Christmas Tree Decoration Tips

by Alli

Decorating a Christmas tree is not rocket science, you say.  Oh, contraire! When I look back at some of the first Christmas trees I decorated in my younger years, I just laugh and laugh.  Charlie Brown had nothing on me!  Here’s some of my Christmas tree decoration tips I’ve learned along the way.

3 Easy Tips to Insure a Beautiful Christmas Tree

1.  As soon as you get the bottom section of the artificial tree snugly into the stand, make sure it’s straight and go ahead and put the tree skirt around the stand.

I have learned this step by trial and error.  Personally, I don’t like lying flat on my tummy after the tree is completely done, trying to button up a tree skirt, fighting all the lower branches of the tree and getting them all messed up again.

2.  Shape, shape, shape.  Shape, shape, shape.  Shape your branches (singing real loud to the tune of Shake Your Booty).

There was a time when I only used live trees. When the artificial pre-lit trees came out, I bit the bullet and plunged right in.  And I’ve gone through quite a few in my lifetime.

If you have a live tree, let it sit in the stand a day before you decorate so the branches can fall in place.  For the rest of us, shaping is THE MOST important step.  Yes, it takes a while.  But it’s totally worth it!  As soon as the bottom is snugly in the stand, I drop one hinged branch at a time (and if another accidentally drops, well, I just stick it back up).  and I shape each sprig on that branch – up, down, sideways – to make it look almost like a real tree branch.

3.  Layer the ornaments.

Start with the largest ornaments and put them way back in the branches.  Fill in those holes that no amount of shaping can cover.  When I was young and had no sense . . . I just hung those ornaments on the tips of the branches.  No, no, no!  Layer, my friend, layer!  Layering is what gives the tree that full look.  Fight that tree and make it come into submission.

Oh, and one other thing, there is no such thing as too many ornaments or too many lights.  Well, I guess there may be, but I’ve yet to see it.  When I see a good tree gone bad, it’s usually because the branches have not been shaped AND/OR the ornaments are not layered and there are not enough ornaments.

Remember, always hang the larger ornaments first so that you can spread them around the tree evenly.

Helpful Hint:  My tree in the great room is the family tree.  When my kids were growing up, we would put on the Christmas music, break out the hot cocoa, (you can find my easy homemade hot cocoa recipe here), and spend the evening decorating the tree.  This is the tree with all the homemade ornaments, the special memory ornaments and the lower branches have unbreakable ornaments just in case one of the grands wants to redecorate the tree.

If you’re stringing your own lights, begin at the bottom and start from the inside and work toward the outside, wrapping the lights around each branch.  It does take a while, but the end result is beautiful!

The white tree in the dining room is mine – all mine!

That’s it!  Oh, yeah, one more thing, here’s some pictures of some Christmas trees I’ve decorated.

Tips for Decorating Your Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree Decorating Tips

tipsfromfabtodrab

 

Three Tips for Decorating your Christmas Tree

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Christmas Tree Decorating

Do you enjoy decorating the tree?   Do you prefer real or faux?  I love the smell of a real tree, but enjoy the convenience of a fake one!

12 comments

Skye @ Planet Jinxatron November 26, 2014 - 7:53 am

I will be happy to follow those tips once I don’t have a seven year old who is committed to helping! There is no telling that boy where to put the big ornaments! 🙂

Reply
Paris (My Big Fat Happy Life) November 26, 2014 - 9:27 am

We have been using a pre-lit tree for many years! I dislike having to fluff the branches – it’s the most time consuming part. But I love the tree when it’s done! I agree that you can not have too many ornaments. My husband thinks the tree has enough ornaments but every year I end up buying more 🙂

Reply
Kristen from The Road to Domestication November 26, 2014 - 9:52 am

Yes, I can hardly wait until the day after tomorrow to decorate! We do an artificial tree, as well! My goal eventually is to have a tree in every room of the house, but for now, we just have two 🙂 Yours are lovely!

Reply
Kita November 26, 2014 - 2:47 pm

Love the tips we do a fake tree. I bought mine after the holidays for 28 bucks reg price 75. I have had it for 4 years now and it’s a great tree. I always start with a color scheme and work my way from there. I love decorating it’s the taking down I don’t like doing.

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Crystal November 26, 2014 - 7:55 pm

I love decorating the tree. However, shaping the tree is my least favorite because it is so time consuming, but it does make all the difference in the world so I do it every year. My mom was a pro at decorating trees and I learned from her. Great tips (I follow them all…lol). Beautiful trees!!

Reply
Stephanie Pass November 27, 2014 - 8:58 am

Pretty, pretty, pretty! My family never helps me shape those branches, lol.

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Brandi @ penguinsinpink.com December 1, 2014 - 8:59 am

Alli, that is seriously a beautiful tree. I would *love* to be able to create a tree like that but I have two toddlers who are so “helpful” with decorating. 🙂

Reply
Alli December 1, 2014 - 10:37 am

My 2 youngest grands try to redecorate my family tree every year. So I make sure I place non breakable ornaments on the bottom branches. 🙂

Reply
Shirley Wood December 2, 2014 - 7:57 am

We have our tree out and plan to decorate it this week. Good tips! Experience is the best teacher, isn’t it!
The Pastor made a comment Sunday morning about the fact that he and his wife getting their tree decorated without incident. LoL. My hubs and I used to bicker about the lighting placement, then we purchased a pre-lit tree! Problem solved!

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Alli December 2, 2014 - 8:27 am

My husband knows better than to try and help me decorate. I’m such a perfectionist and my family just leaves me to it. The kids used to help when they were growing up. 🙂

Reply
Tammy @ creativekkids December 8, 2014 - 11:58 pm

Wow you are a decorator for real! It looks beautiful! Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party! I’ve pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board.

Reply

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