Christmas Tree Decoration Tips

One of the many things I love about the holidays is decorating the Christmas tree!

As you know from prior years I am a big believer of keeping your tree decor fresh. It’s fun to make it fresh every year, so I am here to share my Christmas Tree Decoration Tips. Paired with the below, I’m also very excited to bring you a Christmas Tree giveaway with Balsam Hill! Enter here. Note: entries close at 11:59pm PT on 15DEC.

Tip 1: Make the decorating process fun – don’t try to do it all in one day. Spread it out over a weekend. This is a good way to break up the process and remain in the Christmas spirit. Now, if you are ready, grab a pen or your iPhone. Here is the 3 day decorating approach I used for my tree. Enjoy this solo or invite a couple close friends over, whip up some hot cocoa and make it a night!

PS- If you start in November, this can be broken out even more. Make it a 3 weekend project. Anddddd – don’t forget music. It’s a total must. Never decorate without tunes playing. Here’s my current favorite. Ella and Louis will bring all the festive vibes : ).

FRIDAY EVENING: Sort & Plan

Drag your bag of decorations out to the living room. Pull out the white lights only. Keep the colorful ones for next year. Something as simple as alternating your lighting will make the tree feel fresh every year.

After that you are ready to look at your bulbs. Often we have a gazillion bulbs and feel the need to use all of them. I would like to set you free from that thinking. Pick 2 to 3 colors that speak to you. Put the rest away. I went with gold, silver, and a touch of cranberry this year, because I wanted a vintage vibe. But, if you are not in love with your colors or don’t have enough, invest in 1 to 2 new colored ornament sets. Mix up the bulb shape too. These are gorgeous: Mercury Glass Adorned Ornaments. You can also find vintage build sets often at places like Goodwill and local antique shops. If you want a truly ornate look, this is exactly how to do it.

Let’s talk about Christmas garlands. If you’re able, have one (or more) for your tree, and one for your mantle. If you have an old garland in storage and it looks you’ve had it for so many years that it has spots with no leaves…please recycle it. Let it go (like Frozen). Thank you. There are so many different types of garland for you to choose from. Gold leaf garland is magical and one of my favorites. I used it here and paired it with a wide cream ribbon.

For the mantle, I went with this beautiful White Berry Cypress Garland. Beyond that, all you need are some stockings, stocking holders (or basic hooks) and a couple detail items like one of these Merry Reindeer Brass Objects

SATURDAY MORNING: Shop & Organize

Just week before last, I went to a longtime favorite shop in my hometown over Thanksgiving and picked up a few speciality ornaments. This helped inspire the vintage vibe. After all the sorting and planning was done, I made a list for Saturday. Quick tip: Buy a hole punch and string (if you don’t already have them in a drawer). Hanging some those old Christmas cards you’ve kept can be a nice touch and add character to your tree.

My go to places for Christmas decorations are Balsam Hill, West Elm, Pottery Barn, Rejuvenation and Williams Sonoma. Sharing this year’s essential list below. After shopping lay it out when you get home so everything is organized.

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Rejuvenation Stockings [last season]

Caras: hometown Christmas boutique [various]

SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Decorate & Dance

You’ve made it to decoration day! Sleep late, stay in your pajamas, grab your coffee and then turn up the music! Space out your ornaments so your tree doesn’t look too crowded. Don’t feel any pressure to use everything you’ve laid out. It’s ok to have some ornaments left over. This process can be so fun.

I used a star as a Christmas Tree Topper but a big beautiful ribbon or an angel is also stunning. I’ve even seen Santa Hats at toppers. If you have any questions just reach out. Lastly, if you have a favorite book, place it on a chair with a beautiful throw (that compliments your decor colors) and set it next to your tree. Use this to display your book of choice and a few gifts.