Christmas Crock Decor: 15 Farmhouse Ideas That Turn Grandma’s Old Crock Into a Showpiece

Christmas Crock Decor is the cozy farmhouse trend that starts with something you might already have sitting in the basement or at Grandma’s house. Those heavy old stoneware crocks were made for pickles and sauerkraut, but today they look gorgeous holding greenery, ornaments and tiny trees. You can often find one for a few dollars at a yard sale, a flea market or a thrift store, and even a chipped one has charm. Because old glazes can be unsafe for food, we keep every idea here as decor only. Below are 15 simple ideas, each with a short supply list and easy steps. Dust off that crock, grab some pine and let’s make it the star of the room..

Christmas Crock Decor That Makes Grandma’s Old Crock the Star

Christmas Crock Decor works because a crock is heavy, sturdy and already looks like it has a story. Set a small potted or faux tree right inside, and the crock becomes a pretty tree stand that never tips over. Pack the gaps with newspaper or a few bricks so the trunk stands straight, then cover the top with moss or a little burlap. Add red berries, tiny ornaments and a plaid bow, and a thrift store find suddenly looks like it came from a country store. Ready to see what else one old crock can do..

You will need: A large crock, a small potted or faux tree, newspaper or bricks for filler, moss or burlap, small ornaments, berry picks and plaid ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Wipe the crock clean and set it where it will stay. 2. Stand the tree inside and pack the gaps tight. 3. Cover the top, then decorate the tree and tie the bow on the front.

A Big Crock as a Christmas Tree Collar

One woman on Facebook paid three dollars for a ten gallon crock and dropped her Christmas tree right into it, and people loved it. A big crock makes a sturdy, old fashioned tree collar that hides the plastic stand completely. It works best with a faux tree or a small real tree in its own stand. Ask a helper to lift the tree in, then tuck a tree skirt or burlap inside the rim. The gray or cream stoneware against green branches looks like a vintage Christmas card. Would you try this in your living room?

You will need: A 10 to 20 gallon crock, a faux tree or a small tree in a stand, burlap or a small tree skirt and a helper.

How to make it: 1. Place the crock where the tree will go. 2. With a helper, lower the tree and stand into the crock. 3. Hide the stand with burlap and arrange gifts around the base.

Christmas Crock Decor With Pine and Birch Branches

Christmas Crock Decor can be as easy as a walk around your yard with a pair of pruners. Long pine and cedar branches make a full, fresh base, and a few white birch branches add height and a wintry look. Tuck in red winterberry or faux berry stems for a pop of color. A tall crock holds long stems without tipping, which makes it perfect for an entryway. Add a little water in a jar inside if you use fresh greens. Who else would love this by their front door?

You will need: A tall crock, fresh or faux pine and cedar, two or three birch branches, berry stems, pruners and a glass jar for water.

How to make it: 1. Set a jar of water inside the crock. 2. Add the longest branches first, then fill in with shorter greens. 3. Finish with berry stems around the front.

A Crock Full of Rolled Wrapping Paper

Wrapping paper rolls always end up rolling under the bed, so give them a pretty home instead. A deep crock holds a dozen rolls standing up, and the patterns peeking out look festive all on their own. Choose papers in one color family, like red, plaid and kraft, so the crock looks styled rather than messy. Keep ribbon spools, tape and tags in a little basket next to it and you have a wrapping station that is actually cute. Where would you set yours up?

You will need: A deep crock, wrapping paper rolls, ribbon spools, tape, tags and a small basket.

How to make it: 1. Pick 8 to 12 rolls in a matching color family. 2. Stand them in the crock with the tallest at the back. 3. Set ribbon and tags in a basket beside it.

