I’m clueless when it comes to making a cocktail BUT I love to style a bar cart, especially for the holidays! There’s so many fun ways to add some festive touches to your bar set up quickly and easily. The key is layering items properly and balancing the visual weight on the cart. You can even set the scene around your cart with more holiday decor like little Christmas trees, twinkle lights, and a colorful rug. Below I’ve listed everything you need to deck out the most festive bar cart AND step by step instructions for styling it all like a pro! Cheers!

xoxo

Emily

what you need:

Bar Cart

Garland

Small Cutting Board or Tray

Festive Glassware

Small Bowl

Cocktail Ingredients (mixers, alcohol, garnishes of your choice)

Small Cake Stand / Tiered Tray

Oranges + Cranberries

Candy Canes

Pitcher/Vase with Holiday Greenery

Festive Cocktail Napkins

set the scene:

I started by draping my garland in front first! I used fresh pine garland across the front of the bar cart and then layered a fun tassel garland on top! This adds a festive touch to your bar cart that takes it from everyday to holiday ready.
Next, I placed my largest objects on the cart first- the pitcher of greenery off to the left side and the cake stand on the right side. Having something taller on each end balances out the visual weight. I added a few cocktail mixers on the cake stand and sprinkled some fruit in the front for a pop of color.
It also helps to layer items both on top of each other and in front of each other. I placed the striped cutting board front and center and layered a bowl of fruit, glass, and cocktail mixers on top. I also added a cocktail napkin below my glass and sprinkled some fruit around it too.
Finally I added the rest of the glasses behind the cutting board and front items. I used a couple of the extra glasses to hold my garnishes like candy canes and cranberries. I also layered a small framed photo in the very back for extra dimension.
If you want to take your cart up a notch, you can also add some fun Christmas decor beside and around it! A strand of twinkle lights, small Christmas tree, or festive rug are just a few ideas to add extra color and sparkle to your bar cart area!