A small chalkboard is one of the few holiday decorations you can change every week. It can say Merry & Bright on December 1, point to the cocoa during a party, and warn everyone to stay out of the bedroom while you wrap. The tricky parts are choosing the board and choosing what to write on it with.

What’s in this post

  • Pick the board first
  • A double-sided board with a stand
  • A separate easel blackboard
  • Liquid chalk markers, with care
  • Phrases that read from across the room
  • A ready-made sign instead

Pick the board first

Decide where the board will stand and how far away people will read it. A board on a shelf or counter only needs a few words. You don’t need every board and every marker in this post. One board and the writing tool its maker recommends is a complete setup. Regular stick chalk is the safe default for any chalkboard unless the manufacturer says a marker is fine.

A double-sided board with a stand

If you like to switch between styles, the double-sided felt letter and chalkboard sign with stand (on Amazon) has a white wood frame, a felt letter board on one side and an erasable chalkboard on the reverse. It’s 10 by 10 inches, so it suits a bookshelf or bar cart. Markers are included; follow the maker’s instructions for them. The felt side is handy for weeks when you want crisp, even letters without handwriting.

A separate easel blackboard

For a more classic look, the Chalkboards UK tabletop easel and blackboard in dark oak (on Amazon) pairs an MDF chalkboard with a pine easel stained dark oak. The maker designed it for stick chalk or wet-wipe liquid chalk pens. It’s an imported listing, so check the arrival date before planning around it.

Liquid chalk markers, with care

Liquid chalk markers make bolder, brighter letters than stick chalk, but they don’t suit every surface. The Reaeon liquid chalk markers (on Amazon) are water-based, come in a set of 8 with reversible tips, and are meant for non-porous surfaces only, such as glass and mirrors. The maker says not to use them on chalkboard paint or porous boards.

Don’t assume they’ll wipe off either board above. Check what each board’s maker allows, then patch-test in a corner first. Let the test dry and try to wipe it away before you write a whole message. If the board says chalk only, use chalk.

Phrases that read from across the room

Short wins. Three to five words is plenty for a small board:

  • Merry & Bright
  • Cocoa This Way
  • Be Right Back, Wrapping
  • Days Until Christmas, with a number you update
  • Cookies Are Fair Game

Leave whitespace around the words, and make the main word larger than the rest. Write it, step back to the far side of the room, and check whether you can still read it. If not, cut a word rather than shrinking the letters. A small drawing, such as a star or a sprig of holly, is enough decoration.

For where to put the board, a console or entry table works well. The console table decor guide covers placement around it.

A ready-made sign instead

If you’d rather not letter anything, a finished sign does the job. The Simply Said Perfect Pallet Petites Merry Christmas holly sign (on Amazon) is real wood, freestanding and reads Merry Christmas with a holly wreath design. It’s 6 by 6 by 1 inches. It is not a chalkboard, so the words stay the same all season. It’s a good choice for someone who wants the look without the weekly rewrite.