How to Decorate a Christmas Tree

A beautifully decorated Christmas tree is the center of holiday decorations, but do you know how to decorate a Christmas tree so you get the maximum impact and the most fun? By tackling each phase of decorating in the right order and using your imagination to make it really stand out, you'll be able to trim a Christmas tree worthy of the season.

Before You Begin
Whether you're going to trim an artificial Christmas tree or a fresh Christmas tree, first decide where you're going to put it. The ceiling must be high enough so that a tree topper will fit. Also, don't place the tree in a high-traffic area, or it might get toppled. Many people choose a corner of the living room or the front window to display their Christmas tree. If it's live, keep it away from direct sources of forced air, such as heat vents or radiators so it won't dry out as quickly.

Make sure the stand or base is stable enough to support a heavy tree. If you are concerned about the Christmas tree tipping over, secure it to the ceiling, wall or other piece of furniture with wire or string. Set the tree so the fullest and best-shaped side faces outward. Hide any bare spots against the wall or turn it towards the street because nobody will see it from there.

Before you start decorating, make sure that everything is in order:

• Test strings of lights to make sure there aren't any bulbs that are burned out. If so, replace them right away.
• Check for broken pieces or chipped spots on ornaments, and repair as necessary.
• Make sure that all the ornaments have hangers or hooks on them.
• Put down the tree skirt.

Lights
Many artificial Christmas trees come pre-lit, but you'll still need to spend some time connecting all the plugs and cords to ensure all the lights are working. Replace any burned-out bulbs, and conceal the cords deep within the tree.

While decorating with lights, you'll want to work with the miniature lights on. Plug in an extension cord in the outlet, and run it to the bottom and center of the tree. Plug in the first strand of lights and begin wrapping the lowest branches of the tree with lights. Make sure you have enough lights by planning approximately 100 miniature lights per foot of tree. For example, a 6-foot tree would need about 600 miniature lights.

Start at the bottom, and work your way upward. Make sure every other light is looped around a tree branch, whether by separating the cord strands or using the clip at the base of each light. Try to outline each branch with lights, and work from the inside out and then back inside again. This will give depth to the Christmas tree and make it glow all over. At the end of a string of lights, simply plug in the next string and keep going. Take care to hide sockets and cord excess near the trunk of the tree, out of sight. When you reach the top of the tree, adjust the cord so that the last socket is right at the top of the tree for the tree topper.

Use the same kinds of lights for the whole Christmas tree; same size, color (or multi) and brightness.

Garlands
Whether beads, tinsel or ribbon, the garland is an important element when you trim a Christmas tree. Careful placement is required to make sure the garland is draped gracefully on the tree. Follow these five easy steps for perfect garland trimming every time:

1. Start at the back of the Christmas tree, and secure the end of the garland to a bottom branch.
2. Lightly drape the garland from branch to branch, leaving a soft swag as you go.
3. Finish the bottom layer and move up to the next level at the back of the tree again. Start the second layer as close as you desire-from 10 to 15 inches above the first.
4. Repeat with subsequent layers until you reach a point where you can keep the garland going around the whole tree.
5. At the top of the tree, secure the end of the garland to the very top. It will soon be covered by the tree topper.

When you get to the end of a string of garland, push it out of sight toward the inside of the tree, and start the next garland there as well. Bring the second garland out, and pick up where you left off.

Ornaments
Just as fine jewels provide the finishing touch to a polished outfit, so do Christmas ornaments highlight a well-trimmed tree. However, don't just hang them on the branches without any kind of plan. Ornaments should be thoughtfully placed and carefully coordinated to show off the best and most precious ones.

• Hang special ornaments in prominent locations where they will be easily seen.
• Don't just hang ornaments on the tips of branches. Look for openings deeper in the tree for depth.
• Hang heavy ornaments on thicker branches, and save lightweight ones for wispy ends.
• Hang large ornaments first, and then fill in spaces with smaller ones.
• Distribute ornaments in a general pattern across the tree, keeping approximately the same spacing between them.
• Have some filler ornaments on hand, such as candy canes or simple glass balls to put in bare spots or deeper within the tree. These will give the tree a full look and be a more neutral backdrop so special ornaments can shine.
• Don't forget the tree topper: the ultimate Christmas tree ornament.

If you have kids or pets, place breakable ornaments or edible ornaments up high and out of reach.