As the prophecy foretold, Santa Claus is coming — which means you better have that bloody Christmas tree up in time. Have you ever thought about how weird it is that we drape ornaments around a dead tree in our living rooms and then just… keep it there, for like, weeks? Best not to dwell on that too long, probably.
It’s all about how you dress up your tree, isn’t it — honestly it’s quite a fun and festive activity right? Are you a traditional green-and-red Christmas tree kinda girlie, or are you the type to dress up a plastic tree in the brightest vivids come December? Whatever your preference, we have created the ultimate guide to your Insta-perfect Christmas tree.
Should your Christmas tree be real or fake?
The eternal question! Should you go for a real, bonafide Christmas tree, or should you go for the plastic equivalent? It’s honestly up to you — but there’s definitely a few things you should consider before diving into either.
A real Christmas tree will fill the house with that gorgeous, festive scent. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a real, bristly pine or fir — but that lovely feeling might not be for the time (or money) poor.
Real trees take a fair amount of maintenance and a bit of gear. First, you’ll need a Christmas tree stand, which are usually sold at nurseries, Christmas tree farms or anywhere else you can buy a real tree. You can also, of course, nab one online, and they’ll generally set you back anything from $30 to $100 and up.
When looking for your real tree, try to find one that’s size-appropriate for your home. You might want to bring a friend with you when purchasing your tree, hold up potential trees straight, and fluff them out a bit to check for gaps in the foliage. Depending on the size, a real Christmas tree can set you back anywhere from $60+ (expect to pay around $80+ for a standard-size tree). Also — get your vaccuum ready, because real trees will drop bristles when you move them in and out of your house. Don’t forget a skirt for the base, either — you’ll need one whether your tree is real or fake.
The great thing about artificial trees is there’s no mess, and after the initial cost of the tree (usually about $100, but it can get pretty steep), there’s no yearly cost. While you might not get that gorgeous natural scent from an artificial tree, let’s be honest — there’s candles for that. You also don’t have to figure out how to dispose of your fake tree once it’s time to take it down — just pop it into storage, ready for next year.
It’s all in the decorations, babe
Whether you choose a real Chrissy tree or a fake one, the real impact will be in your choice of Christmas decorations. When I was a kid, we would pull out the boxes of decorations from under the stairs and Mum would let us drape everything all over the tree in truly haphazard fashion. It looked… hectic, as anything decorated by people under 10 generally does.
When we got older Mum took control back, opting for a strict colour theme every year. She adorns our family Christmas tree with gorgeous, deeply co-ordinated trinkets and embellishments and every year it’s a beauty to behold — but a part of me still feels really fondly towards our objectively ugly decorating efforts as kids. What I’m trying to say is, if the effort and the heart is there, whatever way you choose to decorate your tree will be joyous and beautiful.
Aww. Now all the sappy stuff’s done, let’s get to the ~inspiration~.
Get traditional with your Christmas tree
We all know the old school Christmas colours, right? Red, green, gold and occasionally silver — but let’s be honest, red and green are the main characters here. Easy peasy.
This is a really good theme to go with if this is the first Christmas tree you’ve ever decorated on your own. It’s easy to find ornaments that fit this theme (in fact a lot of your childhood ones might do the job), it’s nostalgic and very obviously CHRISTMAS.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Go for a modern look
If you’re not keen on the traditional Christmas tree vibes, never fear — there are endless opportunities to go really out there with your tree. Throw everything you know about Christmas decorating out the window — there’s no rules here.
If you’re looking for quirky, funny or un-ewe-sual ornaments on a budget, Typo have got you sorted. I’ve got my eye on the My Little Pony ornament pack myself.
View this post on Instagram
If bright colours catch your eye, like a little magpie collecting its trinkets, you might want to investigate a more vibrant look. There’s so many options out there — you can even take your eclectic vibe to the next level by purchasing a colourful artificial tree. If you need some ideas, there’s lots of gorgeous examples on Instagram for you to peruse.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
What if you don’t have room for a Christmas tree?
Alas, some of us are destined to dwell in teeny apartments or cramped sharehouses and simply cannot find the room for a full-on Christmas tree. Never fear — you can still embrace the Christmas spirit!
Have you considered a miniature Christmas tree? You can actually get real OR fake tiny trees in a wide variety of sizes. A lot of florists will have the real ones, while you can purchase a small fake tree online or at Kmart, Target or Big W.
View this post on Instagram
If you’re really pushed for space, you don’t even need a tree at all. You can get creative — perhaps you could make a floral arrangement featuring pine needles for that real Christmas vibe, or pop an intricate chalkboard drawing of a Christmas tree up for ~interactive~ decoration?
And if all else fails, just tinsel it babe. A pop of tinsel here and there will increase your home’s festivity levels by a good 110 percent. It’s just science.
