17 Tiered Tray Ideas for St. Patrick's Day

Did I mention how much I’ve been loving my tiered trays lately? They’re the perfect investment of time and energy to bring a little seasonal cheer to our home without having to go overboard and rearrange the house every few weeks. I think this is especially true for the mini-holidays, like St. Patrick’s Day, so today I’m sharing my own tiered tray, as well as a collection of gorgeous trays to inspire you!

Now, when I say “mini-holiday”, don’t get me wrong–we love St. Patrick’s Day! Several of my family members have spent time tracing our family’s origins, and although I married into French heritage, my own roots are in the British Isles.

But we don’t tend to decorate for these types of holidays the same way we do for, say, Christmas. That makes a themed tiered tray the perfect bit of joyful decor to celebrate the occasion.

St. Patrick's Day Tiered Tray Decorating | French Creek Farmhouse

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, and I have received no compensation for sharing anything that follows. Some links within this blog may be affiliate links, and I might earn a commission if you make a purchase through that link. This usually amounts to cents, not dollars, and helps to support the projects featured on this blog. I only recommend products from companies that I have found to be trustworthy. Read my full disclosure here.

If you’re new to tiered trays and wondering what in the world this craze is all about, lend me your ear, my friend! A number of years ago, tiered trays were mainly used to serve hor d’oeuvres or cupcakes. The more tiers (i.e. the taller the tray), the more you could serve while sparing counter space.

{Related: How to Style a Tiered Tray}

Then, someone got the ingenious idea that you could curate a collection of smaller decor items using a theme, like a season or holiday, and it looked pretty darn cute stuffed into those trays. Honestly, I believe that tiered trays are what happens when Pinterest and Instagram make a baby!

At this point, I’ve collected a few varieties of trays as my obsession in tray decorating has grown. This one is very similar to the one I used in this design. If you don’t have your own tray yet, be sure to check out this post where I shared sources for several more of my favorites!

For my St. Patrick’s Day tiered tray, I decided to decorate it in such a way that it would easily transition right into spring. I’ve never been a fan of really bold seasonal decor, and I always prefer more subtle touches, so I intentionally chose items that already fit within the the decor of our home.

The focal point for this tray were my ticking strip shamrocks. While there’s plenty of green tucked into my tray, the shamrocks are the only truly St. Patty’s Day specific decor, so I’ll be able to remove them and keep this tray going for spring. Maybe I’ll substitute in a couple of bunnies for Easter!

To make sure my tray had a spring farmhouse vibe, I included one of my favorite little sheep. His face just always makes me smile! If you’re looking for your own sheep-themed decor, I linked a few sources in this post that are great for tiered trays.

Then, because I think it’s important that your tiered tray reflects your interests, I tucked in some vintage finds–chippy spindles, vintage glass bottles, a silverplate trophy cup, and a small ironstone creamer.

Of course, no tiered tray is complete without floral touches, and since we’re coming into spring, I just had to use a bundle of tulips. I also tucked a couple of faux baby ferns in terracotta pots for a gardening vibe. I’m a bit of a faux plant snob, and I only pick ones that look especially real…these definitely fit the bill! (These ones are similar.)

I also created a little succulent arrangement in a vintage milk glass pedestal bowl. This might be my favorite touch in this entire tray!

I’ve said it before, but truly, I am loving decorating my trays right now. With everything we’ve gone through, health-wise, big projects are still out of my reach right now. But trays are something I can do that don’t use up a ton of my energy, and I still get to play with my creativity.

{Related: Our Covid Anniversary}

Plus, we get to look at something pretty that changes regularly, and I think that brings fresh energy into our home.

There’s a lot to be said for using your creativity and the benefits on your well-being. For anyone who might be dealing with chronic health issues, or just looking for a creative outlet that doesn’t take up too much time, I would definitely recommend trying your hand at tray decorating!

To give you a bit of inspiration for styling your own tiered tray for St. Patrick’s Day, take a look at some of my favorites below. I’ve also rounded up a collection of my favorite St. Patrick’s Day themed decor items that are perfect for a themed tiered tray!

If you’re loving tray decorating as much as I am, you might also like my Tiered Tray Pinterest Board where I save new ideas every week. And if you’re planning to create your own tiered tray design for any time of the year, be sure to read this post where I give you step-by-step details and loads of sources for everything you need to get started!

Now, onto the inspiration…