It’s almost Thanksgiving and you know what THAT means–besides scouring the internet for recipes to use up leftover turkey, that is. Scouring the internet for new Christmas tree decoration ideas! The newest thing is a lavish, over the top look–a tree brimming with ribbon, floral and sparkle sprays, and oversize ornaments.
Handmade memories?
Now, we love a traditional tree! Bring on that Shiny Brite and string tinsel! You might have your traditional family tree that never changes (preschool handprint and candy cane reindeer ornaments, anyone?) and that’s precious. But if that memory tree has moved to a more private area and you’re looking to create a fresh and fabulous tree in your more public spaces, read on!
One size doesn’t fit all
You’ll start the process by choosing your tree size, of course. You want a tree that matches the scale and height of your room. For a large room with 10-foot ceilings, you’d pick a tree at least 7.5 feet tall with full foliage. For a smaller room or one with 8-foot ceilings (or lots of furniture), a 6-7 foot slim profile tree might be appropriate.
Keeping it real?
Then you’ll consider whether you want a live tree or faux. It’s simply a matter of preference (and maybe your spouse’s pine allergy). If you go the faux route, you have many options on color, but green pine trees–with or without snow flocking–seem to be the enduring favorite. White trees are a close second, though.
Theme song
Now the fun really begins! Do you have a theme in mind? It could be a color scheme, whether it’s matching your home’s colors or your favorite team colors. Maybe you’d like a tree done all in red and white. Or navy and blush. Or green and gold. The sky’s the limit!
Some are inspired by particular looks or time periods. A woodland tree might feature antlers, pine cones and faux fur or flannel. Imagine a Victorian tree all in mercury glass, velvet and gold. A farmhouse-themed tree might call for tin, wood, and buffalo check. A mid-century modern creation may rock the vibrant colors and sleek shapes of that period.
Then, too, others look to their collections for inspiration–maybe you collect musical instruments, or angels, or Santas. Whatever look you fancy, you can indulge it on your Christmas tree!
When you’ve shopped for all your lovely elements (and the Mint Julep staff can certainly help you determine how much decoration you need based on the size of your tree), you have the fun of assembling it into the tree that dreams are made of. Don’t be intimidated–we’ll walk you through!
Brake. Lights.
A real holiday joy killer is to decorate your tree and THEN find out half the lights don’t work. Be sure to check all the lights BEFORE you put them on the tree! By the way, a good rule of thumb for how many lights: about 100 feet of light string per 1 to 1.5 feet of tree height.
Top to bottom
It may seem counter-intuitive, but when decorating your tree, you want to start with your topper. While angels and stars are classics, the newest fashion in tree toppers is an exuberant cluster of sprays–some combo of glittery tassels and curlicues or maybe florals, leaves, and berries–reflecting your colors and tree theme.
Start with a single large stem pushed from the top down along your center post. Then insert several smaller stems around it at the top of the tree, fastening each to the branches. You can also make clusters of two or three of your sprays for added fullness. Fluff and spread the sprays, pointing them out from the tree.
Ribbon makes the difference
Next, use wide ribbon to make loops down the tree. Make two loose loops, fasten, and decoratively trim the end of the ribbon. Follow with more loops of two randomly around your tree. For a high-fashion look, come back with narrower ribbon in a coordinating color or pattern and repeat the process, filling in other areas.
More. Florals. Please.
Remember those stems you used for your topper? Now you’re ready to insert the rest of your themed stems into the tree, filling in all around the tree with single sprays. This really takes your tree to the next level.
Finally, the ornaments
At last, you’re ready to fill in the final areas with ornaments, starting with large and finishing with smaller ones. The trend is for jumbo ornaments, so go big or go home! Vary your ornament sizes, shapes, and textures for added interest.
And there you go–a beautiful new Christmas tree for you and your family!
Shop our fabulous tree-trimming options in-store on Ridge Road in Rockwall and online at mintjulepdecor.com. We’d love to help you create your one-of-a-kind tree!