Wooden Spoons and Greenery in a Kitchen Crock

The crock that holds your spoons all year can join the holiday fun in about two minutes. Tuck a few short sprigs of pine, eucalyptus and berries between the wooden spoons and whisks. Tie a thin striped ribbon around the middle and your counter suddenly looks like Grandma’s kitchen in December. If you have extra wooden spoons, add a couple of vintage ones with worn handles for even more charm. Swap the greens every week so they stay fresh. Is your spoon crock ready for Christmas?

You will need: A small crock, wooden spoons and whisks, short pine, eucalyptus and berry sprigs and thin ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Clean the crock and spoons. 2. Tuck the greenery sprigs between the handles. 3. Tie the ribbon around the middle with a small bow.

Christmas Crock Decor Filled With Big Ornaments

Christmas Crock Decor does not get much easier than this. Fill a wide crock with oversized ornaments and let them spill over the rim a little. Shatterproof ones are cheap, light and safe around kids and pets. Mix glossy, matte and glittered finishes in three or four colors so the pile has depth. If your crock is very deep, crumple newspaper in the bottom so you only need one layer of ornaments on top. Tuck a few pine sprigs around the edge to finish it. Which colors would you pick?

You will need: A wide crock, newspaper for filler, 15 to 25 large shatterproof ornaments and a few pine sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bottom of the crock with crumpled newspaper. 2. Pile the ornaments on top, largest first. 3. Tuck pine sprigs around the rim.

Front Porch Crock With Evergreens and Berries

Swap out your fall mums for a crock full of evergreens and your porch is ready for December. Stoneware is heavy, so it stays put on a windy day. Fill the crock halfway with soil or sand, then push in spruce, pine and cedar branches so they stand up full. Add red winterberry stems and a few pine cones for color and texture. Tie a big red velvet bow around the crock. If you get hard freezes, bring it in on the coldest nights so the crock does not crack. Ready to greet your guests in style?

You will need: A large crock, soil or sand, spruce, pine and cedar branches, winterberry stems, pine cones and red velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Fill the crock halfway with soil or sand. 2. Push in the tallest branches at the back, then fill the front. 3. Add berries and cones and tie the bow.

A Stenciled Star on a Plain Crock

Old crocks often had simple blue designs painted on the side, and you can copy that look in minutes. Cut a star from cardstock or freezer paper and tape it to a plain crock or a thrifted stoneware planter. Dab on navy or cobalt acrylic paint with a stencil brush, using very little paint so it stays crisp. Lift the stencil while it is wet and let it dry overnight. Fill it with pine and it looks like an antique find. What shape would you paint on yours?

You will need: A plain crock or stoneware planter, cardstock or freezer paper, a craft knife, painter’s tape, navy acrylic paint and a stencil brush.

How to make it: 1. Cut a star stencil and tape it to the crock. 2. Dab the paint on lightly, then lift the stencil. 3. Let it dry overnight before adding greenery.

Christmas Crock Decor That Glows With Fairy Lights

Christmas Crock Decor gets a soft evening glow with one string of battery fairy lights. Fill the crock with clear glass or plastic ornaments, then weave a copper wire light string between them. Hide the battery pack in the bottom of the crock so only the tiny lights show. Pick a set with a timer and it turns on by itself every evening. Battery lights stay cool, so they are much safer than candles on a busy sideboard. Where would a little glow look best in your home?

You will need: A crock, clear ornaments, a battery fairy light string with a timer and fresh batteries.

How to make it: 1. Set the battery pack in the bottom of the crock. 2. Layer ornaments while weaving the lights through. 3. Turn on the timer and adjust the wire so it glows evenly.

A Crock of Jingle Bells on Ribbon

A crock full of jingle bells looks sweet and makes a happy little sound every time you move it. Rustic brass and silver bells come in cheap bags at craft stores, and a quick tea stain on the ribbon makes them look vintage. Tie a few bells on long ribbons and let them spill over the rim, then pile loose bells in the middle. Kids love giving it a gentle shake as they walk by. It is a tiny project with a lot of charm. Would you put yours on a windowsill or the table?

