Christmas Tree Decoration Tips
Christmas is a magical time of the year, and it seems that the holiday spirit infects us all with festive anticipation. This is the time for family and friends to come together and share in good food and Christmas cheer.
The most obvious sign of the approaching holiday season is a tree in the middle of the house with Christmas gifts under it. Whether the tree is real or fake is not important. The importance lies in what that Christmas tree symbolizes to the people who surround it during the holidays. To make your tree even more magical, we’ve found some great tips on how to decorate a Christmas tree.
From Humble Beginnings
The humble Christmas tree has been gracing homes for hundreds of years and is believed to have started with a German preacher, Martin Luther, looking up through the trees on a starry winter night. He loved this visage so much that he brought a tree into his home. Early decorations included things like nuts, apples, and small gingerbread. Later, artisan glassmakers created the first of the reusable baubles that are so popular today.
1. Choosing the Right Tree
These days we are inundated with choices when it comes to Christmas trees. As we approach the holiday season, garden centers are a treasure trove of real trees. These evergreen conifers can range from spruce trees, fir, or pine trees. Choose the right size for the space you intend to place it in and try to find one that is thick and healthy-looking.
If you don’t like the idea of a real tree, and many people don’t, as the needles can be messy, artificial Christmas trees are an economical and environmentally sound alternative. Choosing the right one will depend on your budget, your personal preferences, and the amount of space you have for the tree.
Setting up your Christmas tree is easy. If you have chosen a real tree, you should look at Christmas tree stands or skirts to hide the bottom of the tree. Artificial trees come with their own stands, so you may want to add a tree skirt or decorative fabric to cover the base.
2. Decide on a Theme or Color Scheme
Many of us have boxes full of decorations, and we tend to throw everything we have on the tree. If this works for you, that’s great, but to have a stunningly decorated Christmas tree, it’s better to have some type of order and theme. Choosing a color scheme is easy. Decide on a focal color and perhaps add one or two additional colors to complement the first one.
If you’re aiming for a particular theme, stick to just one. You may decide on a Santa’s Workshop theme with tiny toys and candy canes, or go for something elegant or vintage. If you want to be really creative, consider a candy store theme and tie on various wrapped candies alongside bright and shiny baubles. There are hundreds of different themes and color palettes to choose from, so get your creative juices flowing.
3. Start With the Lights
Most Christmas tree lights are held together in strands. These strands are usually white or green. Play it safe and choose the lights with green strands as these will blend in better with the tree’s needles making them less obvious.
Start by wrapping your strands of lights from the bottom of the truck and work your way up. Wind the strands around some of the more prominent branches for dramatic effect.
4. Wrap the Garland
Those spaghetti-like strands of tinsel used to be popular, but today, the trend is towards tasteful garlands. Some people like to add the garland last, but you will inevitably cover up many of the decorations in so doing. Start by wrapping the garland at the top of the tree and work your way down. You can stick with one type of garland, but for a striking look, use different types of garland such as ribbons, beads, or a special themed garland.
5. Group Your Decorations
Before you start randomly adding Christmas tree decorations to your tree, sort your various decorations and baubles into groups according to their size. Start by placing the largest decorations on the tree first. These large decorations will be the most noticeable so place them around the tree, trying to keep them an even distance apart from each other. Then go for the next size down and so on until all the spaces on your tree have been filled.
The Pièce de Résistance
Take a step back and admire your Christmas tree decorating skills. If you’re happy with your results, it’s time for the enchanting moment — adorning the top of your tree. There are dozens of different Christmas tree toppers you can choose from, with stars and angels being among the most popular. Choose one that makes a statement but is proportionally sized to suit the size of your tree.
Enjoy your handy work, and Happy Holidays!
Sources:
- 11 Secrets to Decorating Your Christmas Tree Like a Professional – House Beautiful
- How to Professionally Decorate a Christmas Tree – Designer’s Step-by-Step Directions – Worthing Court
- The History of Christmas Trees – Why Christmas
