How to Decorate a Christmas Tree

by Giorgina Devereaux

Does anyone ever teach us how to decorate a Christmas tree?  No.  We just sort of learn by ourselves along the way by trial and error.

Nevertheless, I thought it would be a good idea to write an article on decorating Christmas trees, because there are just so many wonderful ideas that people don't know about (many of which I learned just by researching for this article!).

A beautifully decorated Christmas tree has a magical feel to it that mesmerizes the eyes and dazzles family and friends during the holiday season. 

Adding to the Christmas spirit is the fragrance of a freshly cut Christmas tree that immerses the home announcing that that this joyous holiday has arrived. 

Click here to share a picture of YOUR Christmas home decorating, and let others "score" your decor!

There are different Christmas tree species to choose from, including:

• Balsam Fir

• Blue Spruce

• Douglas Fir

• Fraser Fir

• Grand Fir

• Noble Fir

• Norway Spruce

• Scotch Pine

• White Pine

• White Spruce

If a fresh tree is not of interest of you, perhaps you may want to consider a pre-lit artificial tree. 

The beauty about an artificial Christmas tree is that you can use it every year and you don’t have to worry about keeping it in a tree stand or hassle with cleaning up pine needles that have fallen on the floor. 

However, you will not have that fresh Christmas tree smell permeating throughout your home unless you purchase a bottle of fresh cut pine tree scent. 

Some artificial Christmas trees even rotate, which allows you to view every single ornament in one sitting. 

Picking the perfect Christmas tree is the first task, but decorating it requires attention to detail and delicate care.  There are many different Christmas tree decorations to choose from, with the end result being a spectacular Christmas tree that is adorned with a fabulous assortment of ornaments, ribbons, garland, and lights. 

Fresh Christmas Trees

One of the most exciting parts about holiday décor is finding the perfect Christmas tree and decorating it.  There are a variety of trees to choose from and knowing the differences will help make your decision easier.
 

Balsam Fir:  This attractive tree species is dark green in color with a silvery cast.  Its needles are rounded at the tip and are short, flat that measure ¾” to 1 ½” long.  The tree retains its needles fairly well and its fragrance is very pleasing.  Lastly, the needle softness is excellent. 

Blue Spruce:  The Blue Spruce has a dark green to powdery-blue color with a long, symmetrical appearance.  Its branches are rigid, with stiff needles that measure ¾” - 1 ½” long.  If in a warm environment, it will drop needles, but it is among the best trees for needle retention.  Another bonus is that it has the ability to support heavy decorations because of its stiff branches.

Douglas Fir:  This tree is a dark, blue-green color and features drooping, spreading branches, along with soft shiny needles that measure 1” - 1 ½” long.  Since its needles do not fall off easily, it makes for an attractive Christmas tree. 
 

Fraser Fir:  The Fraser Fir is a dark green color, with flattened needles that are ½” – 1” long.  It has a nice fragrance and good needle retention. 

The pyramid shaped strong branches turn upward and the tree emits a pleasant scent. 
 

Grand Fir:  This tree is shiny in appearance and dark green in color. 

The needles are approximately 1” – 1 ½” long, and when crushed, they release a citrus type smell. 

Noble Fir:  The Noble Fir features bluish-green needles with a silvery appearance that are 1” long.  It has short, stiff branches, which enables it to support heavier ornaments. 
 

Norway Spruce:  This tree is a dark, shiny green color, with a good conical appearance.  The needles are ½” - 1” long.  Unfortunately, without proper care, the needle retention is poor.  However, it has a nice, strong fragrance. 

This tree species is very popular in Europe.
 

Scotch Pine:  The Scotch Pine is a dark green color, with an open appearance, which provides more room for ornaments.  Its branches are stiff and the needles are 1” long.  This tree can hold its needles for four weeks and even when dry, the needles remain on the tree.  It maintains its fragrance well. 
 

