Here are some quick and easy steps to decorate your Christmas Tree. A beautifully decorated Christmas tree is the focal point of all your Christmas decorating.
Start with a Beautiful Tree
Your tree is a key piece to making your home look festive and elegant for the holidays. You want it to fit the space. If you have a beautiful space which is open to the second story in your home you will want a very grand and beautiful tree.
If you are in a smaller space like a New York apartment you will want a smaller tree that lights up the room. I found this beautiful example of making the most of a smaller space.
When we moved into our current home that has 10 foot ceilings I soon realized our 7 foot tree wasn’t tall enough. There are a few tricks you can do to raise your tree. I found this one that made a huge difference.
My first year in our home I didn’t get around to buying a bigger tree or raising it. I’ll be honest it bothered me all Christmas.
So the next year I decided I wanted a larger tree instead of just raising it up. There was a lot of looking for the perfect tree. I didn’t want one that was too wide or covered in glitter.
Flocked trees are really beautiful. I’ve never owned one but they do make decorating a little easier. I kind of wanted one but decided to stay traditional. You can spend a few hundred dollars on your Christmas tree or thousands. The saying you get what you pay for is true but I’m not ok spending thousands of dollars on a Christmas tree.
Setting Up the Tree
I have set my tree up by myself but appreciate my husbands help if he’s around. Especially dragging out the big box.
It is surprising how heavy and awkward this box is to carry. It’s also tricky trying to get the tree back into the box after it’s set up. Should it be that hard?
When we box up the tree I like to wrap up the separate sections to keep them clean and protected.
The first step of the set up is finding the stand and figuring up which piece is the bottom.
Then the task of putting them in place in the right order and getting the lights connected.
Adding the top piece always gets me a little excited. I love the look of the tree eve with just the lights.
Organize the Decorations
After the tree is up and fluffed, which can take awhile depending on the tree. Thankfully this tree doesn’t take a lot of fluffing like others I’ve had in the past.
It’s time to get the decorations out. I like to get out all my storage containers and take out all the decorations so I can see what I have.
I do reuse decorations for a few years but often add new or take away something I’m not loving or doesn’t fit the vision for the year. To begin I organize everything in size and likeness by laying them on my floor.
Where I Start
There are a lot of ways to decorate a tree. This is how I like to do it and what has worked for me. I begin with my bead garland.
I wrap it around the tree keeping the space between each row the same. This beautiful garland is a great space filler and sets the tone of the tree.
Once the garland is in place I start adding the sparkly balls. These are used for pops of color and sparkle but I push them into the tree to fill space. I have three different size balls. I use the largest ones on the bottom third of the tree, the next size in the middle third of the tree and the smallest ones on the top third.
What Comes Next
It’s now time to add the larger decor. Placing them between the garland.
This included my bead garland bells and hanging finials. My theme and color for this tree is red, white and gold and a bell theme. I work in a zig zag or triangle pattern. Spacing the colors and ornaments.
I also decided to add 5 large rattan white balls. I was wanting huge bells but couldn’t find any I liked and were the right color. These balls worked so well. I did the same thing placed a large ball at the top then made a triangle or zig zag down the tree.
Another key step to decorating the tree is stepping back and taking a look. Don’t be afraid to pause and move something if you find colors too close together or like objects too close.
(Can you tell which movie I always watch while decorating my tree. If you guessed White Christmas you’d be right)
Filling in with Smaller Items
I now start filling in with the smaller items. I had a lot of bells I wanted to incorporate. To keep them consistent in color I did a lot of spray painting. They are a beautiful gold that looks so elegant.
The final step is adding the ribbon. This was a final step this year because I wasn’t sure I wanted ribbon but decided the tree would look more complete with the ribbon.
This ribbon is cut into 24″ pieces and I just tuck each end into the branches. I angled the ribbon the same direction around the tree. Making it look consistent and pretty.
After the tree is decorated I create a tree topper by using a variety of Christmas picks you can find at Hobby Lobby or Michaels. I just poke them in until I achieve a beautiful and full topper.
The Christmas Tree Box is something my husband built a few years ago out of scrap wood. We nail it together with brad nails and pull it apart of storage.
Decor to the Door
If you are looking for gifts or cute holiday decor collections be sure to check out my shop Decor to the Door. You will find Christmas decor collections that are perfect for your entryway table, island or mantel. Check out this years collections here and here.
Decor to the Door also has unique and cute wood letter boards you will love. Check them out Here.
