Spread Holiday Cheer With These Christmas Car Decorations This Year

With Christmas right around the corner, the thrill of decorating is almost upon us. For most people, this starts at home — you can attach lights to the exterior, add wreaths to your front door, and eventually set up the Christmas tree. Along with having tons of fun tech Christmas gifts in your stocking or under your tree, there are other ways to bring the vibe during the holiday season. You can even share the holiday cheer while you drive around town.

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It’s not always ideal to show off your home’s interior, or give clues about where you live — especially to strangers on the internet. But if you’ve put in all that time and effort, it can feel like a pity that most people won’t see your glorious decorations. Thankfully, the same doesn’t apply to your car, which is meant to be seen by other people. Whether it’s for your passengers, other drivers, pedestrians, or just for you, there’s no shortage of ways to decorate your vehicle, so everyone on the road can enjoy it with you. 

We’ve found great Christmas-themed decorations for both the inside and outside of your car. To know more about how we selected them, you can check the end of this article for our methodology. So, if you’re ready to share the holiday spirit, here are a few things you might want to add to your cart.

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Santa Claus isn’t the only one trying to deliver things on time, so why should he be the only one with a reindeer? For $15.99, you can buy a Momoni reindeer car kit that includes easy-to-install Rudolph-themed antlers, a red nose, and a tail. All you have to do is attach the nose to the front grille, tie the tail at the back, and roll your front windows down to attach the antlers. It’s got an average of 4.4 stars on Amazon from 2,800 drivers, but many do report one recurring issue: the antlers can fly off when someone opens the windows while driving. That said, if you don’t mind closed windows, several users have reported seeing people smile when they pass by.

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If you’re hoping for something with a little more sparkle, Ealebe offers a $26.99 reindeer-themed car decoration kit. While it costs more for the same number of accessories and is rated a little lower at 4 stars across over 400 reviews, it has three lighting modes that can last up to 72 hours. On the other hand, should you prefer your car to look like a clockwork toy, rather than a working animal, you can buy a 3D windup key for $16.99. While the windup key has an average rating of 4 stars from over 1,000 customers, it won’t actually power your car — but it does come in seven colors to better match your vehicle.

Air-vent clips are designed to hook up to any car’s air vent, and you can use them on one car or split them across several. Not only are they generally cheaper than a lot of other things on this list, they’re also small, which makes them easy to store and save for next year. If you find yourself meeting a friend without a gift on hand, you can even gift parts of a set to them. 

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Depending on your preferred aesthetic, there are tons of Christmas-themed car air-vent clips available. For example, Zostland has a cute set of five Christmas-themed vent clips that include Santa Claus, a Christmas tree, a snowman, and a reindeer. In general, their air vent clips have an average rating of 4.1 across 625 reviews. Previously, the set cost $9.99, but it’s currently on sale for $8.48, or around $1.75 each. 

If you prefer something with more function, though, you could buy the Bright Air gingerbread man air freshener for $14.99. Over 200 people given it an average of 4.4 stars, with one reviewer saying that it made their whole house smell like gingerbread. These are great if you want to add to both your car’s visual and olfactory vibe, and your home’s, too, if you decide to move it there afterward.

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Car stickers can add personality to your car on an ordinary day, and during the holidays, they can also add some festive flair. For example, you can buy Whaline’s reflective car magnet light decals, made of waterproof vinyl that can handle the winter weather. Because they come in a set of 49 (for $13.99), you can adjust how much of your car to decorate. If you think these are too much for one car, you can split these decals across other vehicles, as well as your windows at home. Over 1,000 Amazon reviewers have given it an average of 4 stars.

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If you want to make a statement with just a few stickers, Christmas-themed reflective decals from Bigtime Signs are bound to incite a chuckle or two. Depending on your preference, you can get six Christmas lights, a peeking reindeer, two elf feet, two reindeer, or two Santa Claus stickers for between $6.49 and $9.99. Over 4,000 people give them 4.5 stars, and like Whaline’s magnetic decals they’re easy to attach and remove, so you won’t damage your car’s finish and can reuse them again next year.

While Deckaly offers car-seat cover sets all year round, you can get the Christmas-themed seat protector set just for the holidays. At $64.99, it comes in a three-piece set for your two front seats and your back seat bench. But if you only want covers for your front seats, you can get the two-piece version of the set for $37.99. Apart from adding some extra Christmas energy, it also protects your seats from passengers’ sweat and moisture. Over 270 buyers have given their car seats (including non-Christmas sets) an average of 4.5 stars. 

