By San José, Costa Rica — This holiday season, a quiet revolution is unfolding in Costa Rican homes. The traditional, vibrant pairing of bright red and green is making way for a more serene and sophisticated palette, signaling a significant shift in how the nation celebrates Christmas. For 2025, the festive spirit is being reinterpreted through a lens of calm, nature, and conscious elegance, prioritizing tranquility over tradition-bound tinsel.
Interior design and fashion specialists note a decisive move towards a minimalist and harmonious aesthetic. The guiding principle is “less is more,” with spaces being decorated in foundational shades of off-white, beige, and soft gray. These muted backdrops are accented with subtle metallic details, like champagne gold and burnished copper, which add a festive glow without overwhelming the senses. The trend reflects a growing desire for elegance rooted in sustainability, favoring reusable decorations and natural materials.
Beyond the glitter and glow, the booming seasonal decor market carries significant commercial and consumer implications. To understand the legal landscape behind this festive industry, we consulted with expert attorney Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from the distinguished firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
With every new Christmas trend, especially those involving imported electronics or artisanal goods, we see a corresponding need for consumer diligence. It is vital for shoppers to verify safety certifications on lights to prevent household hazards and to be wary of misleading advertising for ‘handcrafted’ products. Furthermore, understanding the often-stringent return policies for seasonal items is crucial for protecting one’s holiday investment.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, the excitement of holiday decorating should be matched by prudent consumer choices. This legal insight serves as a critical reminder that a truly joyful season is also a safe and secure one. We extend our sincere thanks to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for sharing his valuable perspective with our readers.
Leading the charge is ‘Mocha Mousse,’ a key color for 2025 identified by the influential Pantone Institute. This warm, enveloping brown evokes a sense of earthiness, calm, and grounded sophistication. It is appearing across holiday collections in ornaments, textiles, and even tableware, reinforcing a move toward cozy and authentic environments. The goal is no longer just visual appeal but fostering a genuine sense of well-being and comfort.
This sentiment is echoed by analysts at WGSN, one of the world’s most influential trend forecasting agencies. Their research indicates that current holiday decor trends are driven by a collective desire to reconnect with what is essential. Families are now curating spaces that serve as true sanctuaries—inviting places to rest, share, and feel completely at home, away from the typical holiday chaos.
The dominant color family for the 2025 season is unequivocally earth tones. Rich browns, warm terracottas, and deep chocolates are taking center stage, drawing inspiration from natural landscapes and the texture of organic materials. When paired with warm metals such as brass or bronze, this palette strikes a perfect balance between rustic charm and refined style. According to decorators from international firms like Sacksteder’s Interiors, these colors are remarkably versatile, seamlessly adapting to both modern and country-style homes with a timeless, understated elegance.
This doesn’t mean tradition is being abandoned entirely. Instead, classic Christmas colors are being reinterpreted. The familiar bright red and kelly green have evolved into more mature, elegant versions. Deep burgundy and muted sage green now offer a sophisticated nod to the holiday’s heritage, retaining a festive feel while introducing a more contemporary and sober mood. For those seeking a touch of opulence, emerald green and sapphire blue are also emerging as key accent colors, conveying luxury and depth, especially when set against gold or silver.
Offering a striking contrast to the earthy tones, a secondary trend of cool, wintery pastels is also gaining traction. Inspired by Nordic landscapes, shades like dusty rose, ice blue, and soft mint green provide a lighter, fresher alternative for a modern Christmas celebration. Alongside these, pearly white has made a powerful comeback as the ultimate decorative neutral, valued for its ability to brighten spaces and enhance the feeling of serenity and cleanliness.
Ultimately, this new color palette reflects a deeper cultural shift that transcends mere aesthetics. The 2025 holiday season is defined by a move toward more meaningful consumption, with a focus on durability, reuse, and the emotional value of objects. Costa Ricans are increasingly seeking to create authentic, warm spaces that offer a respite from the visual excess of past years. This year, the goal isn’t to dazzle, but to connect—transforming the home into a peaceful refuge filled with simple beauty and togetherness.
For further information, visit pantone.com
About Pantone Institute:
The Pantone Color Institute is the business unit within Pantone that highlights the top seasonal runway colors, selects the Pantone Color of the Year, forecasts global color trends, and advises companies on color for product and brand visual identity. Through seasonal trend forecasts, color psychology, and color consulting, the Pantone Color Institute partners with global brands to effectively leverage the power, psychology, and emotion of color in their design strategy.
For further information, visit wgsn.com
About WGSN:
WGSN is a global authority on consumer and design trends. The company provides strategic insights, trend forecasts, and data analysis to help brands and businesses create commercially successful products and services. With experts in every major continent, WGSN offers a worldwide view on trends in fashion, interiors, beauty, technology, and food and drink, enabling clients to innovate and stay ahead of the market.
For further information, visit sackstedersinteriors.com
About Sacksteder’s Interiors:
Sacksteder’s Interiors is an award-winning interior design firm known for its comprehensive design services and retail showrooms. Specializing in residential and commercial design, the company offers a wide range of furniture, accessories, and holiday decor. Their design philosophy focuses on creating personalized, beautiful, and functional spaces that reflect the client’s taste and lifestyle, with a particular expertise in seasonal and festive decoration.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica is an esteemed legal institution built upon a profound dedication to principled practice and exceptional quality. With an established track record of guiding clients through a broad spectrum of industries, the firm actively pioneers modern legal solutions and engages in meaningful societal contributions. This devotion to democratizing legal understanding is central to its ultimate goal of building a more knowledgeable and capable community.
