Try a few of these simple Christmas tree decorations to make your tree look instantly 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 decorations, 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 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 ideas, tips and secrets that I find make all the difference.
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 Christmas ornaments and I love a tree filled right up with handmade and family-memory tree 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, no matter what your preferred style of holiday cheer is. Read on for how to decorate with the ideas that make the biggest impact.
More merry Christmas decorating ideas: Blue and White Christmas Porch
Apply Garlands at an Angle
Wrapping your tree in garlands is usually the first thing you do after the Christmas lights and it kind of creates the festive 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 you prefer, you can use wired ribbon in a vertical pattern on your tree instead of garland, which has a beautiful effect as well.
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 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 was used on the tree pictured above.
Christmas tree ribbon tutorial for holiday decorating: How to Apple Vertical Ribbon to a Christmas Tree
Use Over-Sized Ornaments and Unusual Objects as Christmas Tree Decorations
Varying the size of your ornaments, bauble decorations, and Christmas ball decor really makes your whole tree scheme so much more dynamic and interesting. Just some simple over-sized basic ornaments will do (the shatterproof ones pictured above are from dollar stores and discount stores), but you can also add in other Christmas trimmings that aren’t meant for the tree to get the same look. I love the idea of tucking in table-top decor, wreaths, or even Christmassy wall decor pieces here and there. You can also use oversized faux floral picks, like some of the big, beautiful poinsettias that you can get in craft stores at this time of year to deck the halls.
See more from this space: Blue and White Christmas Decorations
Incorporate Floral Picks and Natural Greenery into Christmas Trees
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 sparkling, frosty greenery to give your un-flocked tree or artificial Christmas trees the look of flocking, or use something completely unChristmassy like the hydrangeas I used if that strikes your fancy! I love to use a giant pinecone or two, and I’ve been adding to my collection for a few years now.
My favorite secret tree decor idea 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. This is a great trick to make stockings look beautiful and interesting throughout the Christmas season as well.
See more from this space: Black and White Holiday Decor
Put Some Thought into Your Hanging Ribbons for Christmas Tree Decorations
Do you see this? These types of ornament hangers are my tree-trimming pet peeve. These little silver strings that come with basic ornaments for hanging them on the tree are 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.
Another trick is to 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!
More Christmas decor inspiration: 5 Reasons Why Your Christmas Decor Doesn’t Look Quite Right
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 tree toppers that I’ve seen were really just giant bows created with beautiful ribbon, then surrounded by various floral picks with berries, snowflakes, greenery, and maybe a few unexpected floral elements as well, and that’s what I do most years now.
Get the tutorial: How to Make a Bow Christmas Tree Topper
Berry Pick and Monogram Tree Topper
For my topper one 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!
More Christmas decorating inspiration: Most Popular DIY Christmas Tree Decorating Tips
Tree Farm Tree Topper With Tabletop Decor
One year for a tree farm-themed tree, I took a table-top Christmas camper, like the kind you would display on a console table, and just stuck it right on top! That was also pretty fun :). The tree farm trailer was open on the bottom and hollow inside, so it just fit right over the top branches of the tree.
See more Christmas decor from this home: Rustic Christmas Home Tour With Tree Farm-Themed Tree
Our Most Popular Christmas Decorating Ideas of All Time
I love so many different styles of Christmas decor, but you just can’t do everything every year! I don’t like to completely reinvent the wheel every year, but I do love to draw inspiration from what I’ve done before and then try a few new things here and there, wherever it feels right. I thought it would be fun to look back on a few of my favorite ideas from past years and share them with you here
Get the ideas: Most Popular Christmas Decorating Ideas
12-Month Christmas Plan to Prepare for Christmas Next Year
I will start by saying this: This 12 month Christmas plan really works, and it works even if you do it completely imperfectly. By the end of the season last year, I was feeling fed-up and tired of always being unprepared when Christmas season arrived. I felt like I was getting a little better at the whole thing every year, but I was still feeling really behind, rushed, and overwhelmed by the whole Christmas season and every little detail that needed to be taken care of to make sure that everyone in the family has a magical season and creates happy memories. You too?
Get the plan: 12 Month Christmas Plan to Prepare for Next Year
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.