There’s nothing that ushers in the holiday season quite as much as a lovely Christmas tree that’s decorated with glitter and tinsel. And for many of us, the most cherished Christmas memories involve opening gifts under the tree! But decorating your Christmas tree is by no means an easy feat, and getting to the point where you can stand back and admire your masterpiece calls for quite a bit of hard work.
Here, we’ve put together some easy Christmas tree decorating hacks to help you celebrate the holidays in style!
Unconventional Christmas Tree Toppers and Accents
While we’re all for innovation, the best Christmas trees are the ones with traditional flavours, and a Christmas tree topper is a must-have for your tree to look its best.
- You can’t go wrong with the usual Christmas tree star topper…it’s elegant, classic and highly traditional. Stars made of paper and metal are conventional and timeless choices that add a touch of nostalgia to your holiday décor.
- An angel tree topper is also a lovely choice. During the Christmas season, angels are said to represent hope and joy, which is what this time of year is all about! Angel tree toppers with flowing lace robes add to the charm of your Christmas tree.
- If you’re looking for an organic zero cost Christmas tree topper, why not try making one yourself? This pretty star is fashioned out of dried twigs and tied together with jute string, and ticks all the sustainability boxes perfectly!
- There really are no rules when it comes to Christmas tree toppers—just follow your heart, and you can’t go wrong! This gorgeous tree uses dried ferns and rushes, spray-painted in gold paint, as a delightfully different tree topper.
Dazzling Christmas Lights and Illumination Techniques
Get your Christmas lighting right, and you’ll be able to transform your home into a fairytale wonderland in no time! We’ve curated some ideas to help make your holiday lighting truly spectacular.
- Wrap-around lights for your indoor Christmas tree add a magical ambience to your holiday décor. Weave strings of lights in and out of the branches to add depth and achieve a beautifully wrapped tree which can be the focal point to your celebrations.
- There’s nothing that can quite match the lovely soft glow of candles. Group scented candles in red, green and white and create a warm and inviting ambience in your home. Add pretty Christmas-themed ornaments and pine cones to create a lovely centrepiece.
- Bunch up some fairy lights in mason jars or tall glass bottles, add mini trees or reindeer motifs, and string them together to create a stunning window display.
- Wrap tree trunks and branches with string lights to turn your outdoor trees into stunning focal points, and transform your garden into a winter wonderland. Illuminate your garden with string lights around plants, fencing and trellises for a magical outdoor space.
- Mix and match dazzling lights in different shapes and sizes and different colours. For an eco friendly Christmas, opt for LED bulbs or string lights powered by mini batteries, or get solar-powered lights that keep the planet green.
- Place candles on window sills and balconies throughout your home. Be careful if you have naughty tiny tots in your home; the last thing you need is a fire hazard!
- Think of creating tiny terrariums in open glass globes, using twinkling lights, faux snow, miniature snowmen and holiday figurines.
DIY Christmas Ornaments and Personalised Décor
The holiday season is the best time to put on your crafty cap and work on creating your very own personalised DIY ornaments. You’re bound to have free time on your hands, and the little ones at home could be running out of things to do! Here are some festive and fun ways to give your home a Christmas update, all while creating some lovely family memories!
Get your home holiday ready with these lovely DIY Christmas decorations!
- Once you’re finished wrapping all the gifts, you probably have a lot of leftover ribbon and lace. Make little bows and hang them from your tree, tie them around wreaths and use them in your table place settings.
- Here’s a lovely DIY Christmas tree ornament idea that can become part of your family traditions. Create little envelopes out of brown paper, and ask your family members to each write three wishes they’d want for the coming year. Tie the wishes to your tree, or string them up over the doorway. Keep the wishes in storage for a whole year, and check to see how many of them actually come true!
- Love to bake? Create edible Christmas tree decorations by stringing thread through Christmas- themed gingerbread cookies. You can get as creative as you’d like with simple sugar icing. Make sure to create a hole in the dough for the string before baking!
- DIY Christmas cards are always warmer than shop bought ones, and filled with love too! Make your greetings extra special by crafting your own cards out of cardboard, glue, felt and paint.
- Fill tiny jam jars with chocolate pops and hang them from the branches of your tree. Decorate the bottles with acrylic paint, glitter and coloured paper.
- Tie together curls of cinnamon, dried orange peel and bits of clove and star anise in little netted pouches and hang them from your tree for a festive and fragrant ambience.
