Decorate Your Christmas Tree

Find Loads of Holiday Decorating Ideas

A beautiful, symmetrical fir tree is a perfect symbol of the Christmas season. But by decorating it with treasures, you create a one-of-a-kind memory of the season. Find our ideas for decorating your Christmas tree in this resource index from About.com
Decorating a Christmas Tree

• Christmas Tree Decorating Tips
  Find basic information on decorating your tree, from ornaments and lights to garlands, nosegays, and decorating themes.
• Christmas Tree Decorating Basics
  Interior design principles are good to follow when decorating your home. Use them for your holiday decorating, too, and your home will be festive and beautiful.
• Christmas Color
  If you're a traditionalist, you'll probably use all the decorations you have.

But you can create a dramatic Christmas tree based on a color theme. Find help on choosing a dramatic Christmas color scheme for your home.

Garlands add a unifying element to Christmas tree decor.

Find out ways to use garland on your tree, how much to use, and when to place it on the tree. Then go on to  and find out how to make your own garland inexpensively.

How Much? - How much garland you need depends on the size of your tree, how deeply the garland is swagged, and how many times around the tree it is placed.

For an approximate guide, figure on at least 9 feet of garland per foot of tree (so a 7 foot tree will need about 63 feet of garland). Buy more to be safe, and use any extra on the mantle or wreaths.

Placement Tips- Gently swagged garland looks more graceful than straight or diagonal lines across the tree. Deeply swagged garland is beautiful but can only be used on large trees with open space between branches.

When to Put it On- Garland should be placed on the tree after the lights are installed. Once the garland is in place the ornaments and other decorations can be added.

Double or Triple It - For added interest use 2 or 3 types of garland swagged together. Use design principles of size variation and repetition when choosing garlands to use together. For instance, use a wide navy velvet ribbon with a small silver beaded garland and a medium sized blue and silver icicle garland. Attaching It- Garland will generally stay where you put it. However, when tree branches are delicate and drooping, garlands may tend to slip off. Some flexible garlands can be wound around a branch to hold them in place. In the alternative a garland can be secured with a small piece of wire, a ribbon, or a small green twist tie.

Vertical Garland- Garlands can be attached to the top of your tree (behind the tree topper), then looped down vertically. Be sure to add some twists and turns, wiring to branches if necessary, in order to add interest and graceful curves. This technique is especially suited to ribbon.

Ribbon - Ribbon is a great material to use for garlands and comes in wide and narrow widths, patterned and plain styles. Wired edges will help you arrange it on the tree. If the ribbon has no wire, then twist and turn it occasionally, fastening into place with small wires.

Cut It Up- Beaded garlands can sometimes be cut up into lengths and used as tinsel to drape over branches. Be sure that cutting the garland won't cause all of the beads to fall off of the string. Strings knotted between each bead or styles where beads are glued in place will work for this technique. Cut garland pieces about 16 inches long, fold in half and set on a branch. Vary the lengths to get a more interesting look. This works best with garland that is very flexible and will fold easily over branches.

Raffia - An inexpensive country look garland can be made from strands of raffia (clip raffia to even lengths and tie or wire lengths together). Wire swags onto branches to control the wild raffia look.

Vines - Long natural vines can be used as a garland if they are thin and flexible enough to be worked around the tree.

Chains - Homemade chains of paper strips or ribbon lengths can be made in any size or color you desire.

Popcorn - The old standby of popcorn and cranberry garlands add a homey look to your tree.
You'll need to experiment with needles, thread, and popcorn to determine the best method. This project may be better suited to a small tree since stringing 50+ feet of garland for a taller tree may be more than you can do.

Mini Pinecones- Pinecones look wonderful on a tree, especially a country or cabin themed tree. Look for commerically made garlands of mini-cones, or try making your own if you have a source of small pinecones.

Beads - Beaded garlands are a traditional favorite. Buy commerical styles in wood, faux pearls, and artificial cranberry. Or, string your own custom garland with the beads of your choice.

Trimmings- There are many craft and fabric materials that can be creatively used as garland. Look for cording, trimmings, artificial leaf garlands, tassles, upholstery trims, and more.

Twine, Rope- Twist, braid, knot, or loop twine or rope into a special garland. This might be perfect for a nautical tree, a Western themed tree, or a country tree.

Fold Your Own- Almost any paper decoration can be folded over a piece of twine or cording to make your own garland. Cut shapes out of folded paper, then glue the halves together with the twine encased in the fold. Space evenly on the twine, every 6" or so. Think about using color copies of photos, folded paper snowflakes, construction paper hearts, cardboard cabin shapes, etc.

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