These Christmas tree decorating ideas will get you feeling extra festive this season. Here’s everything you need to know about dressing your tree like a pro.
Christmas is in the air, and you can almost smell the freshly cut trees (or the artificial ones, no judgment)! I adore the tradition of searching for the perfect tree and then bringing it home to trim.
If you need some inspiration this year, I've put together a lovely list of Christmas tree decorating ideas for you to browse. What I love about all of these designs is that you really can't go wrong.
You can keep your festive decor simple or go bold, and don’t hesitate to let your personality shine through. Plenty of us struggle with exactly how to master tree decorating, and I'm happy to help with that. You'll be decorating like a pro before you know it.
I love sharing my favorite Christmas decorating tips with you! Some of my top picks are How to Decorate the Kitchen for Christmas, primary bedroom Christmas decor and how to display kitchen cabinet wreaths. My hope is that they help you create a home you love!
How To Decorate A Christmas Tree
There's no wrong way to decorate a Christmas tree, but the process can feel much less stressful and more cohesive if you follow these tips:
- Pick a tree. Whether you're going with an artificial tree or a fresh cut one, this is the place to start. I rounded up the BEST artificial Christmas trees in this post (click here). Happy shopping!
- Choose a theme. I love making a themed tree because it adds so much beauty while keeping the decorating process streamlined. You can go with an eclectic design or opt for a classic one if you prefer.
- Select your Tree Skirt or Tree Collar. Back in the day, you could add the tree skirt at the very end of decorating. But many tree collars need to go on before you assemble the tree. So go ahead and pick yours now!
- Add those lights. The first thing to add is always the lights. It will make the whole process much smoother. Plus, having your lights in place helps you decide where everything else should go. Keep the lights switched on as you decorate, so you can see how everything looks together.
- Place garlands, tinsel or ribbons on the tree. If you're planning to add garland, tinsel or ribbon, this is the next step. You can use a mix of all three, just one, or skip this step entirely. Whatever you like!
- Hang the ornaments. Start with the largest ornaments first! Spread them out so they're evenly placed across the tree. A general rule of thumb is about 10 decorations per foot of tree. So if you have a 7-foot tree, you'll need around 70 ornaments to fill it out.
- Don’t forget the Christmas tree toppers. Use a ribbon, angel, star, or anything else you love as the topper. It's going to be the focal point of the tree, so make sure it's a piece you adore.
Easy Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas
Now that we've covered the basics of how to decorate a Christmas tree, it's time for the fun part: the Christmas tree decorating ideas!
1. Go Traditional with Plaid
I wrapped this gorgeous artificial, real-feel raiser fir in traditional red and green plaid ribbon. Then I added our nostalgic family ornaments, and it became the perfectly cozy, family-centered tree. Don't forget to wrap gifts in matching paper!
Gold berry picks and blueberry picks finished off the look! Oh, and I added a wooden star for the top for a relaxed vibe. I love it!
2. Add DIY Accent Pieces
For this flocked tree I placed in our primary bedroom, I chose to keep things simple. White lights add charm and character, and together they create a perfectly casual yet elegant look.
I also made this DIY tree basket from a few basic supplies for my mini tree in the bedroom. It was super easy! It didn't take much time, energy or money, and the result is lovely and festive.
3. Feminine Flair with Shades of Brass and Blush
In my office, I love a flocked tree dressed in pretty cream and gray plaid ribbon with pink, brass and gold ornaments (plus a few gray ones!). It works with my feminine blush and brass office decor and makes me smile every time I walk into the room!
4. Fill Your Tree with Vibrant Colors
Color lovers, this Christmas tree by Michael at Inspired by Charm is for you! It's breathtaking with all that ombre vibrancy. It's definitely the one that made me stop mid-scroll!
Michael created a delightful look that will suit most decorating styles. Placing the tree in front of two large windows lets lots of natural light fall on the Christmas tree, too.
You can recreate this look with single-color glass ornaments instead of a rainbow. If you love blue, for example, hang your dark blue ornaments on the bottom of the tree and the lightest ones on top for that ombre effect. Just choose your favorite colors and get started.
5. Add Natural Elements
You can even skip the ornaments altogether, like Eden at Sugar and Charm did. Instead of decorations, she chose vibrant, colorful berries to dress her tree.
I'm not always a fan of red, but I love how subtle and beautiful it is, and I'm inspired to add red berries to my own decor this year. The greenery, white lights and berries complement each other perfectly. Take a look at her whole home Christmas tour for even more inspiration.
6. Holiday Cheer with Whimsical Winter Wonderland Ornaments
Since I decorate more than one tree for myself, my daughters now want me to decorate trees in their rooms too. So it's been fun to create a pretty, winter wonderland tree for them! I used this budget-friendly pre-lit 6.5 flocked tree, and it's perfect!