White Pine:  This tree is a blue-green color and has a full appearance.  Its needles are 2” - 5” long that are in bundles of five.  It is able to retain its needles throughout the holiday season and the tree has little or no fragrance, which allows for less allergic reactions compared to more fragrant trees.  Since its branches are slender, it supports fewer and smaller ornaments. 
 

White Spruce:  The White Spruce is a bluish-green color with short stiff needles that measure ½” – ¾” long and are bundled in sets of five.  It has a full appearance with good needle retention.  If the needles are crushed, it emits a very unpleasant odor, thus, the common name of “skunk spruce” or “cat spruce.”
 

Artificial Christmas Trees
 

Welcome authentic realism this holiday season with a glorious replica of Mother Nature. 

Artificial Christmas trees feature:

• Lifelike branches that have needle tips that are molded from actual living trees.
   

• Extra heavy branch wires that are designed to display larger ornaments.
   

• Easy assembly through hinged branches and professionally pre-strung lights.
   

• A heavy duty tree stand that is sturdy and stable.
   

• Around the trunk, you will notice that the branches are gathered for extra fullness and lighter weight.

You can find artificial Christmas trees in the following species:

• Canaan Fir

• Colorado Blue Spruce

• Douglas Fir

• Fraser Fir

• Hudson Fir

• Noble Fir
   

You will be enthralled with the beauty of these trees because of their incredibly realistic appearance. 

Christmas Tree Themes

You can set the holiday mood by incorporating a specific Christmas tree theme or color theme. 

Some of the most popular Christmas tree themes and color themes for your tree include the following:

Christmas Tree Themes:

• Baby’s 1^st Christmas

• Butterfly

• Cars

• Cartoons

• Country Christmas

• Family Tree

• Floral

• Gingerbread

• Hawaiian

• Home for the Holidays

• Nativity

• Outer Space

• Pets

• Santa Claus

• Seashore

• Snowman

• Sports

• Victorian

• Western

• Winter Wonderland

Christmas Tree Color Themes:

• Blue Hues:  An assortment of cool blue hues with ornaments, garland, and lights.
   

• Crimson Christmas:  This theme consists of rich red bows, beads, ornaments, and crimson colored faux fruit.
   

• Citrine Greens:  It consists of a combination of lively green colors that create a fabulous Christmas tone for a chic tree.
   

• Metallic Delight:   By blending metallic pink, blue, green, silver, and gold, you will create a spectacular glow for the holiday season.
   

• White Christmas:  This theme consists of elegant white ornaments and lights, which give it a magical effect.

Christmas Tree Decorations

There is an abundance of Christmas tree decorations to choose from, such as, specialty ornaments, ornament collections, lights, garland, ribbons, bows, and tree toppers.
 

Specialty Ornaments: 

• Acorn

• Artichoke

• Avocado

• Bialetti Espresso Maker

• Bird Cloisonne

• Bon Appetit Pig

• Bundt Cake Pan by Nordic Ware

• Butterfly

• Carrot

• Champagne Bottle

• Chicken

• Chocolate Dipped Strawberry

• Cupcake

• Crystal

• Dualit Toaster

• Eiffel Tower

• Fish

• Flat Leaf

• Garlic

• Hot Dog

• Ice Cream Cone

• Jeweled

• Le Creuset Dutch oven

• Leaning Tower of Pisa

• Mistletoe

• Mushroom

• Onion

• Origami Crane Paper

• Peppermint

• Pickle

• Pizza

• Popcorn

• Polar Bear

• Reindeer

• Santa

• Seahorse

• Suitcase

• Snowflake

• Tomato

• Twelve Days of Christmas

• Wine Bottle

Ornament Collections:  If you prefer an ornament collection as opposed to individual ornaments, you may want to consider collections that feature lovely mouth-blown ornaments in burgundy, golden bronze, royal purple, and soft green colors. 

These are regal collections of ornaments that are embellished with etching and frosting designs in both matte and glossy finishes. 

