We’ve spoken to a range of style and decorating experts, including the team at Balsam Hill – whose artificial Christmas trees have graced the TV sets of The X Factor, Good Morning Britain, and This Morning – about how to decorate your Christmas tree to make it look like you hired a professional, plus how to choose the right Christmas tree decorations to suit your theme.
But before we begin, like any task, you must have the right tools to ensure your Christmas tree’s safe and proper setup. This includes cotton gloves for shaping branches (it’s quite the task! ), scissors with safety handles for materials, packaging, or equipment, and a sturdy ladder or step stool for installing toppers and arranging decor on taller trees.
Invest in a high-quality artificial tree
Christmas trees crafted from premium materials provide sturdy and reliable support for decorations. You’ll find that high-quality trees are generally more durable and can stand up to repeated use year after year, all while maintaining their beautiful look.
Opt for a traditional tree rather than a trend-led one so that it stays on time after a few years; a conventional design gives you the perfect base to layer and decorate as you wish.
Pre-lit Christmas trees are a firm household favorite because it saves time in untangling all those lights. However, a benefit of buying an unlit tree is that you can choose whatever style of lights you want. Regarding size, 7ft Christmas trees are now trendy, but you should always choose a tree that fits in your space and leaves it feeling manageable. If you’re tight on space, some enormous slim Christmas trees are on the market, including narrow pencil designs, which may be a better fit. And remember, to prevent wear and tear on your Christmas tree, consider models with advanced features that offer easy setup and storage.
Fluff and shape branches
Fluffing the branches helps to make your Christmas tree look fuller and more natural. This can be a very time-consuming task, but trust us; the result is more than worth it. Separate each branch so they fan out to cover as much area as possible, and don’t hesitate to bend individual components to fill in gaps. An adequately shaped tree is appealing, however minimal or lavish your embellishments may be. Once again, remember to wear gloves and long sleeves if possible to avoid any scrapes on your hands and arms.
Design around a theme
A professional-looking Christmas tree has a central look that ties the decorations together. Deciding on a theme before choosing your decorations sets the tone and gives you a clear idea of how to decorate your tree. Need some inspiration? Why not look at John Lewis’ Christmas themes this year – from Winter Fayre to Santa’s Rainbow Workshop, there are six key looks to help you decorate this festive season. And Homebase has shared four festive themes, from Party Nights to Refined Nature, to help create a traditional Christmas look.
Choose the right colors (and materials)
Once you’ve decided on your theme, curate a color palette to bring it to life. For example, for a traditional yet opulent look, stick to a red and gold color combination; for a Scandi vibe, layer shades of white and soft neutrals, or choose blue and silver for an icy cool look. Stick to two (definitely no more than three) colors to keep the eye contained rather than cluttered. Also, consider materials and texture: plush velvet baubles lend themselves well to a luxe tree, while paper and wooden decorations are ideal for any Nordic-inspired or minimalist trees.
Less is always more, but it is Christmas, after all, so above everything else, decorate your tree in whatever way makes you happy! The decorating rulebook is relaxed at Christmastime, so have fun with it.
Start with the lights first
While pre-lit Christmas trees are popular and will save you time (and money), you’ll need Christmas tree lights if you have a bare tree (natural or artificial). As a general rule of thumb, the lighting experts at Lights4fun advise 100 bulbs or 5 meters of lights per 2ft of Christmas tree. So for a 6ft tree, you’d need 300 bulbs or 15 meters of lights.
The first and most important thing you need to do when decorating your Christmas tree is constantly adding the lights – it’s more challenging to do this after adding decorations like baubles and garlands.
Balsam Hill advises that you use the plug as the starting point, wrapping the lights around your Christmas tree’s trunk and working your way up from the center of the base of your tree. Continue wrapping the lights evenly around the branches nearest the chest, then weave them upwards from the middle of the crown.
‘When you reach the crown, weave your way back down, arranging the lights further out on the branches,’ Balsam Hill advises. ‘Keep weaving the lights until you reach the tips of the branches.’
And remember, when weaving, the bulb should be positioned under a branch, the next bulb over a unit, and so forth.
Layer and style ribbons
Another expert tip is to layer your Christmas tree with decorative ribbons, which will elevate your tree’s aesthetic. You may use one type of ribbon or pair of stripes of contrasting textures and different widths to create more impact.
Brad recommends using ribbons with wired edges, as these are easier to sculpt into loops, rolls, or bows, and they hold shape better than non-wired ribbons. Follow these simple techniques for arranging ribbons on your tree.
Use tree picks
Tree picks and floral sprays come in many forms, such as decorated branches, twigs, berries, or even pine cones – use them as subtle accents to complement the entire look of your tree. Grouping picks together using floral wire is a creative way to elevate the visual appeal of your tree without overpowering other decorations.
They are great for adding lively splashes of color, not only to Christmas trees but to wreaths and garlands, too. Make sure to choose picks with bendable stems to make shaping easier.
