My favorite part of Christmas is always decorating the Christmas tree with my mom. We typically cook up some finger foods like chips & queso, taquitos, and chicken bites to fuel our bodies while decorating the tree and watching White Christmas. It’s a sacred tradition in the Moeller household and one I hope to keep going for generations.
As we decorated the tree this year, I was pleasantly surprised at how well things were coming together. We are working to transition her Christmas decor completely and in only 2 years’ time, we’ve fully transitioned her decor from a gold glam to a red and black farmhouse style. A large part of the transition happened with her tree, which is why I want to share my tips for sprucing up your Christmas tree without breaking the bank.
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Your Christmas Tree Needs A Base
For tip number one, start with the base. Most Christmas trees (especially fake ones) do not have the most beautiful stands. They stick out like a sore thumb and need to be disguised by something. Most people elect to purchase tree skirts to hide their base, but they aren’t the only option.
Tree skirts are pretty, but a lot of them tend to receive quite a bit of wear and tear while collecting dirt. If you would like something a bit more resilient, tree boxes make for an elevated alternative to the skirt. They also cover up more of the stump of the tree and tend to show better when surrounded by all of your lovely Christmas packages.
Pick A Theme Or A Scheme
We all love those beautiful ornaments our kids have made us, or the fun ones our friends have bought for us, but sometimes it leaves our tree looking a little chaotic. With pops of every color known to man and a wide array of various materials, your tree may start to feel a little hodge-podge. If that’s your thing, I support it! If you are looking for something a bit more put together, I know just what you need.
Start by selecting a theme for your tree. The theme could be natural elements such as antlers and pinecones or could consist of the desired color palette or set of patterns. Whatever you choose, find something you like so it will never “go out of style.”
For instance, my mom elected to do a red, white, and black Christmas theme, which you can see reflected in her tree. If your goal is to have a more curated Christmas style, try selecting Christmas tree decorations that incorporate elements similar to your other holiday decor. This means if you have berries in your greenery and garlands, you may want to add some berry picks to your tree as well.
Don’t Leave Out The Picks!
Speaking of picks, these beautiful editions are a great way to elevate your Christmas tree. Is your tree looking a little sparse? Thick greenery picks are a great way to fill in some of your empty spaces. They also can be used to add a bit of color or intrigue.
For example, we selected these fun buffalo-checked plaid picks to place on our tree. They add a bit of fun while creating some more dimension. Picks come in many different shapes and styles which allow you to find the perfect one for your style of tree.
Pro-tip: be careful to shop for longer ones than you think you will need. You can always cut your pick shorter if need be, but you can’t make it longer. Short picks can become lost in your tree and won’t provide that same intrigue and dimension.
Layer Up!
Your clothes aren’t the only thing you need to layer up on at Christmas time! Your Christmas tree should also have several layers of ornaments and accessories to help provide that full, magazine-like look. Make sure you toss some of your ornaments a bit deeper back into the tree. This will help you avoid that flat look that happens when you only place ornaments on the edges of your branches.
We reserve our “least favorite” ornaments for this part, but they are essential to the final look. This will help fill the empty space that is often found in artificial trees while adding the desired depth and dimension for a fuller look.
Make It Natural
Finally, give your tree that perfect touch of farmhouse by adding in a few more natural elements. Natural elements such as pinecones or berries can help ground your brighter decorations to help bring in the raw element that we often see in farmhouse design. My favorite natural elements to include are:
- berries
- pinecones
- deer antlers
- acorns
- wood
You don’t have to go overboard with organic accessories on your Christmas tree, but adding a few from the above will make a huge difference!