It’s almost time to start saying Merry Christmas to people who pass you in the street – which means it’s also almost time to put up the Christmas tree!
Watch: How To Make Your Own Aussie Christmas Tree
December 1st is just around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about what your Christmas is going to look like? And the top priority is, of course, the Christmas tree!
Decorating your tree can be a challenging task if you don’t know where to start, so we’ve compiled our best Christmas tree decorating tips for you to use and take inspiration from.
Choose your Christmas tree style
Your Christmas tree style is one of the most important considerations. As the focal point of all your decorations, your tree can make or break a theme, so getting it right is key!
The first decision to make: real or artificial?
There are many pros and cons to both sides of the Christmas tree debate – a real tree smells beautiful but needs extra care and maintenance while an artificial Christmas tree can last forever but is made of plastics. Choosing between the two can be tricky, but it really comes down to the amount of time and effort you want to put into your Christmas decorating. When picking out a tree, think about the following things:
- Do you have the time to visit a Christmas tree farm each year?
- Do you have the capacity to clean pine needles, water your tree and provide care for your tree?
- Would you like to keep the same tree and reuse it each year? If that is the case, do you mind if it is the same style every year (e.g. a flocked tree or a specific shape)
Pick a Christmas tree theme
A theme is definitely needed for your tree and overall holiday decor as it will harmonise the different rooms in your house and provide an overall festive feel. And of course, since your tree is the main attraction, starting there with your theme is only logical.
Whether you want a winter wonderland or wish to emulate the true-blue Aussie Christmas in your Christmas tree, there’s a theme out there for everyone! Take a look at our Christmas tree themes for inspiration.
Position your tree in the right space
Since your Christmas tree is the focal point of decor, it should be in a space that is viewed or passed by often. However, you want to be wary of positioning it in a spot that has high-foot traffic. This is to avoid any breakage of Christmas ornaments or worse, a clumsy guest knocking the whole Christmas tree itself!
it is recommended to position your tree in a common area, such as a living room or lounge but in a spacious corner that is not often walked near.
Elevate your tree
Elevating your tree may seem a bit excessive, but it’s the best way to show off your beautiful ornaments, and better yet, all the presents that you’ve wrapped!
Putting a sturdy box under your tree will also mean you have a bit of extra space to place presents under and give you a bit of wiggle room when handing out gifts on Christmas morning.
Fluff the branches
The need to fluff your tree branches, for an artificial tree at least, isn’t a usual process for many when setting it up. However, fluffing the branches of your Christmas tree will give beautiful fullness and more space to hang ornaments from. Take a look at the proper technique for fluffing branches if you need a bit of help!
String the lights first
Putting up your lights are the hardest part of your Christmas tree, so much so that many brands have come out with great pre-lit Christmas trees for you to enjoy!
If you’re doing it the usual way, string your light starting from the top and winding down to the bottom. This is so your battery pack or light switch mechanism can be placed on the floor and plugged in easily.
Another way to string your lights is by hanging them in vertical lines. This is great if you only have a small amount of lights to hang or if you don’t want your lights to overwhelm your tree.
Overall, stringing lights is easier said than done, and is often a two-man job (especially if you’ve got a bigger tree!). All we can say is, good luck!
Cluster your baubles
Baubles are the star of the show for a Christmas tree – they bring all the personality and colour. To make your baubles and Christmas decorations stand out, there are a couple of tricks you can use:
- Hang bigger baubles toward the centre of the tree and smaller bauble on the ends of the branches. This makes your tree appear fuller and creates depth.
- Hang baubles in clusters of three to further increase fullness. This can be done with an ornament hook that bundles them together so you don’t have to go to the trouble!
- Place delicate or glass ornaments at the top of the tree to avoid clumsy guests or wandering hands of children!
- Buy groups of baubles that are similar in colour and design to spread around the tree: this will create a harmonised look without being too uniform. Your sentimental ornaments should be dispersed among the more complementary ones.
- Add in texture with ribbon, tinsel or homemade ornaments that the kids can make in the lead up to Christmas!
Pick out your tree topper
Your tree topper is the final touch to your Christmas tree, so it should be extra special. Think about what theme you have chosen for your Christmas decor and work out what will look best atop the tree. Will it be an angel or a star or even a cute Santa hat?
Take your pick, but remember to choose a light-weight item as the top branches of a tree are not the most supportive!
A great hack for a wobbly tree topper is to secure the back of your star or angel with a ruler. Place the ruler on the top tree bough and sandwich the branch between the ruler and tree topper by securing it with cable ties. This will give way more support and help your angel to stand up straight!
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