Decorating your Christmas tree is an exciting winter holiday tradition! But if you’re feeling like you need to spice up the look and feel of your Christmas tree this year, you may be thinking of hiring a professional.
The good news is that most people can decorate their own Christmas tree in a unique, beautiful way without outside help. Here are a few tips on how to decorate a Christmas tree on your own:
Start with a Great Christmas Tree
You don’t need a real tree to create a beautiful Christmas display. You just need a tree that is full and can support various ornaments, decorations, and lights. Many home improvement stores, big box stores, and department stores sell artificial Christmas trees that look realistic. And some of these artificial trees come pre-lit.
This leaves you with one less thing to decorate. Moreover, the lights are placed in key locations to render a perfect display at night. If you do choose to use a real tree, remember to keep it adequately hydrated. It won’t matter how pretty your Christmas tree is if it dries out before the big day.
7 Decorating Steps for Success
Once you’ve secured a great Christmas tree, you can follow these steps on how to decorate a Christmas tree.
Step 1: Decide on a Theme
Many people are stumped on how to decorate a Christmas tree because there are so many options. To simplify the process, choose a Christmas tree theme before you get started. Here are a few theme ideas:
- White Christmas – Choose all white lights and decorations for a classic, clean look.
- Whimsical – Select a variety of interesting and unique ornaments for a playful display.
- Woodland – Get inspired by the great outdoors with animal ornaments, sleds, and greenery.
- Snowmen – Deck the halls with jolly snow people! You can make a special snowman ornament for each member of the family for a personalized touch.
- Your favorite holiday movie – Whether you’re a fan of Charlie Brown or Clark Griswold, you can theme your tree after a favorite film.
- Black, white, and red – A modern but classic approach to holiday decor. The green tree, a green wreath, and some green garland will ensure you’ve got your Christmas colors covered while the black and white accents bring sophistication.
- Merry and bright – Create a cheerful tree with colorful lights, cute ornaments, and quality accessories.
Your Christmas tree theme can be anything you want it to be. There’s no wrong way to decorate your Christmas tree. But having a starting point is very helpful.
Step 2: Double Check the Details
Make sure your tree is placed within the proper range of an electric outlet or extension cord for lighting. If you are using a real tree, check the water level before you begin decorating. It’s also a good idea to place the skirt around the tree before you begin adding extras.
Step 3: String the Lights
If you’ve purchased a pre-lit tree, you can skip this step. Unless you want to add extra lights, which is always an option! The reason you should string your lights before adding any ornaments or decorations is part appearance and part practical.
Lights look best when they are illuminating your ornaments. You’ll avoid breaking any precious mementos by making sure the lights are secure before attaching things to the tree.
Step 4: Pour Yourself a Drink
This is a critical step. Decorating your tree can be exhausting. To avoid dehydration, make sure you have a drink on hand. Of course, you can make some hot chocolate or mix up a cocktail, too. Just be sure you’re getting enough water as you deck the halls.
Step 5: Lay out Your Ornaments
Many people become frustrated with how to decorate a Christmas tree when they start putting on ornaments. To avoid placement regret, take out all of your ornaments. If possible, spread the ornaments on a flat surface so you can clearly see each one.
Heavy ornaments should be toward the base of the tree, while breakable ornaments may be better placed up top away from tiny humans and pets. You may also want to give some thought to how your ornaments compliment each other.
If you’re using glass or orb ornaments throughout the tree, try to arrange the colors so that they form a pattern or some sort of flow. For example, if you have silver, gold, and white glass ornaments, make sure a golden globe isn’t right next to another golden one.
Step 6: Begin Placing Ornaments
As you place your ornaments, routinely take a step back from the tree. If anything looks out of place you can make adjustments. If you wait until all the ornaments are on the tree, you may become frustrated or give up on your decor. Avoid this issue by checking how it looks as you decorate it.
Step 7: Add a Bold Touch
Professionals who know how to decorate a Christmas tree always add one bold, signature touch to their trees. Your bold feature will depend on the theme you choose. If you decided on a classic theme, a good way to add a little extra magic is with a fantastic tree topper. Make it the focal point of your tree for a professional look.
If your theme is more flexible or eclectic, consider adding some non-traditional elements to your tree. A few Christmas decoration examples include light-up letters, pendants, and other fun features you typically wouldn’t see in a Christmas tree.
Conclusion
Now you know how to decorate a Christmas tree like a professional. By sticking with your plan and executing your preferred theme, you’ll have an amazing Christmas tree display that compliments your unique style.
With each passing year, you get another opportunity to decorate your Christmas tree. Will you stick with one theme indefinitely or do you plan to shake things up annually? Regardless of what you decide, the choice of how to decorate a Christmas tree is always yours.