Decorating the tree was so easy because you can buy pre-made ornament sets that work across the whole tree. Just add some ribbon, a tree topper and a tree skirt, and it's done! It's a great way to finish a kids' tree in no time.
7. Simple Bows instead of Ornaments
In my dining room, I set up this gorgeous slim Aspen fir last year. All it needed to finish the look was some pretty gold ribbon bows!
8. Blue and Green Plaid Color Scheme
For this beautiful blue and green plaid Christmas tree, I also highlighted natural elements to coordinate with our Hale Navy living room.
I added plenty of copper, brass and mercury glass glam ornaments to bring out the browns and wood tones. I also added larger 4-inch rustic orbs and white painted ornaments to give the holiday decor even more depth!
9. Flocked Christmas Tree with Navy Accents
You can see that same green and navy plaid from above, but this time on my small flocked white tree. The navy really stands out against the lighter background and the white and gray walls. This was also my first time pairing a woven tree collar with a tree skirt, and I loved it!
This was one of my very favorite Christmas living room decor moments! I also hung various blue plastic ball ornaments on the tree, but they're hard to see from this far back.
I made them by filling clear plastic ball ornaments with my favorite blue paints. Ta-da! Custom ornaments! So if you have leftover paint sitting around that would suit your color scheme, try making your own!
10. Christmas Tree Decorated with Candle Lights
Ashley from Modern Glam chose to decorate her Scandinavian Christmas tree with candles! She says it's an Old World, modern and Scandinavian tree with a mix of elements that just work together! And that includes the simple but beautiful wrapped gifts under the tree!
To get the same look, combine paper snowflake ornaments, wood beaded garland, a ribbon bow and strings of candle lights with melted wax. It has a beautiful old-world, vintage vibe!
11. Use Timeless Metallics
Metallic ornaments have long been a favorite among Christmas tree ideas because they never go out of style. Decorating with metallic ornaments has been around forever, and I hope it stays that way. Lia Griffith at Craft Your Life used lots of homemade Christmas ornaments, and the result couldn't have turned out more gorgeous!
12. Layer in Buffalo Check
I never tire of discovering new Christmas tree decorating ideas. One of my favorites from the past is this buffalo check tree!
However, I didn't want to go with traditional red and black; I wanted something different. When I spotted the navy buffalo check, I knew right away that I needed it!
Combining the checkered ribbon with rustic burlap ribbons, turquoise ornaments, pom-pom garland and large white snowflakes created a look I absolutely loved.
13. Add Charming Farmhouse Style with Cotton Bolls and Lamb’s Ear Picks & Matching Gifts
This calm, inviting farmhouse tree is perfect for the holiday season. Cotton, lamb's ear, a variety of white ornaments and rustic ribbon come together to create a beautiful, serene tree.
You'll also notice that all of the wrapped gifts match each other. It's a small detail that adds to the charm of this cute Christmas tree idea. I also added a large galvanized tree collar to the base of the tree, which you know I love
14. Country Plaid Tree
Here's another one of my favorite Christmas trees from years past. Country plaid adds just the right touch of red for a festive pop. It's easy to see why it's always a popular choice for country-style decorating. It looks amazing.
As you can see, I added some berries to give the tree depth, along with various styles and shapes of ornaments. Mix things up, because ornaments don't all need to be balls. Using lots of different sizes and shapes gives your tree a wonderful texture.
I also added some chalkboard ornaments with Christmas-themed sayings on them. The whole look invites you to pull up a chair, sip on a warm drink and get cozy.
Common Questions
What is the correct order to decorate a Christmas tree?
Start with a tree skirt or collar, then add the lights. Next come the ornaments, and you'll want to go from biggest to smallest. Finally, finish the tree with embellishments like sprigs and sprays. And don't forget the tree topper!
How can I make my Christmas tree look luxurious?
Layer on ornaments, ribbons and embellishments to make your Christmas tree look luxurious. Mix larger ornaments with smaller ones, drape ribbons in a range of widths and colors, and add lots and lots of lights!
What is the best way to put lights on a Christmas tree?
Wrap each branch in lights from trunk to tip! I have a How to Put Lights on a Christmas Tree tutorial too!
Closing Thoughts
I hope these beautiful Christmas trees inspired you to create a lovely theme for your tree this year! Or maybe borrow a few ideas from each one and work them into your holiday decor. Whatever you do, I hope you love your home decor this holiday season!
Ready to start decorating? Grab your Christmas PJs, put on a cheesy Hallmark movie and get to work!
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