seasonal-color-palettes-and-style-tips-to-refresh-your-website-for-the-holidays

The end of the year is here, and with it comes a season of excitement and celebration! Whether you’re bundling up in cozy sweaters and snow boots or soaking up the sun in swimsuits, this time of year has something special for everyone. No matter where you are in the world, the final quarter brings festive holidays and celebrations to look forward to.

If you’re looking to capture the magic of the season on your website, try a pop of festive, holiday-inspired color or a cozy new theme. It’s the perfect way to welcome the season for you and your site visitors—whether they’re browsing for a holiday recipe, shopping for gifts, or exploring a guide to the best cross-country ski destinations.

Today we will show you how you can bring those festive feelings to your site with a few of our favorite color palettes and themes, along with where to find free illustrations and images to bring a refreshing seasonal touch to your site.

Festive color palettes

Here are four festive color palettes––ranging from bright and bold to chill and subtle––that will give your site some holiday spirit:

Joyful winter

This winter-inspired color palette features warm, inviting hues of soft coral and deep red, balanced by a neutral blush and grounded by cool teal and navy. Incorporating these colors into your WordPress site creates a cozy and joyful vibe.

a red and blue color palette with five different colored circles
Blush Ember
#E37C77
Crimson Hearth #B84138 Rose Mist
#DFC5C6
Teal Drift
#3D8391
Midnight Fjord
#1C4864
Blogorama theme

Winter frost

This winter color palette offers a harmonious blend of soft neutrals and cool blues, creating a warm and calm earthiness on your website. Perfect for a more sophisticated Hanukkah palette or a serene winter feel. 

a blue and grey color palette with five different colored circles
Frosted Silver
#DDDFDE
Cozy Taupe
#C1B4A8
Chestnut Glow
#A48E7F
Winter Night
#365A72
Icy Horizon
#6A91A9
Byrne theme

Classic gingerbread

This palette captures the essence of a cozy, rustic holiday with its warm earthy tones and timeless charm—perfect for creating a welcoming, homey Christmas atmosphere. It’s so inviting, that you can almost smell the gingerbread baking!

a green, red, brown, and orange color palette with five different colored circles
Deep Forest Green
#2E4D34
Warm Burlap
#A67B5B
Cranberry Red
#B22222
Creamy Beige
#F5F5DC
Burnt Orange
#D2691E
Marl theme

Jewel box winter

This palette is the jewel box of winter—perfect for those who prefer bold, vibrant colors in their branding and design. Its rich, saturated tones add a pop of color that stand out beautifully against classic autumn and winter hues. Best of all, it’s incredibly versatile, making it easy to expand and adapt throughout the year.

a yellow, purple, and green color palette with five different colored circles
Golden Spice
#E99739
Plum Wine
#693551
Harvest Olive
#686610
Forest Ember
#273223
Creamy Chai
#F8E1C8
a screenshot of a website for a jewelry company with a creamy chai background and purple accents
Aether theme

Updating your site colors

Use any of these palettes as a starting point for your site’s color refresh. To begin, take a look at your existing site and see if one of these palettes align well with your existing site branding. You can do this by swapping in just a color or two—you likely won’t use every color in the palette. 

After choosing a palette, consider updating product or lifestyle images to echo these colors. If you need help sourcing stock photos, we’ll dive into that below.

If you’re new to customizing your site’s look, don’t worry—the WordPress.com Editor makes it easy. You can set a custom palette, add custom colors, and apply updates across your site, covering all the consistent elements like text, headings, links, backgrounds, buttons, and more.

When you’re ready to start implementing your new color palette, this tutorial is the perfect guide to get you going: Custom Colors on WordPress.com.

Winter-inspired themes

If you’re looking for a bigger site refresh, changing not just your colors but your theme can instantly elevate the look and feel of your website in a more impactful way. Here are a few of our favorite themes that instantly bring the cozy-cottage charm to life: 

Cottage

an iPad, computer, and mobile view of the Cottage WordPress.com theme on a green background

Cottage is a beautifully-crafted theme that brings the charm of the countryside to your online space. Featuring a warm palette of earthy tones, subtle textured backgrounds, and timeless serif fonts, Cottage is all about rustic simplicity and warm natural elements. 

Nook

an iPad, computer, and mobile view of the Nook WordPress.com theme on a light blue background

Nook is a classic two-column blog theme with a sidebar. Its versatile, timeless design creates a warm, familiar feel, providing the perfect space for sharing your DIY projects, tasty recipes, and creative inspirations.

Dorna

an iPad, computer, and mobile view of the Dorna WordPress.com theme on a light grey background

Dorna is a clean, product-focused theme, and its warm, inviting design and simple layout make it ideal for online shops featuring cozy, modern homewares and furniture.

Resources for seasonal photography and illustrations

Photography and illustrations are fantastic ways to bring your new color palette and/or theme to life. If you’re not capturing photos yourself or just want a fresh look, Pexels, Unsplash, and Pixabay all offer a wide selection of free, high-quality photos and illustrations. Even better, Pexels is fully integrated into your WordPress.com media library, allowing you to easily add copyright-free images directly to your site.

Canva is an excellent tool for creating custom visuals, with easy-to-use templates for everything from banners to sidebar graphics. It’s a simple, freemium way to add that extra festive touch to your WordPress site.


As we start looking at the new year ahead, it’s the perfect time to refresh your website with a look and feel that captures the spirit of the season—whether it’s fall and winter in the northern hemisphere or spring and summer in the southern hemisphere.

So go ahead—dive into the season with a new look! Try out one of our free or premium themes, and let your creativity run wild.

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