My tree is nothing fancy. It’s very basic. It’s just a little pre-lit artificial tree that I’ve had for going on three years. This is probably his very last year. My car actually got in it this year and bent the branches so I’ve had to rebend them to make it look decent hahaha.
I was never a big fan of artificial trees. I love the smell and look of a real tree but with our cat I don’t know if thats the greatest idea. Instead I compromise with the artificial tree and I fill the house with candles and scents of fresh cut frasier/balsam.
The first thing I do is put my tree together. If you’ve never seen an artificial tree, it comes in three parts and it’s all folded up like a fan with the branches pointing to the top. It looks kind of pitiful at first. It’s very important to fluff your tree out or it looks kind of spacey and not well put together.
After I fluff my tree out I dress it with green garland to fill up the empty spaces a little more so it looks more fuller. It’s a little trick I started this year because of the bent branches.
As far as actually decorating my tree. I always start with my daughter’s ornaments. I have a seven year old named Colbi. She loves to help me decorate the Christmas tree and this year she was so sweet about it. She said “I just love decorating the tree because it brings back so many memories.” and it really does! I have one with a little handprint that is so sweet and tiny. I put her ornaments in a separate box. From ornaments like her first ornament to all the various crafts she did at daycare and Sunday school. I start with hers so that I can spread them out to the max and it doesn’t look too crowded.
Some people choose between a traditional tree vs. a themed tree. Last year I saw a set of ornaments that was pink and gold and I instantly fell in love with them. It also just so happened that most of Colbi’s ornaments were pink too so it fell into the theme very well. I had a friend growing up that had a disney tree and it was themed out in all disney characters. They got an ornament every year from the disney store. My first year decorating my tree I used the basic green and red ornaments and it just didn’t feel like me. The pink and gold is perfect in my opinion.
Pink and Gold Decorations.
I also have more filler pieces. I found these adorable gnomes that clip onto your branches. So they look like little tree gnomes! So cute! Then I have these artificial pieces on holly that I insert to add some contrast and color.
The last ting I do is top our Christmas tree. My mother used to always put and angel on top of our tree and I love that so so much and I always wanted one for mine. Instead though, I top my Christmas tree with a ribbon that I made last year. This year I tried to add a little more ribbon so that it drapes to the ground. (My tree is only like 6 ft tall) I may do a tutorial on how to make a ribbon.. If I can remember and get good enough at it.
And that’s my Christmas tree. Very petite and simple. Also, before you decorate your tree make sure that all the lights light up. Do a little test run because I didn’t and now I have to figure out which bulb is blew out haha. It’s a little flawed but it’s perfect for this year. We’re going to definitely get a new tree next year. Maybe real, maybe one more fuller. We might actually buy one after Christmas when all of the trees go on sale for the year.
How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Does your family do a traditional tree? Or is it color themed? Let me know in the comments! Happy decorating!
with love,
c.p
with love, c.p 