During the holidays, a bright and bristling tree is the festive centerpiece in many homes. Gold ribbon and glossy glass balls are all well and good, but this year you may want to deck the boughs with something a little different. Check out these ideas for a refreshing fir.
Drape it in Paper
The quaint and home-styled charm of paper garland is great if you want to avoid the artificial look, and it can go beyond the paper links of childhood. Look around you and consider how many textures and patterns of paper you could transform into a whimsical strand—all you need is a circle punch and some needle and thread. Or choose from a wide selection of colors at Kristina Marie's Etsy shop.
Old-Fashioned Frills
When it comes to holiday decorations, a vintage look means unusual, vivid colors like orange, teal and hot pink. Digging up old ornaments shouldn't be too hard at a thrift store (or your parents' attic). Look for bell-shaped ornaments, silver-lined indents and frosted stripes. To go really retro, put it all on an aluminum tree.
A Burlap Wrap
If you like the holidays to be a time of cozy, rustic nights drinking hot cider by the fireplace, you might want your tree attired in old-timey decorations like dried orange slices on red ribbons, popcorn and cranberry strands, and burlap garland. A big messy stretch of burlap could make it look like your tree just escaped the farm—thread a piece of string through a strip of burlap and ruche it up for a more put-together look.
Pretty Plumes
Maybe you don't have a lot of space in your apartment, but you don't want a sad little Charlie Brown tree reminding you of what you can't have. For the truly crafty, a cute and pretty alternative to the arboreal option is a feather tree. Dainty, snowy white and glowing softly from within, this look can be achieved with a small white “feather tree,” cruelty-free puffy white feathers, and glue.
A Spare Spruce
Some trees are so slathered with baubles and tinsel and ribbons and bows, barely a needle is visible. Less is more if you love the natural look of the tree. Slap on a few gold or wooden ornaments and some pinecones and you're good to go. This design will be complete in no time!
