It’s getting to be that time of year when people begin decorating their homes for Christmas. You’ll be pulling out your outdoor lights and decorations and your Christmas-themed kitchenware, as well as your favorite Christmas cookie recipes. Of course, you can’t forget about perhaps the most important piece of them all, your Christmas tree, so we rounded up some Christmas tree decorating tips to help you out.
Select a Great Tree
The first decision, of course, must be whether you want to go with an artificial tree or a real one. There are pros and cons to both choices to consider. If you opt for a real tree, you’ll want to read this really helpful guide to selecting a great tree. If an artificial tree makes more sense for your family, here are some of the best options on the market to consider.
Fluff the Tree
If you have an artificial tree, you’ll definitely want to devote some time during the setup process to fluffing the branches. If you skip out on this, you could end up with a stiff-looking tree. Properly fluffing the branches will give your tree a much fuller appearance, which definitely pays off when it’s fully decorated.
Check the Lights First
I’m sure we can all relate to the frustration of getting the layout of the lights just right, only for there to be a problem, making your dramatic turning-the-lights-on reveal rather anticlimactic. Save yourself the hassle by making sure all your lights are in proper working order before getting them perfectly positioned on the tree. Once they’re all good, a typical process would be to string the lights around, position your garlands and any additional pieces, and then finally hang your ornaments.
Decorate According to Your Tree
Christmas tree decorating tips aren’t always one size fits all. Some trees may look great loaded up with a wide variety of ornaments, garlands, and other decorative flairs. Other trees look their best with decorations that are simpler and more sparse. You should also take into consideration the rest of your interior Christmas decor, so you don’t end up with a Christmas tree that looks totally out of place given its surroundings.
Have Fun!
Trimming the tree should be a fun process that involves the whole family and allows for some solid bonding. Put on some of your favorite Christmas music or a classic Christmas movie to get everyone in the holiday spirit and make a day out of it!
Now that you’ve read some tips, why not take a look at some excellent examples of beautifully decorated Christmas trees? We gathered some images of White House Christmas trees from years prior. This is also an interesting look into how the styles of Christmas trees change over time.
This 1947 photograph of the Christmas tree in the East Room of the White House was taken while Harry S. Truman was in office.
This was the tree on display in the White House’s Blue Room for Christmas of 1962, during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. It featured unique decorations such as little toys and gingerbread cookies to match its “Nutcracker Suite” theme.
This Christmas tree from Jimmy Carter’s presidency in December of 1978 featured an interesting setup with a dollhouse display directly in front of the tree.
This photo of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in front of the Blue Room’s tree was taken in December of 1981.
Our final Christmas tree selection comes from December of 1990, during George H. W. Bush’s presidency.
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