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You can also snag Christmas-themed headrest covers, like these Yixin Santa hats, $13.99 for a four-piece set. In a pinch, you can pull one off and wear it to look more festive during a Christmas party. But if you’re on a budget and want an option you can use all year while still giving the holiday vibe, this buffalo plaid red-and-black checkered headrest cover is only $8.95 for a set of two. Or if you want to splurge, you can get this two-piece red rhinestone-covered headrest set for $19.99. It can help you keep your sparkle long after the holidays are over.

Who says spare tires can’t be cute? Foruidea offers a Christmas-themed car tire cover with an average of 4.1 stars from over 270 drivers. Designed to fit tires that run from 12 to 18 inches, it has a plaid print with a reindeer and text that reads “Merry Christmas,” and $19.99 to $24.99 depending on whether you need a hole for a backup camera.

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Alternatively, Cusditomsue offers customized spare tire covers for only $15.99 to $18.99, depending on size, so you can request exactly the design you want. With over 2,300 reviews that give it an average of 4.3 stars, it’s available in four tire sizes from 14 to 17 inches. It’s waterproof and has an adjustable nylon cord and buckle to give it a secure fit.

When buying tire covers, there are a few things to keep in mind. Because each car is different, it’s important to check if the tire cover is obstructing important parts of your vehicle. Some designs could impede the view of things like your brake lights or cameras that can lead to problems when parking or while driving. It’s also good to measure your tires before purchasing, so you don’t accidentally buy a cover that’s prone to falling or coming off, which could endanger other drivers. If your car has special requirements, consider the custom route.

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While some people follow the age-old tradition of putting wreaths on your front door, you can put one on your car’s front as well. Bbto offers a polyester Christmas wreath that comes with artificial berries and pine needles, as well as a large red bow and 16 white outdoor LED light bulbs, for $24.99. Its battery case is waterproof (battery not included) and it attaches to your car with suction cups and ties. It has an average rating of 4.2 stars from over 175 reviewers.

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If you’re in the mood for something extra, this Tactik Christmas car wreath has 20 LED lights you can plug into a standard 12-volt port and sells for $24.99. With an average rating of 4.4 stars across more than 1,000 reviews, it also uses suction cups and ties to cling to your car. And you’re bound to get some attention with the added sparkle from more LED lights.

Who says only trees get ornaments? You can also hang Christmas ornaments at your car’s rearview mirror, like the Made by Bunny Christmas sock with candy cane crocheted ornament. Priced at $15.99, these crocheted ornaments are part of a line that gets an average rating of 4.7 stars from over 150 reviewers. Or if you’re going for a more elegant, sparkly theme, you can opt for the TLitdr crystal sun-catcher ornament ($9.99) instead. While it comes in seven colors, the red or white versions have the most Christmas energy. It has an average of 4.7 stars from over 5,000 customers.

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Some reviewers mentioned that it can also be a pretty great gift. Speaking of which, if you’re still looking for gifts, we have a half-dozen virtual gift ideas that you might want to consider, like app memberships, celebrity mentions, or gift box subscriptions. 

One word of caution about rearview-mirror ornaments: they’re illegal in California, Illinois, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, and police there can give you a “fix-it” ticket. Police in other states also may pull you over if they think the ornament is obstructing your vision.  

There’s no reason you can’t have fun with your gearshift during the holiday either. For only $7.99, you can get a gearshift hoodie cover, which over 1,000 drivers have given a 4.5-star rating. Although it comes in several colors, the Christmas Red version — which looks a little like Santa’s white-and-red outfit — can both add some holiday vibes to your car and keep your hands from getting cold. Measuring 4.5 by 5.2 inches, this Christmas-themed cover is designed to fit shift knobs less than 2.2 inches wide.

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Once your car is all decked out, you can feel the holiday joy on your road trips, on the way to work, or on casual trips to meet loved ones. Not to mention, a gearshift hoodie is a pretty low-key option, since it isn’t visible from the outside and you can easily put it on and take it off. That said, it’s understandable if you prefer to keep your gearshift visible, especially if you’re still a new driver who needs to see the modes or your classic car already has a cool-looking gear shifter.

When choosing the items on this list, we considered a variety of factors, such as their price, quantity, and functionality. In addition, the recommendations have been vetted for those that have generally positive reviews, as well as no indication of causing danger to drivers, passengers, or other people on the road. And we’ve included a widely priced selection of options, ranging from $6.49 to $64.99, so you’ll have a lot of choices about what is a reasonable amount to spend on decorating your vehicle.

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Because Christmas is a seasonal event, some options on this list can work in your car’s interior during the rest of the year, too. Some, such as the headrest covers, are also multi-functional; you can use them outside your car as well.