To further add beauty to these ornaments, they are enhanced with elegant crystals, translucent ornaments, finished with 24kt gold, and crafted in globe, finial, onion, icicle, and classic egg shapes. 

Other ornament collections sparkle with beaded overlays and are enhanced with dramatic faux pheasant feathers and glitter bronze leaves. 

Personalized Ornaments:  You may also wish to consider having various ornaments personalized with a special message that you are sure to treasure for years to come. 

This adds a special touch to your tree.

Another fabulous way to decorate your tree and enjoy memories of holidays past is by hanging a digital photo ornament. 

These ornaments typically store over 50 of your favorite photos and you can view them on the 1” diagonal color LED screen of the ornament. 

You can enjoy photos individually or as part of a slideshow.  

Christmas Light Colors:  Bring radiance to your tree by selecting among an assortment of fantastic colors, which include:

• Amber

• Blue

• Clear

• Frost

• Gold

• Multi-Colored

• Orange

• Pink

• Purple

• Red

• Teal

• Turquoise

Garland:  Garland adds a unique touch and interest to your Christmas tree. 

It is available in:

• Beads

• Blue, Gold, Green, Pink, and Silver Tinsel Garland

• Crystals

• Red Berry and Pine

• Tinsel with Ornaments

Holiday Ribbon and Bows:  This is a fantastic way to further adorn your Christmas tree. 

You can find holiday ribbon in the following styles:

• Bingham Ribbon

• Double Face Satin

• Grosgrain Ribbon

• Holiday Plaid Ribbon

• Metallic Edge Satin Ribbon

• Metallic Shimmer Ribbon

• Organza Ribbon

• Picot Edge Satin Ribbon

• Satin Acetate Ribbon

• Satin Edge Organza Ribbon

• Sheer Edge Garbo Ribbon

• Twill Ribbon

• Two-Sided Satin Ribbon

• Wired Edge Ribbon

Bows are available in the following colors and styles:

• Candy Cane Bow with Red Satin Edge

• Gold

• Plaid Bow with Gold Edge

• Plaid Bow with Red Velvet Edge

• Red with Gold Edge

• Red Satin

• Red Velvet

• Pink

• Silver

Tree Toppers:  Complete the look of your lovely Christmas tree with a tree topper. 

You can find tree toppers in the following:

• Angels

• Cross

• Fiber Optic (which includes angels, snowman, and stars)

• Finial

• Peacock Feather

• Ribbon

• Santa

• Snow Flake

• Snowman

• Stars

• Tinsel Star

• Wreath

Tree Skirt:  There is a wide selection of tree skirts in different colors and styles. 

Tree skirts can be found in the following designs and fabric:

• Beaded

• Brocade Fabric

• Floral Patterns

• Gingerbread Man

• Glitter

• Holiday Greetings

• Merry Christmas

• Personalized Tree Skirt Bearing Your Family Name

• Santa Claus

• Smiling Snowmen

• Snowflakes

• Twelve Days of Christmas

• Velvet Fabric

• Winter Wonderland

Things to Avoid Putting on Your Tree

For safety reasons, it is important to avoid decorating your Christmas tree with the following items:

• Candles

• Large or Heavy Decorations

• Outdoor lights

• Sharp Objects

• Unwrapped Food

Putting it All Together
 

Please consider following these simple tips to help guide you in putting up your Christmas tree decorations.
 

1.  Consider hanging your Christmas lights from the top of the tree on down. 

Try to secure one of the light sockets near the top of the tree.
 

2.  Arrange the Christmas tree lights in a downward spiral and tuck the cord within the branches. 
 

3.  Display the garland in a circular fashion. 
 

4.  Hang your ornaments on individual branches and try to space them evenly.  If possible, place the ornaments in areas that will help conceal holes between the boughs.   
 

5.  Crown the Christmas tree with a tree topper.

6.  Place the tree skirt over the tree stand. 
 

Your tree will radiate with magnificence and will be the focal point of your home this holiday season!

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