Written by The Strategy
Nothing puts us into the spirit of Christmas quite like an annual dose of tree decorating festivities. There’s truly something magical about a beautifully decorated tree: the warmth and calmness it exudes into our spaces and hearts, the smell of fresh pine that fills the entire room; the special placement of the last ornament, and that moment when lighting the tree for the first time? Cue the ouuu’s and ahhh’s.
Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s time to get that tree up and twinkling.The physical task of decorating a tree you love is never as easy and glamorous as people make it out to be. With a little expert advice and good taste, we’re sharing some tips and tricks to bring you a tree that you’ll want the neighbours to see. Because believe it or not, this isn’t our first time around the block, and a little healthy competition never hurt anyone.
The best trees don’t start with the best decor. Surprised? They start with symmetry. Whether you choose faux or the real deal this year, take the first 10-15 minutes to space bare branches perfectly to create symmetry. Consider this the least fun part, but these little tweaks make all the difference in the end. So take the time to prep your bare tree early on in the process, and it won’t look like Christmas just threw up in the corner of your living room.
Choose a theme. The build up of ornaments we carry over the years can be overwhelming and too many of them, despite how pretty they may be, will spoil the tree. Deciding on a theme – whether it be sophisticated or bright and bold – will help you stay on track. Your tree doesn’t need to tell a story, but it should project an overall mood. What that mood is is entirely up to you.
Play with size and texture. Silver bells, jingle bells, garland, and tinsel – it’s all good stuff but may not correspond with your theme, and that is okay. Vow to make a choice when deciding which sparkly items to use, and experiment with different sizes and textures. For example, if your theme is a winter wonderland and you’ve decided on snowflake decor, opt for both giant and small sized snowflakes and use them to create balance. After all, there’s no two snowflakes that look the same.
Lastly, you’ll want to consider colour: maybe you’re feeling metallics this year (silver, gold, and bronze), or maybe a traditional tress of red, green, and gold. Even if you’re theme is bright and bold, sticking to a colour scheme (2-3 colours) will better communicate your theme and make your tree cohesive and complete. Always be mindful of pre-existing colours in the room in which you plan to plant your tree to avoid any clashing. There’s nothing more detrimental than taking the time to beautifully decorate your evergreen only to realize it clashes with the wall and sofa beside it.
Most importantly, don’t take yourself too seriously. Tree decorating is an art form at best, so don’t be afraid to break some rules and get creative. The sky is the limit here – or in this case, your ceiling.
Happy decorating!
Written by Shannon Sauder
