Preparing For Christmas: How we’ll be Decorating Our Tree This Year

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It is never too early to think about Christmas decorations. The sooner you start looking the more inspired you will be. This is especially the case when it comes to decorating your tree. In most homes, it is the centrepiece. Provided you get it looking right, the rest pretty much falls into place.

Bright garlands

Nothing says Christmas like tinsel or festive garlands. We always use plenty when we decorate our tree. But, you do have to be careful not to go too mad. If you put too much tinsel on your tree you will not have enough room left for your baubles and decorative ornaments. As a rule of thumb, 8 or 9 feet of garland per foot of tree is about right but always buy a bit extra. That way you have more should you need it. You can always use any leftover garland or tinsel elsewhere, so it really is not a waste of money.

An eclectic mix of ornaments

Personalised ornaments and baubles are an essential. The last thing you want is for your Christmas tree to be so uniformly decorated that it looks like you stole it from your local shopping centre. A family tree should reflect the tastes of everyone. This year, ours will feature decorations I have made with the kids as well as ones that have caught my eye while shopping.

Some sweet treats

When the kids are young it is always nice to add a few chocolate coins or ornaments on the tree. But, you do need to be careful about doing this when your children are very young. The last thing you want is a toddler pulling the tree over on themselves because they cannot resist the temptation to pull a treat off the tree.

 

The smell of Christmas

I love the house to smell Christmassy. Every year, I buy festive candles and load our reed diffusers with cinnamon scent bottles. This really helps to create a more festive ambience in every room of the house.

There is nothing quite like the smell of a traditional Christmas tree. However, if you want to enjoy that smell you need to be sure to buy the right variety. Not all real trees retain a scent after being cut. However, hemlock, pine or cedar varieties that have been cut and kept properly hydrated should continue to give off a nice smell throughout most of the festive season.

If you do not like the idea of a real tree, you could just put up an artificial one and add the right smell. There are several ways to do this. One of the best and easiest approaches is to get some fir tree essential oil and dot some onto the base of the tree. Or, better still, mix a few drops of scent oil with water, in a glass spray bottle. You can then mist some of the ornaments that are made from absorbent materials with your homemade scent spray. Pine cones are great for this.

Decorating your own tree

I am really looking forward to being able to involve at least one of the kids in decorating the tree. If your children are old enough, getting them involved is a good idea. It is the best way to make sure that everyone´s tastes are catered for and is a fun way to get everyone into the festive spirit.

Get started early

It is wise to plan how you are going to decorate your tree a few weeks before Christmas. Doing this ensures that you have enough time to find and buy exactly the right decorations.

How to choose the best style of Christmas tree for your family

If you are yet to decide what type of Christmas tree to put up, this year, you will find this article helpful. It explains how to narrow down your options and pick the right style of decor for your home. Once you have read this article, planning how you will decorate your own tree will become far easier.

 

 

*This is a collaborative post