Top ten tips: Decorating your Christmas tree
Thursday, 22 December 2011 1:27 PM
Getting your Christmas decorations right can make or break the festive season. We spoke to Notcutts, a family-owned group of 19 garden centres, about how to make sure your Christmas tree lives up to expectations.
Here are their top ten tips:
1. The perfect tree
Picking your perfect Christmas tree is all about personal taste, whether you love the smell of a natural pine or prefer the perfection of an artificial tree –it’s all down to you. The important thing is to have a good look around and find one that suits you and your family. If you do pick a real tree make sure you keep it well watered so it stays green and fresh throughout the holidays.
2. Pick a theme
When choosing your decorations, pick a theme of two to three colours to achieve an elegant look. Red, gold and silver are the most traditional but don't be afraid to experiment – purple is a great alternative which can be cooled down with silver or glammed up with gold accents. Notcutts' Regal Shimmer range is a great example of this:
3. Where to start?
Always start decorating your tree by adding the lights. LED lights are the safest and most eco-friendly option and they offer a lovely warm glow but if you prefer coloured or flashing lights then use them. Start by adding the lights at the bottom of the tree and work your way upwards, hiding any ends at the back. If you have a big tree you'll need at least two sets of lights for a sumptuous glow.
4. Glamorous garlands
Instead of tinsel, use ribbon or strings of beads to drape around your tree. This will create a more sophisticated and polished look and can be adapted to any colour scheme.
5. Where to put what?
Put your heavier baubles near the bottom of the tree where the branches are thicker and stronger and work your way upwards. Make sure you add decorations 'inside' your tree as well as on the tips to add depth and interest. Your most treasured ornaments should sit in pride of place, higher up the tree and on the tips of the branches.
6. Special ornaments
Alongside the simple, classic baubles that will largely carry the colour theme of your tree, it's important to have some special ornaments that carry personality and meaning. These will probably be collected over time or be personal to you, so make sure you treat yourself to at least one special decoration each year. Why not buy each member of your family a special ornament as a gift each Christmas so they can start their own collections too? Notcutts has a great range of personalised decorations including festive lettering for you to hang all your family initials on the tree:
7. Personalise your decorations
To exaggerate your chosen theme, replace dangling strings and wire with coloured ribbon or raffia. Velvets and silks are particularly luxurious and tartan ribbon can transform a red theme into something extremely striking.
8. Get the children involved
Keeping the kids busy during the holidays can be tricky. A great way to keep them entertained is to help them make their own decorations such as painting fir cones and baking orange segments to hang on the tree with pretty ribbons. You could even get them their own small tree for their bedroom to decorate on their own, that way you can keep your tree a haven of festive sophistication!
9. Don't stop with the tree
Christmas decorations aren't just about the tree; there are lots of other opportunities to spread your colour theme throughout the house. A really lovely way to do this is by taking sprigs of holy, red berries or even cut offs from your tree to make festive arrangements for hallways, mantle pieces or table decorations. Just simply tie them together with coloured ribbon or raffia with some small baubles to bring them to life.
10. The finishing touch
Whether you prefer a star, an angel or something a little more unusual for the top of your tree, one thing is for sure – your Christmas tree isn't fully dressed without a Christmas topper. Take time choosing it and find one that is special to you. Consider the proportions of your tree (and your ceiling height) before you decide on one and you can't go wrong.
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- christmas ,
- christmas interiors ,
- top ten
