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Tips for Decorating Your Christmas Tree

Tips for Decorating Your Christmas Tree

Posted By: I Love Christmas! Times Read: 1043


10 Tips for a Well-Decorated Christmas Tree

There is a trick (or two) of the trade in decorating Christmas trees and Midwest of Cannon Falls, a leader in the giftware industry, is willing to share some of their top secrets with you. I've adapted this article from their tips and my own experience with decorating a real and artificial Christmas trees.

1. Selecting a Tree: Remember your tree will have a visual impact and be the focal point of your room throughout the holiday season. The size of your tree will partially be determined by how much space you have, but also keep in mind these factors to enhance showing off your ornament collection. Leave 1 ft -18" at the top of your tree for visual space and decorating the topmost branch. The more branch tips on the tree, the more ornaments you can hang. If you want an informal look, choose a tree with long needles and upswept branches. For a formal appearance, select a tree with short needles and horizontal or down swept branches. If you are purchasing an artificial tree you should take ease of assembly and storage space needs into consideration. Choose a lighted tree or one that allows you to store it with the lights attached.

2. Lighting the Tree: A general rule of thumb is to use 40 - 50 lights per foot of tree. Of course the simplest way is to purchase a pre-lit Christmas tree that is hinged for easy storage. Not my personal preference because the lights are situated on the outside branches only. But if you are starting from scratch and like a lot of lights on your tree, check the package to see the maximum number of strands that you can connect. Keep in mind the voltage available in your home and at the outlet that you are planning to use. When placing lights on your tree, remember the lights should be strung throughout the tree, not just stretched over the tips of the branches.

I like lots of lights on my 5-1/2 ft tree and so, I tuck one strand of 100 lights (6" apart on the strand) near the trunk, woven in and out of the branches to give the lighting depth. Then add one strand of 100 lights (2" apart on the strand) strung bottom to top on each of the four sides of the tree. Keeping the amount of lights uniform throughout the tree is important.  If you have a large tree (7 ft+), mix the bulb sizes for more impact for example, a 100 light C7 strand near the trunk of the tree mixed with miniature lights throughout the branches.

3. Adding Garland There are several ways to place garland on a tree. The most traditional is to swag your garland, beginning on the bottom, at the back of the tree. Swag the garland from tip to tip, using 12" to 20" swags, depending on the width of the tree and then twist the garland on each tip. The swags should become smaller as you go up the tree. Other styles are to double swag the garland with one row falling lower than the other or to spiral the garland at an angle on the tree. There are also many types of garland to choose from. Midwest of Cannon Falls suggests everything from traditional berry or gold leaf garland to elegant Bohemian glass garlands or glass crystal bead tree garlands and stretches your imagination with designs of fish, sporting equipment or gumball garland. Here are a couple of pages on my site with help using glass garland: one in the blog and one with general information and a guide for calculating the number of garlands you may need..

4. Creating a "theme" Tree: To make a strong statement, it is important to choose a dominant subject or color for your tree. Most trees look best with a balance of texture, shape, size and color but this should be tied together with one element being dominant. For example, if your existing ornament collection has no theme, you can create one by introducing a significant quantity of one color or shape. Add your keepsake, theme ornaments or those with sentimental value last.

5. Using Filler: Filling the spaces inside the tree creates an enchanting look from the inside out. This is the step that many household tree decorators don't know about. Filling inside spaces adds interest and compliments the overall mood of the tree. You can use long/tall ornaments, ribbon, garland, bows, fruit, toys, mirrors, small gifts, cards or pine cones, whatever fits your theme.

6. Design Theme: Repetition establishes design and can help create the theme of your tree. Using different shapes in the same color or repeating the same texture in different colors also works. Many ornament manufacturers make choosing ornaments easy by categorizing their products into color or style themes that can mix and match with each other, such as the antique look of Christmas Past blending with the nostalgic toys of Santa and Friends or the elegant old world sporting look of Stag's Head Inn and Pine Tree Lodge. The key is to keep your decorating theme in a basic motif such as - traditional, outdoors and nature, angels or hearts, folk art and handcrafted, Western and Southwest, antique glass and heirlooms, nostalgic and family, etc.

7. Hanging Ornaments: First you must determine how many ornaments you will need for the size of your tree. Chris Tkachuck, visual manager for Midwest of Cannon Falls says it's not an exact science, but she uses a rough formula to achieve the look she likes for her displays which is approximately 40 ornaments per foot height of tree. For example if you are decorating a 7 foot tree you will need about 280 ornaments. She also notes that you will establish symmetry to your tree by hanging the largest ornaments first, then the next largest and so forth. Be sure ornaments are suspended and hang freely so they are not touching other branches or lights. Shiny finishes should be hung before matte or soft finishes, and bright colors before muted colors.