You will need: A small crock, a bag of rustic jingle bells, striped ribbon and a few pine sprigs.

How to make it: 1. Tie 4 or 5 bells onto long pieces of ribbon. 2. Pile loose bells in the crock. 3. Lay the ribbon bells over the rim and tuck in the pine.

Christmas Crock Decor With Birch Logs

Christmas Crock Decor with birch logs gives you that cabin look without any fire at all. White birch logs stand up nicely in a tall crock and look bright against dark floors. Craft stores sell bundles of birch poles, or you can cut fallen branches into even lengths. Wrap a strand of evergreen garland around the crock and tie a plaid ribbon over it. This one is strictly for decorating, so keep it away from the fireplace. Doesn’t it look like a snowy cabin entry?

You will need: A tall crock, 6 to 10 white birch logs or poles, evergreen garland and plaid ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Stand the birch logs upright in the crock, tallest in the middle. 2. Wrap the garland around the outside. 3. Tie the plaid ribbon over the garland.

A Trio of Crocks on a Hutch

One crock is cute, but three crocks together look like a collection. Group them in small, medium and large sizes and in slightly different colors, like cream, gray and tan. Fill each one with something different so the eye moves across the display: pine in one, berries in another, a flocked tree in the third. The top of a hutch, a mantel or a deep windowsill all work well. Set the tallest in the middle or off to one side for balance. How many crocks are hiding in your house?

You will need: Three crocks in different sizes, pine branches, berry stems, a small flocked tree and a short garland.

How to make it: 1. Arrange the crocks from tallest to smallest. 2. Fill each with a different filler. 3. Drape a garland in front to tie them together.

Paperwhites Growing in a Crock

Paperwhite bulbs bloom indoors in about four to six weeks, which makes them a perfect December project. Fill a shallow crock with a few inches of pebbles, nestle the bulbs pointy side up and add water just to the base of the bulbs. Set it in a bright spot and watch the green shoots grow every day. When they get tall, tie them loosely with twine around a few birch twigs. Fresh white flowers in an old crock feel so peaceful after a busy day. Will you start yours this week?

You will need: A shallow crock, white pebbles, 6 to 10 paperwhite bulbs, water, jute twine and a few birch twigs.

How to make it: 1. Fill the crock with pebbles and set the bulbs on top. 2. Add water just to the bottom of the bulbs. 3. Keep it bright and tie the stems as they grow.

Christmas Crock Decor With a Mini Wreath

Christmas Crock Decor looks extra finished when the crock wears its own little wreath. Tie a long ribbon all the way around the crock and knot it in the front. Slip a small boxwood or faux wreath onto the knot so it hangs right in the middle, then finish with a bow on top. Mini wreaths cost just a few dollars, and you can make your own from boxwood clippings and a wire ring. Fill the crock with cedar to match. Wouldn’t this look sweet on a kitchen island?

You will need: A crock, a 6 to 8 inch boxwood or faux wreath, wide plaid ribbon and cedar branches.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the ribbon around the crock and knot it in front. 2. Slide the wreath onto the knot. 3. Tie a bow above it and fill the crock with cedar.

Make a Thrift Store Planter Look Like an Old Crock

Real antique crocks can cost a lot, so make a lookalike from a cheap thrift store planter. Paint the planter with two coats of cream chalk paint. Brush a little brown paint around the top rim, then rub dark wax over the whole thing and wipe most of it off so it looks aged. From across the room nobody will know it was a two dollar find. You can learn more about real stoneware, and see more farmhouse ideas in our galvanized Christmas decor gallery. Ready to fake your own?

You will need: A thrifted ceramic or terracotta planter, cream chalk paint, a little brown acrylic paint, dark wax, a brush and a soft cloth.

How to make it: 1. Paint the planter with two coats of cream chalk paint. 2. Paint a brown band around the rim. 3. Rub on dark wax, wipe it back and let it cure overnight.