Try a few of these simple Christmas tree decorating tricks to make your tree look more polished and pulled-together this year. Anyone can have a tree that looks professionally-decorated with these easy, inexpensive tips!
I’m definitely no expert when it comes to Christmas tree decorating, but I’ve learned a few tips over the last few years that have really helped me to make my tree look a little more like those over-the-top, professionally decorated trees. The funny thing is that getting your tree to look really polished and thoughtfully-decorated doesn’t need to be expensive at all. In fact, you can probably really upgrade your Christmas tree game by reusing things that you already have, but just using them in a different way. Here are some of my favourite Christmas tree decorating tricks!
Christmas Tree Decorating Tricks and Secrets
OK, if I’m being honest, I’ve never met a Christmas tree that I didn’t love. I love a tree decorated with just a few simple ornaments and I love a tree filled right up with homemade and family-memory ornaments. I even love a naked tree before it’s been decorated at all! I’ll take a Christmas tree any way I can get it, but there’s definitely something to be said for having a beautifully-executed tree decor plan. So here’s what I’ve learned:
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Apply Garlands at an Angle
Wrapping your tree in garlands is usually the first thing you do and it kind of creates the framework for your tree. Starting at the top and working your way down at an angle creates an effect that encourages the eye to move around and view the whole tree, rather than looking at it in choppy sections.
If your tree is up against a wall, it can be easier to work with smaller pieces of your garland and just kind of place them over the front 2/3 of your tree, rather than trying to actually wrap your tree with one long piece. Wired ribbons make great garlands and add a beautiful pop of color and pattern to your tree, or you can use something more unusual like the upholstery webbing that I’ve used this year.
Use Over-Sized Ornaments and Unusual Objects
Varying the size of your ornaments really makes your whole tree-scheme so much more dynamic and interesting. Just some simple over-sized basic ornaments will do (these are from the dollar store), but you can also add in other Christmas decor that isn’t meant for the tree to get the same look. I love the idea of tucking in table-top decor or even Christmassy wall signs here and there. You can also use over-sized faux floral picks, like some of the big, beautiful poinsettias that you can get in craft stores at this time of year. Which brings me to the next idea….
Incorporate Floral Picks and Natural Greenery
This is such a great way to make your tree look more lush and full, while also adding color and personality. The choices for floral picks are almost endless now and they really can completely transform the look of your tree. Use picks made to look like frosty greenery to give your un-flocked tree the look of flocking or use something completely unChristmassy like the hydrangeas I used if that strikes your fancy!
My new secret weapon is tucking fresh greenery in here and there on my fake tree. I love the effect of this fresh greenery that I clipped from the side yard makes .
Put Some Thought into Your Hanging Ribbons
OK. Do you see this?
This is my tree-trimming pet-peeve. These little silver string that come with basic ornaments for hanging them on the tree. They’re the worst. You can really upgrade the look of a basic ornament just by using a nice ribbon (or even yarn) in place of these little strings. That’s on my to-do list for one year! My kids still help me to decorate the tree and we’re usually pretty excited and in a hurry to get started, so that one hasn’t happened yet, but it will happen one day and it will be glorious! 🙂
Another trick it so eliminate the hanging strings altogether and use a bit of wire to attach a few ornaments together into a larger cluster. You can either tuck these clusters into the branches or just use a tiny piece of wire to hook them to the branches. No more ugly strings!
Create Your Own Topper
I’m not talking about cutting a star out of cardboard and covering it with tinfoil, don’t worry. 🙂 You’ll probably notice though, that a lot of the beautiful trees that you see in home decor shops have some pretty elaborately-devised toppers. The great thing about this method is that you can just kind of keep adding things until it looks sufficiently fantastic, rather than trying to find just one perfect topper to make all of your tree-topping dreams come true. Some of the most effective toppers that I’ve seen were really just giant bows created with beautiful ribbon, then surrounded by various floral picks with berries, greenery, and maybe a few unexpected floral elements as well.
For my topper this year, I stuck in a whole bunch of red berries and white pearly berries, then I filled in around them with some fresh-cut natural cedar from our yard. I added a big white “G” for our last name on the front and I love how it all came together. Fresh greenery for the win, every time!
Last year for my tree farm themed tree, I took a table-top Christmas camper and just stuck it right on top! That was also pretty fun :). You can see more of that tree here.
Hopefully these Christmas tree decorating tricks will help you with putting together the tree of your dreams this year! What other little Christmas tree decorating tricks have you picked up that I missed here?
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