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Tree Decorating Guide

How to decorate a Christmas tree professionally with lights, ornaments, more.

In 2020, we admired each other’s Christmas trees mostly on Facebook and Instagram. This year, many of us are actually visiting from house to house! That makes 2021 a great year to take your holiday ornamentation to the next level and learn how to decorate a Christmas tree like a professional.

We’ve all seen those trees that make us stop and admire them. They’re not necessarily the ones that are the flashiest or the most heavily festooned. Many are striking in their flawlessly executed simplicity. They look like they were perfectly created for exactly the spot they occupy.

It may seem like magic, but it’s not. With the right techniques, anyone can decorate a Christmas tree that elicits “oohs” and “aahs.”

Start with a Theme

When a Christmas tree catches your eye, the first thing you notice is how the decorations work together. The color pattern is superb, or the ornaments evoke precious Yuletide memories. It’s not an accident. Most outstanding decorating schemes revolve around a theme! There are many to choose from, and here are four you might consider.

Traditional

One of the best traditional motifs is the one that emphasizes reds along with silver and/or gold. Traditional trees are often full trees with plenty of “green space” between the ornaments. Adornments aren’t limited to lights and bulbs! Use anything that evokes the warmth of Christmas past, including candy canes, wooden toys and gingerbread men.

Angels are a classic option for a traditionally themed Christmas tree.
Plaid balls and ornaments are a great fit for rustic themed Christmas trees.

Rustic

The homey farmhouse look never goes out of style, but this year it promises to be bigger than ever. And it’s no wonder, since it fits right in with the happy gatherings we’re looking forward to!

Any kind of tree will work, but pines are particularly suited to a rustic background, especially if they feature a few cones. Natural looking ornaments, wooden or knit, emphasize the homespun feel, and plaids are a top choice for ribbons and tree skirts. Some favorite ornaments include gnomes, wooden tag ornaments, and mason jar ornaments. This tree fits right in with a group of friends in comfy sweaters enjoying cocoa and Christmas cookies!

Classic White or Flocked

There are a couple ways to embrace the color of snow this season. One is to use an artificial white tree or a flocked tree. If you embellish it with silver and gold, maybe some tinsel and clear or gold lights, it rewards you with a frozen winter look. If you use red or some other colors, it’s still wintry but with a different December personality. You can also start with a green artificial Christmas tree and use all white decorations. With white bulbs, lights and garlands, it looks like the tree came directly from the snowy forest to your living room.

Bold Colors

If you choose a color as a theme, it’s a good idea to stick to one or two color families. Red, silver and gold are the most obvious Christmas selections, but what about blue? It’s fine by itself or interspersed with gold. Berry colors in the dark red and purple range are going to adorn a few trendy trees this season, and you can even use two or three jewel tones for a bright and sassy holiday statement.

Blue themed Christmas trees can be festive for the holidays!

How to Decorate

Once you have your theme, it’s time to pull it all together. Start with the tree choice that’s right for your motif and the size of your room. Either natural or artificial trees can work, but a lot of professionals prefer the manufactured variety. They’re always balanced, they never have bare spots and they come in just about any height and breadth you can think of. One thing to note, when it comes to shaping, fresh trees may need a little trimming/pruning before you start decorating while artificial Christmas trees may need so be shaped to be décor ready. Pre-shaping before décor starts is easier and faster than during the process.

Making Light Work

Even if your artificial tree already has lights, you may have a choice in how you deploy them. Quite a few of these trees let you select clear, colored or flashing lights at the touch of a switch or remote. Your lights can be as elegant or playful as you want. Remember that colored lights tend to take over, especially if they’re flashing, and white or clear lights let the other ornamentation stand out.

If you’re hanging your own lights, be sure to position some near the trunk – it provides depth. Start stringing at the bottom and move up, going back and forth between the branch tips and the trunk. Once you’re done, step back, take a look and make adjustments before moving on.

Bulbs, Bows and Baubles

The primary rule of how to decorate a Christmas tree with ribbon is to hang ribbons and garlands first, before filling in with baubles, stems and ornaments. A traditional tree will have just one or two styles of ribbon, but a rustic tree could have as many as three varieties in plaids and other puckish patterns.

Next add floral and/or berry stems, pinecones, etc. to create another texture and focal points.

Ornaments should go on the inside branches as well as the tips; as with lights, it adds depth. Spread around the larger ones first, then fill in with smaller. You may have noticed that some professional trees feature bulbs and other baubles in clusters of three.

Don't forget a tree skirt or collar to help finish your tree and tie together your theme.

Finishing Touches

Many people have a favorite topper, but if you’re upping you decorating game, this may be a good year for a new one! Angels, stars and bows are some of the most popular options, and they are available in any style from glitzy to rustic. A tree skirt or tree collar at the base can round out a theme, for example, a wicker collar on a natural farmhouse-style tree.

Decorations needn’t stop at the branch tips. You can extend them throughout the room! For example, make a mantle or table top display out of a few matching stems, ribbons and ornaments to continue the theme for the holiday.

Follow a few of the tips the pros use, and it will be clear that you know how to decorate a Christmas tree! Here’s to Christmas 2021 with the perfect tree and the most excellent holiday times ever!

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