make it: 1. Press a small ball of museum putty on the top of each stand base so the next stand will not slide. 2. Stack the stands from largest to smallest. 3. Pile ornaments on each tier and tuck cedar sprigs around the edges.
A Mini Wreath Around a Glass Jar
This one takes about five minutes and is the simplest Christmas Cake Stand Decor of all. Set a small glass jar in the middle of a cake stand, fill it with red ornaments and ring it with a little wreath. The stand lifts it just enough to look like a real centerpiece. Boxwood looks fresh for weeks, but a faux one works too. You can see more fun shapes in our ornament wreath ideas. Use a battery light inside the jar if you want a glow, never a real flame.
You will need: a white cake stand, a small round glass jar or hurricane, red ornaments, a 10 inch boxwood wreath and a few red berry picks.
How to make it: 1. Set the jar in the center of the stand. 2. Fill it with red ornaments to the top. 3. Lay the wreath around the jar and tuck berry picks into the boxwood.
Christmas Cake Stand Decor With a Gingerbread House
A gingerbread house looks twice as grand when you raise it on a tall stand. It moves from the kitchen table to the star of the counter. Build it from a kit or from scratch, then let it dry overnight before you move it. Add faux snow and tiny trees around it so it looks like a snowy hill. Our gingerbread house ideas have lots of fun roof and trim looks to try.
You will need: a tall white cake stand, a finished gingerbread house, royal icing, faux snow, 4 mini bottle brush trees and a cake board or stiff card the size of the house.
How to make it: 1. Glue the house to a cake board with royal icing and let it dry overnight. 2. Set the board on the stand. 3. Spread faux snow around it and add the trees at the corners.
A Bowl of Vintage Ornaments on a Silver Stand
Grandma’s old ornaments deserve a spot in your Christmas Cake Stand Decor, right where people can see them up close. Put them in a shallow glass bowl and set it on a silver stand. Suddenly the faded colors look rich and soft. Mix pastels with deep jewel tones for an old shop feel. Our vintage Christmas ornaments story tells you how to spot the good ones at sales. Keep fragile glass away from the edge of the counter.
You will need: a silver or metal cake stand, a wide shallow glass bowl, 20 to 25 vintage glass ornaments and a few pine sprigs.
How to make it: 1. Set the bowl on the stand and check it sits flat. 2. Add the biggest ornaments first, then fill gaps with the small ones. 3. Lay pine sprigs around the base of the stand.
A Cookie Swap Table on Three Stands
Hosting a cookie swap? Christmas Cake Stand Decor on three heights makes the table look like a bakery case. Put the tallest stand in the middle and the shorter ones on each side. Keep kraft bags and twine close so guests can pack their cookies. Need a new cookie shape idea? Our cookie cutter crafts also give you cute ways to use the cutters after the baking is done.
You will need: 3 white cake stands in different heights, a stack of books or a box for extra lift, kraft paper treat bags, red and white baker’s twine and blank tags.
How to make it: 1. Set the tallest stand in the center and the other two on each side. 2. Pile one kind of cookie on each stand. 3. Line up bags, twine and tags at the end of the table.
Christmas Cake Stand Decor With Snow and Pine Cones
Not every display needs glass. A wooden stand with snow and pine cones feels cozy and woodsy. Collect cones on a walk, bake them on a foil lined sheet at low heat to dry them, then let them cool. Add frosted pine and a wood bead garland. For more snowy looks, our faux snow decor ideas will give you plenty of fresh ideas.
You will need: a wooden cake stand, 8 to 10 pine cones, faux snow, frosted pine picks, red berry picks and a wood bead garland.
How to make it: 1. Dry the pine cones in the oven at 200 F for 30 minutes with an adult watching, then cool. 2. Cover the stand with snow and pile the cones in the middle. 3. Tuck in pine and berry picks and drape the bead garland around the edge.
A Tiny Advent Stand of 24 Wrapped Boxes
Kids love this Christmas Cake Stand Decor idea. Wrap 24 tiny boxes, fill each with a treat or a note, and stack them into a little pyramid on a stand. Each morning they take one box from the top. It looks like a pretty gift display all month long. Our DIY advent calendars have more countdown ideas if you want a second one for the living room.
You will need: a white cake stand, 24 small boxes, wrapping paper in red, green, kraft and white, tape, baker’s twine and small treats or notes.
How to make it: 1. Fill each box with a treat and number the bottom in pencil. 2. Wrap the boxes and tie each with twine. 3. Stack them in a pyramid on the stand with number 24 on the bottom.
