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    Home » Decorating Tips

    Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

    Published: Jan 19, 2023 · Author: Tiffany Aasted · This post may contain affiliate links

    Even at the holidays, when tradition reigns supreme, it can be welcoming to decorate the Christmas tree a little different than in years prior. For those looking to refresh your holiday decorations, these Christmas tree decorating ideas may be just the inspiration you need.

    Maintaining family traditions at the holidays is common. You do not have to throw out your current Christmas decorations; rather, small additions to your collection, or making room for something new, can have a profound effect on how you enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

    These Christmas tree decorating ideas focus on neutral decor, while playing on texture, shapes and finishes. You will hopefully come away with a few Christmas tree ideas for your own home.

    Mid-Christmas tree decorated in neutral ornaments with gifts wrapped in neutral wrapping paper below

    Real or faux, holiday Christmas tree decorating is usually a family activity. At least, growing up, it was for us. 

    Gathering boxes of Christmas decorations, upon decorations in the living room, as Bing Crosby played on the record player, it felt like that magical time of year was upon us. Hope hung in the air. ‘Tis the season, after all.

    Wood and white tree Christmas ornaments on a tree, with neutral wrapped presents

    Decorating the Christmas Tree

    Decorating the Christmas tree is all about the look and feeling you are going for. There are a couple questions to ask yourself before you begin decorating the tree. 

    Tip: Be sure to also read how to decorate a Christmas tree to learn a quick Christmas tree decorating process that may work for you, without breaking your precious ornaments..

    Do You Want a Real or Faux Christmas Tree?

    Choosing between a real or a faux Christmas tree comes down to how much maintenance you are willing to deal with. Technically, as far as decorating the tree, it does not matter one way or the other.

    Neutral decorated Christmas tree in a living room with presents beneath

    One of the best faux Christmas trees I bought for my mom and dad is this realistic looking 6.5 feet pre-lit Dunhill Fir tree. It is super full looking, due to the over 4,000 tips, which is the figure you should pay attention to when looking for a faux Christmas tree.

    While I do not own one, Balsam Hill trees are also known for being the most realistic looking trees and, supposedly, last a very, very long time.

    What Color Palette or Theme Are You Going For?

    Typically, traditional Christmas decor colors are what many gravitate toward. Shades of red, gold, green, and silver adorn everything from tree lights to decorations dotted about most cities throughout the U.S at the holidays.

    Different Christmas tree decorating ideas for color palette include shifting from traditional colors to neutral shades of white, dusty blues and muted brass. Adding a hint of blush pink is also an idea to decorate your Christmas tree with.

    Mid-Christmas tree decorated in neutral ornaments with gifts wrapped in neutral wrapping paper below

    Choose your color palette or theme after you’ve looked at what decorations you have and before you purchase anything new. This may save you money in the long run.

    Matte white glass ball ornament and a brass laurel wreath Christmas ornament hangs above neutral presents

    Gather Christmas Tree Decorations

    When you’re ready, gather all your Christmas tree decorations in one place. Have them laid out in full view so you can accurately see the size, color, shape, and sheen of the ornaments. 

    Tip: Do not forget to gather any tree lights, garlands or ribbon you plan to decorate your tree with. These types of decorations greatly impact the order of operations to decorate the tree as well as the overall look you envision.

    Neutral decorated Christmas tree in a living room with presents beneath

    Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

    In the Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas post, I spoke about how I shifted our decorations to a neutral palette. It was one of the best decisions about holiday decorations that I have made. I realize it’s not for everyone. 

    Shades of matte white, dusty blue, blush pink, and brass are not commonly thought of as Christmas colors, but they work for us.

    White and brass Christmas ornaments adorn a Christmas tree

    Honestly, for the foreseeable future, I won’t go back to traditional colors. Neutral shades introduced a feeling of calm during this holiday season, because red is an energetic color. In color theory, red is power, energy and movement, which I desperately wanted to stay away from.

    Mid-Christmas tree decorated in neutral ornaments with gifts wrapped in neutral wrapping paper below

    Adding Garland to the Christmas Tree

    Another Christmas tree decorating idea is to add some variation of garland to your tree, such as eucalyptus, sprigs of cedar or flocked pine stems.

    Brass laurel wreath Christmas ornament hangs above neutral presents

    Joann, Michael’s and Hobby Lobby are a few of my go-to places for Christmas garland. You also can’t beat their prices for garland. Check online outside of the holiday season, as many retailers carry garland year-round via their online store. Order when you have a coupon or when a sale is running. 

    For our tree, I used two strands of this eucalyptus garland.

    Matte what and dusty blue ornaments on a lit Christmas tree

    Additional greenery to your Christmas tree helps to fill in any sparse spots or holes, making the tree appear fuller. I also like the texture, as well as the slight color variation, eucalyptus lends to the tree.

    Long Ribbon Strands as Christmas Tree Garland

    Ribbon is an alternative to greenery garland as a Christmas tree decorating idea. Weave in dramatically long strands of ribbon as garland throughout the tree. You can also cut wire ribbon into 6-8 inch long strands to weave into different areas of the Christmas tree.

    Mid-Christmas tree decorated in neutral ornaments, with white jute ribbon as garland

    Again, ribbon, in all its forms, creates lovely moments of texture and color in ways you may fall hopelessly in love with.

    I used this white burlap/jute wire ribbon for our tree.

    Neutral Christmas Tree Ornament Ideas

    Finding Christmas tree ornaments is easier in person than online. (If you know, you know.) But, seeing as how we weren’t going out much this fall/winter, I took a chance and ordered all of our new ornaments online.

    Neutral Christmas ornaments of brass, wood and dusty blue atop a linen tufted ottoman

    A few neutral Christmas tree decorating ideas for ornaments include:

    • White matte or glossy round glass (or plastic) ball ornaments
    Matte white glass ball ornament adorns the Christmas tree, hanging above presents
    • Brass bells and figurines
    Brass laurel wreath Christmas ornament hangs above neutral presents
    • Wood trees and bells
    Wood tree Christmas ornaments on a tree
    • Dusty blue glass ball ornaments
    Matte what and dusty blue ornaments on a lit Christmas tree


    We ordered our Christmas tree ornaments from Brooke & Lou, McGee and Co. and Joann. The white glass ball ornaments (matte and glossy) are from McGee and Co., while the dusty blue glass ornaments are from Brooke & Lou. 

    Trust me when I say both styles of ornaments are simply stunning.

    Mid-Christmas tree decorated in neutral ornaments with gifts wrapped in neutral wrapping paper below

    Would you ever decorate with neutral colors for Christmas? Leave a comment!

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    Hello, I'm Tiffany, a former tech marketing executive turned lifestyle blogger. I'm sharing my passion for all things home and hope you'll join me in the journey. Let's build something beautiful together, on Mornington Lane.

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