It's National Tree Week and it’s nearly the magical month of December and there is only
one tree on our minds... the Christmas tree! We thought what better time to write a post about my
favourite Christmas activity (yes even above opening my presents!)...
decorating the Christmas tree!
My Christmas decorations usually take a traditional path
mixed with modern... red and gold with tartan blended with bursts of deep
purple (my favourite colour). So although there are so many different ways
to decorate your tree, I've put together my tips for a stress-free decorating
session...
Step One:
Put on your favourite, comfy Christmas outfit, dig out the
Christmas songs and pop them on and finally pour your top Christmas drink...
mine is a Snowball (sorry!) - I love eggnog!
Step Two:
Unpack the dreaded Christmas decoration box putting all
decorations in piles of either the same type of decoration, I normally have
three of each at least, or the same colour. I like to keep my favourite few in
a pile together as they need pride of place at the end along with my tree
topper.
Also don't forget to untangle the lights prior to starting,
being careful not to tread on any as I usually do.
Tip for January: wrap lights around an empty kitchen roll
tube, making a cut in the side to pop the end through (it helps!)
Step Three:
First up are the lights, for a six-foot tree I use three
sets of clear lights; two static and one (longer) twinkling set as the lights
are probably my favourite Christmassy item. To get perfectly positioned lights
imagine the tree split in half and use the two static sets to fill the halves
and then the twinkling set spread across it all.
It's best to rope in someone else with one taking the end
and the other feeding them through, carefully winding each set of lights around
the tree in a spiral shape, not forgetting about the back as, although not as
prominent, the little lights do shine through.
Once all sets are on, I like to finish it off by pushing
some towards the trunk and bringing others to sit on the ends of the heavier
branches to give a bit of depth. I love the look of the tree at this stage and
some years I have been tempted to leave it with just lights on but no...
decorations are lovely!
Tip: At this point, switch off all your lights, ready for
the unveiling at the end!
Step Four:
If you use tinsel it's time to put it on. Some people love
it, some hate it - I love it, my mum hates it but, seeing as I'm always the
decorator, I put it on! I only use about three strings of tinsel in one neutral
colour (gold on mine) and split the tree into thirds this time with some on the
top few branches, some in the middle and the majority in the thick bottom.
Step Five:
Now for the decorations... if you have bows or ribbons, put
these on first spreading them evenly throughout the tree. The key to any
'perfect tree' is to spread similar decorations across the tree so they pick up
the light at different points and give people more to look at hence the
splitting of decorations at the beginning.
Next take all your 'basic' decorations (plain baubles, ones
you have a lot of or your least favourite) and add them to your already pretty
tree, spacing them out front and back, top and bottom. I like to do this in
colours so I get a good balance.
Finally, get out your special decorations ready to find the
perfect places for them. I have a
few favourites, such as little gifts
from my fiancé or those picked up on my travels from India to Denmark, and
although don't exactly fit with the colour-scheme, they simply cannot stay in
their boxes! I dot these mainly at the front of the tree so visitors can admire
them on first glance.
Tip: A friend of mine who is spending her first Christmas in
her new house wanted to know how many decorations was recommended for a
six-foot tree... apparently it's 60. I've never counted mine but I'd say 30-50
is more than enough.
Step Six:
Enter the tree topper... the icing on the cake! When you're
happy with your tree, add the last piece whether it be a star (like mine) or a
homemade angel, this signals the end of the decorating! I'm usually tired (and
fed up) by this point but ready for the final step...
Step Seven:
Put on your favourite Christmas song, take a sip of your
Christmassy drink (you deserve it!) and switch on the lights... et voila - your
perfect Christmas tree!
Now after all that effort, if you ask someone nicely they
may tidy up the empty boxes for you - just remind them of just how gorgeous the
tree is!
This has made me very feel very Christmassy and excited
about putting my tree up in December!
Jane x
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