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How to decorate a Christmas tree to create a professional, lush and full tree with an easy to follow tutorial and lots of photos.
I love Christmas decorating, holiday decor and especially decorating my Christmas tree. In fact I love it so much I usually decorate 5 Christmas trees. I often have friends ask me for Christmas tree decoration ideas and how I decorate my tree. Some years I even have an audience because they want to watch me do it. I do put them to work though and they get to help fluff and hand me things.
Artificial Tree vs. Real Christmas Tree
We have an artificial tree. I realize that is a bit sacrilegious here in the beautiful, evergreen full Northwest but I got tired of trying to find the perfect tree each year and then having to string it with lights. The lights became my job when I realized my husband thought one string of lights should be enough to cover the whole tree.
The thing I love most about my artificial tree is that the lights are already on it except this year when half of them decided not to work. I love not having to string lights on the tree!
How to Decorate a Christmas Tree
I like to use a color scheme for my tree, for this tree in the living, I have a gold and burgundy theme but I often change it up!
I do have to say that the biggest trick to having a beautiful, full tree is having a lot of stuff to put on the tree. But even if you don’t have a lot you can still have a lovely tree and remember I’ve been collecting stuff for forty years! After Christmas sales are a great way to grow that collection. Hopefully this post will give you some inspiration and ideas.
- Set up tree. String lights if needed. Fluff branches if using an artificial tree. The branches have gotten smooshed while its been packed away so fluff those little branches!
- Add some “filler” garlands to the tree. Push them back towards the center and it helps add depth and fill up any big “empty” spaces you may have. They are especially helpful on a live tree where the branches may not be perfectly even. I have 3 of these on my tree. My tree is 7.5 feet (we have low ceilings). They are each about four feet long.
- Flowers, Berries, Pine cones and Swags. I don’t just put ornaments on my tree, I have quite a bit of other decor such as flowers and fruit swags.
- Insert these fruit swags onto the tops of the branches so they are laying on top of the branch. Be sure and step back occasionally to make sure that you are placing them evenly throughout the tree.
I then layer in my flowers, I have about 20 poinsettia flowers that I add into my tree – again placing them evenly throughout the tree.
Here is what the tree looks like with the garlands, fruit swags and flowers in it.
It’s pretty just the way it is but we have about 130 ornaments to put on yet!
- Add ornaments. As you can see a lot of my ornaments are the same color, red but you will notice they are different shapes. Ornaments do not all need to be round, be sure and vary the size.
Organize ornaments by color. Lay the ornaments out of the floor first grouping them together by type (large, small, color, shape etc.)
No matter how careful I am there is always one or two that end up like this…
Start with Larger Ornaments
I have a small collection of larger ornaments that I call my “statement” ornaments. They go on the tree first. I put one group of ornaments on at a time. That way I can make sure they are evenly distributed around the tree. After hanging the large ones, add in your smaller ornaments.
How to Hang Ornaments
Method One
For hanging the ornaments I do two different things. If there is a string on the ornament, and it is a pretty string I will use it.
But I don’t like the strings hanging down so I wrap the string around the branch like this….
Method Two
This is one of my best tricks on how to decorate a Christmas tree. On ornament balls that don’t have strings, I do not use wire ornament hooks. I make my own out of green pipe cleaners. They blend right in with the branches and they are so easy to just wrap over the branch.
Again, keep stepping back to make sure the ornaments are evenly distributed.
I just work my way through all the different groups of ornaments.
Be sure to tuck the ornaments back into the branches too – don’t just hang them on the ends of the branches.
Finishing Touches
- Insert final filler. After all the branches are on I have a few more pieces of “filler.” which are things I stick into the tree in any empty space I might have.
I bought these fun new filler pieces this year at Joanne’s in gold and red. They drape so nicely on the tree.
- Add the Christmas tree toppers. Make a bouquet out of some of my filler pieces, flowers and fruit swags for the tree topper. Insert into the top of the tree. I tie it all together with a piece of ribbon and some wire. You could also add a gold star to the top!
This step definitely requires a ladder for me!
- Put on the Christmas tree skirt. I don’t use a traditional tree skirt, rather I use some gold mesh type fabric that I like to just tuck underneath the tree. Costco is carrying something similar this year.
- Turn on the lights, step back and enjoy your beautiful Christmas tree!
- Just add gifts!
Check out these other Christmas posts:
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Sandy Landgrebe says
Your tutorial was very inspiring–I do many of the same things you do–nothing is bare when I’m finished. The one thing extra I do is wrap a string of lights in and around my topper. At first my topper was dark like yours is and I wanted light all the way to the top, so I took care of it by adding one more short string.
Leigh Anne says
Great idea – I’ll be adding lights to mine this year!
shelly rolen says
Where did you find your fruit swags?
Leigh Anne says
I have had them for years and found them at a craft store here in Portland.
Katherine says
I have an artificial tree as well. I fluff each branch before I put it on. Once I get a whole row, or level, of branches on I add the lights. I start at the end of the branch closest the trunk and then weave over and under each little twig toward the tip and then go back toward the trunk the same way. This really hides the wire of the lights. I do each layer of branches this way so I never have to shove my arms between those scratchy branches. Ouch!
Liz says
You do a great job! I friend and I are Christmas junkies, we look all year for Christmas stuff. We started attending a “Yule School” which taught us how to decorate tress. This company sold the coolest stuff, but went out of business. We are lucky enough to have to have Ralph Jones Christmas store, who decorates for all the hotels here in Las Vegas, NV.
One thing we were taught was always buy and use things in odd numbers. We also use “Stick ins” which you are using flowers etc. I have my stick out more. I wish I could send you a picture of some of my Christmas decorations….
Kim says
I forgot to say that your tree is very pretty. Since you do five trees I think I am going to put one in my bedroom, in the corner. Great idea. Thanks!
Leigh Anne says
Love having trees in the bedroom. It makes a great night light.