Christmas Themed Tree Decorating for a Coordinated Look
You can choose to decorate your tree using a coordinated Christmas theme. Here are some ideas to inspire you!
- A traditional Christmas tree theme with the classic colours of red, white, and green, accented with silver and gold, creates a timeless and festive look. Choose a mix of red, green, and white ball ornaments in various sizes, and add silver and gold metallic ornaments for a classic look.
- A silver, gold and white theme is stylish and sophisticated, and goes well with a minimalistic home. Choose a tree that’s sprayed in white, and add silver snowflakes and gold ball ornaments for a magical touch. Use wide silver ribbon to create luxurious bows, and intersperse with small gold bows to add depth and balance.
- A vintage Christmas tree theme could use old family heirlooms, holiday photographs and strings of popcorn (does anyone do this anymore?). Choose DIY ornaments that have been handed down through generations. Wrap your tree in vintage-style garlands and drape it with antique lights for a retro effect.
Nature-Inspired Christmas Ornaments and Greenery
If you’re a fan of all things green and love to embrace the beauty of nature, here are a few nature-inspired Christmas ornaments to complete your home décor this season!
- Collect pine cones and spray paint them in silver and gold, or use them as they are for a rustic touch. Add a jute string for an organic touch.
- Put together twigs of various sizes to make handmade stars, and hang them as tree ornaments.
- Bundle cinnamon sticks together with twine to create fragrant ornaments. Add small bows or dried citrus slices for extra flair.
- Slice oranges thinly and dry them in the oven. Thread the slices with twine to create zesty and fragrant ornaments.
- Craft your own wreath with evergreen branches and red berries, and hang it at the front door for a welcoming touch.
Space-Saving and Apartment-Friendly Decor Ideas
Short on space but still want to go all out with your festive decorations? All it takes is a bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Here are some apartment-friendly Christmas decor ideas that won’t take up too much room:
- Make the most of your wall space by mounting your Christmas tree on the wall, instead of taking up precious floor space! Get creative with lengths of sticks, pieces of string and some homemade DIY Christmas decorations. Add glitter by stringing fairy lights through your wall-mounted tree!
- Drape Christmas garlands, candy canes and lovely large bows made of red satin at the windows for an instant refresh. Quick tip: Save the bows from your holiday gifts and reuse wherever you’d like.
- Your apartment may be short on square footage, but you can jazz up the walls to the hilt. This makeshift wall décor uses a ladder to hang red and green paper buckets, Christmas cards and holiday greetings. Don’t miss the lovely woolly red throw for a touch of festive cheer.
- Use tabletop decor like miniature Christmas trees, candle arrangements, or holiday-themed centrepieces to add a festive touch without taking up too much space.
Quick Fixes for Common Decorating Dilemmas
With all the fuss around holiday plans, it’s easy enough to lose track of time and find that you are decorating your Christmas tree at the very last minute! Here are some quick fixes that can make your décor look great without too much effort.
- Think of using pre-lit artificial trees that can literally be set up and just plugged in, to give your home the festive look in no time at all.
- Opt for a Christmas tree theme, so that you don’t have to spend time coordinating ornaments and decorating styles. A tree that’s entirely decorated in satin bows, for instance, can give your living room a unique aesthetic.
- If your walls are bare, oversized wall decals with graffiti or holiday-themed prints are an instant upgrade. Choose peel and stick decals that can be as easily removed once the season is over.
- Mismatched tree ornaments, and no time to go shopping? Tie them together in clusters for a curated look!
- Hang snowflake cutouts and strings of fairy lights on your windows for a super-quick holiday transformation.
- Neutral furniture looking too bare? Layer textured throws and vibrant cushions, and use slipcovers in red and green for a new look.
Work with what you already have, and add a few impactful elements to create a lively look, without spending too much time on elaborate decorations. After all, it’s the spirit that counts!
Happy Decorating!
There’s no time to lose — choose the Christmas tree decorating hacks that work for you, and get started on giving your home that Insta-worthy look!
Loved our Christmas tree decoration ideas, and looking for more help with your holiday décor? Book a consult with the HomeLane team and allow us to work our magic on your home! Whether you’re looking for holiday décor upgrades or a brand-new interior for your new home, our team of talented designers can turn your home décor visions into reality. Let’s connect!
