Christmas Tree Decorating

What Should You Look For In A Good Christmas Tree?

Don’t underestimate the importance of shape - this tree will be in the focal point of your home over the festive period so it’s got to be simply spectacular! The Nordmann Fir is a traditional pyramid shape, and it’s perfect for displaying your Christmas decorations. It’s the most popular Christmas tree in the UK, and is widely admired for its excellent needle-holding ability, meaning it tends to keep looking its best throughout the season.

How Can You Lengthen Its Lifespan?

Commonly held advice is to saw 2.5cm off the bottom of a cut tree to help it absorb more water which helps it last longer. If you don’t plan on decorating your tree the day it comes home, store it upright in a cool place or, even better, leave the Christmas tree in the garden so it can benefit from some fresh air. Make sure you keep the tree well watered and remove the netting the day before you bring it into the house.

Where You Should Position Your Tree?

To keep it fresh, position it away from any heat sources. While it may look lovely to have your tree next to a roaring fireplace, heat dries out a tree –– so even if you just have radiators in the room, you might like to consider keeping the overall temperature lower to make sure it looks its best.

Watering – How Much?

You should keep the water in the stand topped up throughout the festive season. You may have heard of people adding sugar, aspirin and even bleach to the water but, unlike fresh flowers, a tree doesn’t need special treatment. I’d just recommend topping it up every few days.

Finally, When Christmas Is Over, What To Do With It?

Don’t wait until it’s totally dried out – otherwise, one move and the needles will fall everywhere. Real Christmas trees can be recycled, so check your local council’s website to find out when tree collection day is. When Christmas trees are recycled, they can be used for garden mulch or turned into woodchip for paths or ground covering, so it really is the most sustainable option.

Choose A Theme

If you’re starting from scratch, it’s wise to consider a theme. The most professional looking trees hinge around a thoughtful, considered look. Perhaps it’s something kitsch and retro, traditional and elegant, or contemporary and sophisticated. Once you have an idea of the end result you’re after, you can then get to the really fun part - choosing your decorations. 

Curate Your Colour Palette

Once you've decided on your theme, consider your colour palette. For a traditional yet luxe look choose red, green and gold, for a Nordic vibe combine shades of white with neutrals, or go for go all out on colour for a true celebratory aesthetic. It’s worth thinking about materials and texture too: rich velvet baubles are perfect for an opulent tree, while decorations made from natural materials such as wood, cotton and paper are perfect for anything more rustic.

Make It Personal

Decorations are an opportunity to add personality and character to your tree. Whether it’s a cute reference to a hobby, a nod to your favourite pet or simply a letter for each family member, add something meaningful to yours. Many of us have decorations we’ve collected over the years and some that may even have been handed down through generations - not to mention some homemade treasures by little ones. Whatever you theme, it’s lovely to incorporate beloved items from past alongside present.

Start With The Lights

Before you hang anything, the first stop is lights. Starting from the trunk with the plug as your starting point, wind the cable around the tree, making sure to wind the lights close to the trunk, in and out of the branches. Not only will this disguise the cable, it will also leave the outer branches available for decorations. 

Balance Your Baubles

Many professional tree decorators recommend hanging baubles in different sizes in a cluster of three. You hang them in a Z shape, with the largest closet to the centre to add depth, and the smallest at the end of the branches. If you have any delicate, breakable baubles, it’s best to hang them nearer the top so people are less likely to brush past and knock them off.

Have You Heard About The Bow Trend?

It started last year and it’s going nowhere. Whether you’re buying big bows to attach to the tree or tying ribbons around separate branches, you can create an impact in different ways. Either go all out for one colour, or double up contrasting ribbons within the same bow. It’s worth seeking out wire ribbons too which really hold their shape.

Top It Off

Star or angel? There is no right or wrong answer, just make sure it’s in keeping with your colour scheme and theme. If in doubt, you can’t really wrong with metallics. But if you want depart from tradition, how about embracing the trend and adding a giant bow?