A Teacup Garden on a Glass Stand
A single teacup on a small stand is Christmas Cake Stand Decor that feels like grandma’s kitchen at Christmas. Fill the cup with fresh greenery, red berries and a few white flowers. Set it near your stack of dessert plates so it greets guests at the buffet. Mix and match cups you find at the thrift store. For more ideas in this sweet style, see our grandma kitchen decor.
You will need: a small glass cake stand, a floral teacup and saucer, a small piece of floral foam, cedar or boxwood sprigs, red berry picks and white wax flowers.
How to make it: 1. Cut floral foam to fit inside the cup and soak it in water. 2. Push greenery in first, then the berries and flowers. 3. Set the cup on its saucer in the middle of the stand.
Christmas Cake Stand Decor From a Log Slice
You can make a stand from a wood slice and a candlestick for just a few dollars. The rings on the wood look so pretty under red ornaments. Sand the top smooth and seal it if you plan to use it for food. Ask an adult to help with the strong glue. Our wood slice crafts will show you more things to make with any extra slices.
You will need: a 10 inch wood slice, a wooden candlestick, white paint, sandpaper, strong wood glue or epoxy, clear food safe sealer and a few ornaments.
How to make it: 1. Sand the wood slice and paint the candlestick white. 2. Glue the candlestick to the center of the slice bottom and let it cure for 24 hours. 3. Seal the top, let it dry, then style it with ornaments and pine.
A Thrift Glass Stand Painted Christmas Red
Plain clear glass stands are everywhere at the thrift store, and they make great Christmas Cake Stand Decor. Paint the underside red and it looks like expensive colored glass. Paint only the bottom, so food never touches the paint. Fill the top with peppermints and a few silver ornaments. Our thrifted glassware ideas share more ways to turn old glass into something special.
You will need: a clear glass cake stand, glass paint or enamel spray paint in red, painter’s tape, rubbing alcohol, peppermint candies and silver ornaments.
How to make it: 1. Clean the stand with rubbing alcohol and tape off the top surface. 2. Spray two light coats of red on the underside and base outdoors. 3. Let it cure for a day, then fill the top with peppermints.
A Little Red Sleigh on a Stand
A small red sleigh on a cake stand looks like a scene from an old Christmas card. Fill it with tiny wrapped boxes and pine. The stand gives it just enough height to show off on a mantel or shelf. Look for wooden sleighs at yard sales or paint a plain one red. Our Santa sleigh decor gallery has bigger sleigh ideas for the porch too.
You will need: a white cake stand, a small wooden sleigh, red acrylic paint, 5 or 6 tiny wrapped boxes, pine sprigs and a short piece of greenery garland.
How to make it: 1. Paint the sleigh red if needed and let it dry. 2. Fill it with tiny gifts and pine sprigs. 3. Set it on the stand and lay garland around the base.
Christmas Cake Stand Decor for a Hot Cocoa Bar
Toppings look so much better when they sit up high. Put three small jars on a cake stand and the hot cocoa bar suddenly looks like a cafe counter. Fill them with mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint and chocolate chips. Add mugs and a jar of candy canes beside it. Our hot cocoa bar ideas will help you set up the rest of the station.
You will need: a tall white cake stand, 3 small glass jars with lids, mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint, chocolate chips, red and white mugs and candy canes.
How to make it: 1. Fill each jar with one topping. 2. Set the jars on the stand in a row or a triangle. 3. Line mugs and a jar of candy canes on the counter next to it.
A Dough Bowl and Cake Stand Duo
Pair a long dough bowl with a tall stand and your Christmas Cake Stand Decor gets the high and low look that decorators love. The bowl holds cones and ornaments. The stand lifts a little flocked tree. Keep the colors the same so the two pieces feel like a set. For more ways to fill the bowl, see our dough bowl Christmas decor.
You will need: a long wooden dough bowl, a white cake stand, a small flocked tree, pine cones, red ornaments and fresh greenery.
How to make it: 1. Fill the dough bowl with greenery, then add cones and ornaments on top. 2. Set the flocked tree on the cake stand. 3. Place the stand at one end of the bowl so the heights look balanced.
A Pretty Bathroom Tray With a Mini Tree
Guests will smile when they see this Christmas Cake Stand Decor in the powder room. Roll a few striped hand towels, set them on a small stand and add a mini tree. A plain pump bottle of soap finishes the look. It keeps the counter tidy and looks like a nice hotel. Our Christmas bathroom decor ideas can help you dress up the rest of the room.
You will need: a small white cake stand, 3 or 4 red and white striped hand towels, a mini bottle brush tree, a plain pump soap bottle and a sprig of greenery.
How to make it: 1. Roll each towel tightly from the short side. 2. Stack the rolls on the stand in a small pyramid. 3. Add the tree and soap bottle at the side with a sprig of greenery.
