Oh, Christmas Tree

Advice

Nov 28

Written By

Awwww, the sweet smell of a pine tree. Thanksgiving has already come and gone and now it’s time to start thinking about how you are going to decorate your beautiful Christmas tree. I have a few helpful tips and tricks on how to turn an ordinary evergreen into a dazzling work of art that will wow your guests this holiday season.

The key to a beautiful Christmas tree is layering. Your tree will look lovely in 5 layers: lighting, garlands, ornaments, a tree topper, and of course a tree skirt.
There is a sequence to how your tree should be decorated. Begin with hanging your lights. Make sure to string them from the inside of the tree and then move towards the outside starting from the bottom. This will give the tree more dimension and will drape better on the heavier interior branches. Second, string your garland through the tree using the same method as the lights. Garlands can be substituted with beads, ribbons, or raffia, whichever embellishment your heart desires. Third, hang your ornaments. Start with your “filler” ornaments, which are your generic solid color ones. Follow by hanging your special one of a kind ornaments. Using the same method as the lights and garland, start from the inside to the outside so that the entire tree is filled, not just the branch tips. The fourth detail is the tree topper, which can be any flair you wish from birds to the traditional star. Finally, you have your tree skirt, which is essentially the anchor of the tree. You can choose a skirt that complements your theme, or go with my favorite, the commonly used red and green plaid pattern, which looks great with everything.
If you are wondering how many ornaments you should put on your tree there is a basic rule of thumb. There should be around 15-20 “filler” ornaments for every 2 feet of the tree and 5-10 special ornaments for every 2 feet. I think the fuller the better!
Themes for your tree can be fun. You can decorate with all silver, all gold, all white for a modern look, or even select a color palette like green, red, and gold for the entire tree. I have also seen very tasteful classic trees with vintage ornaments and strung popcorn as a garland.
If you have children, get them involved and excited about the decorating process. Have them be in charge of hanging a few ornaments. If you are feeling crafty there are plenty of DIY ornament and garland ideas out there. Paper snowflake ornaments, dipped pinecone ornaments, or felt ribbon garlands just to name a few.
Most importantly, keep your tree alive and healthy through the holiday. The first couple days you should water more than once a day, but then you can start to taper as it will begin to soak up less and less.

Bundle up near the fire with your favorite holiday drink and get into the holiday spirit. Tis the season!