Hang ornaments in your primary color first, then the secondary accent color ornaments then the keepsake ornaments. I usually stop when the overall color of the tree from a 6 ft distance appears to be the main color. Next, add the accent color. For most people this will be metallic gold, clear, silver, white, copper or a different compatible/contrasting color. Each size, shape, texture and color should be distributed over the entire tree. Larger ornaments should be placed on the lower part of the tree for balance. For dramatic effects you can cluster several ornaments, combining different colors, sizes or shapes in one bunch, bound together with ribbon or a bow. These can be placed symmetrically throughout the tree or joined and placed as a swag spiraling the tree.

Tkachuck candidly offers another of her important tree decorating hints. "A faithful decorating staple I always use, especially with glass ornaments, is our green coated ornament hooks. We have two different lengths so I get an assortment of height when placing ornaments which adds dimension. I prefer the green coating because the wire seems invisible against green tree branches. The best thing about these hooks is that you can pinch and lock them so your ornaments won't fall off the tree." While her style is designed to show off the ornaments that they sell, many of our customers prefer a more decorative approach to ornament hooks. Plus, over the years, those green hooks seem to be getting thinner and flimsier. Check out my sturdy, fancy Christmas ornament hooks. Each one was chosen to enhance the beauty of one ornament whether you hang it on an ornament stand or on your Christmas tree. Match the colors of your holiday decor with the color of your ornament hooks.

8. Dare to be Different: One reason display trees grab our attention is because they dare to be different. Midwest of Cannon Falls has used actual wood chairs, footballs and sports equipment, garden rakes with vegetables, bouquets of dried flowers and fancy hats blended into the branches of their trees. Adding bold new ideas makes the tree fun and it is certain to create conversation. If you want to decorate your tree with ornaments your children have made throughout the year, be imaginative by adding stuffed animals with Christmas ribbon, train sets, favorite storybooks and rocking horses. Fill in with ornaments that compliment your child's interests. Make the entire tree your children's story with their personal belongings. They'll love it! Another interesting way to highlight favorite or heirloom ornaments is to use motion.

Battery operated ornament rotators (available at I Love Christmas.com/) are designed to move ornaments in a circular pattern. A few more options for the avid decorator or Christmas lover looking for something different this year: rotating artificial or real tree stands that show off all sides of your tree and all of your ornaments; decorative artificial tree bases into which you set your tree that give it a potted appearance or rolling artificial Christmas tree stands that allow you to move your tree around your home or business space. Any one of which will add drama to your holiday decorating and make your ornament display or tree look more distinguished.

9. The Tree Skirt: Covering the base of your tree can be as thoughtful a process as choosing your tree. After all, the tree skirt doesn't just cover the base of the tree, it is spread out as an invitation for all those gifts to entice us until Christmas morning. For a uniform look, or a coordinated look, select a tree skirt with matching stockings to hang on the fireplace. Many homes use a traditional tree skirt handed down from generation to generation.

If you don't have an heirloom tree skirt, or can't find a tree skirt that fits your taste, use your imagination. Try a favorite quilt or throw, a poodle skirt for a retro theme, colorful rugs or Christmas towels, fabric that ties in with your ornament color scheme or favorite wrapping paper. A children's tree skirt could be made from laminated pages from a coloring book the children colored and taped together.

If affordable luxury is your lifestyle, get a silk Christmas tree skirt custom made to match your ornaments or holiday home decor Silk Christmas Tree Skirts.com. You can select a specific theme from traditional holiday symbols to free-form or colors to blend with or glam up your holiday decorations.

10. Topping the Tree: A tradition in many homes is this final tree decoration step - lifting the youngest child up to place a special star, finial, bow or angel on top of the tree. This crowning touch creates memories and makes the statement that the tree is completed for another season of family celebration.

In short, when it comes to decorating your holiday or Christmas tree, let your imagination soar!


Tree decorating resources: About.com, Christmas Plus, Bill's Antique Christmas Lights, ARA article, Midwest of Cannon Falls, ARA Content, I Love Christmas!


Thanks for visiting I Love Christmas.com holiday decorating blog. Use our Contact Form to request permission to reprint or quote from this article. For more Christmas decorating ideas visit my Christmas blog: https://www.i-love-christmas.com/Christmas-Decorating-Ideas . Get beautiful, handmade glass ornaments, garlands, metal ornament trees, ornament hooks, tabletop Christmas trees, photo ornaments and other holiday decorations at I Love Christmas! https://www.i-love-christmas.com . Note that I assume no liability for the use or misuse of these instructions or those provided by the product manufacturers.

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