Have you set up your Christmas tree? I thought to share a few simple tips on decorating classy Christmas trees after my previous post on a blue & violet Christmas:
- The #1 rule is: Pick a main colour theme and stick to it. Resist adding anything that is out of the colourway even if it is your favourite ornament, if it doesn't match save it for next year.
- Main colour themes can be single, double combinations, or double combinations with an accent.
One colour: eg. all reds family, all blues family
Two colour: eg. blues & violets, blues & greens, red & green
Two colour with 1 extra accent: eg. blues & violets with something in same tone like aqua
- If you plan to use accents, don't use just one or two pieces of ornaments, add it at bigger intervals to balance it out and don't overwrite the main colour theme. If you don't have enough, cut it out and stick to a simpler two-colour way.
- Silver or gold are essentials, try not to add both unless you want gold and silver as the main theme.
- My favourites are clear or mirror ornaments. They are neutral, and match anything. They give an extra sparkle and can help reflect more illumination on the tree when the lights are on.
- For cost-saving ornaments use wire-lined Christmas ribbons. You can create many from a roll and they look just lavish when done big! Just stick them in the tree and be generous. You can even make the decor all ribbon bows with baubles.
- As for whether one should mix cool & warm colours together (like blue-red combination), this is perfectly ok, just stick to the colour theme you've chosen.
- Another sort of decor could be figural themes... Like doves theme, gingerbread man theme, candy cane theme, vintage theme... Identical or similar ornaments when added in sufficient quantities will give your tree a whimsical touch, don't be stingy!
- Sometimes you wonder why the christmas lights are never enough to wrap around the branches, actually one maximum length bulb is enough for most trees. Lay the lights adjacent THROUGH to the center of the tree. This means it goes in angles like how you would draw a star, not wrapping it AROUND the tree. This gives you space for you to dangle your ornaments without the lights getting in the way too.
- I'm not much of a tinsel user but if you are using it, perhaps metallic or transparent-single colour instead of the multicoloured ones would be easier to match. You can use them to line your cupboards, doorknobs and other furniture, besides the tree.
- Avoid adding torn little shreds of cotton wool as snow. This is definitely a no-go. Snow doesn't fall in little torn tufts and more likely than not they will appear looking cobwebby. If you like to emulate snow be generous about the cotton wool. Add a whole piece, shape it according to the shape of the branches/fir and add them on the exterior-most branches like how real snow would. Referring to photos help. However if you own a real tree don't use them, because misting and moisture will cause your fluffy wool to clump and flatten in a day or two.
That's it, enjoy your decorating!
Wonderful photography are credited to Flickr members under the creative commons license. Click on them to visit their page.