Adding Glamour To My Christmas Tree
WORDS: CHYKA KEEBAUGH
PHOTOS: LISA ATKINSON
Let me hit you with a festive truth bomb - Your tree is always going to be the focal point of Christmas.
No matter how much planning you put into the menu, the styling of your table, the sideboards, the wreaths - the EVERYTHING, the first thing your eye is drawn to upon entering the home is, of course, the Christmas tree! It makes sense really: it’s the one thing we put up first to welcome the silly season, the one thing we decorate together as a family (well, sometimes!) and it’s the one thing we gravitate towards when we entertain in our homes this time of year.
So how’s your Christmas Tree looking this year? Mine is quite glamourous but overall very simple, adorned with way too many shiny things that reflect and twinkle amongst the pea lights. As you can imagine, I have been collecting decorations for a lifetime! But I also know how expensive it can be to get your tree looking exactly how you would like it, so how do I do it on a budget? It’s simple. I have added in some cheap and cheerful baubles from Harris Scarfe. They add that much-needed sparkle at a cost-effective price. Planning your theme and jotting downs styling ideas should be done before any of those baubles come out of the box! This means that your decor is cohesive, that your tree matches your wrapping and your wrapping matches your table.
DECORATING HACKS TO STEAL
Plug your pea lights into the wall as you hang them - this way you can see the balance as you are hanging and how many you have. Go up and down with your lights - not around the tree, this gives you better coverage and it doesn’t look so neat!
Don’t forget when decorating your tree you need to push those baubles right into the centre of the tree and not just the outside to give the illusion of depth and fullness.
Sometimes decorations don’t have enough string to hang on the tree, I like to grab some black twine, or even a type of black wire to attach back to the tree - the string won’t stand out and your decoration is secured!
When taking on the task of decorating your tree, I recommend that you always start with your Christmas lights. For my tree, I like to use warm white, non-flashing fairy lights to add a subtle sparkle to my tree. For a clean and tidy tree keep your fairy lights concealed at the back of the tree. Once my fairy lights are set in place I then start layering my tree with my decorations. When placing your decorations on the tree, it is important to step back and observe the tree to see where the gaps are - an evenly decorated tree is a happy tree!
Christmas decorations are also the great gift idea for a newlywed couple or a friend who has just moved. Helping start a collection (or adding to one) can start a beautifully sentimental collection. As each year another special piece can be added and the collection will grow.
After the year that we have all had, it’s time to embrace the small acts that make the festive season so special. Spend a day of decorating the tree together as a family, wander through the tree farms and take your time. Collect your decorations, hit PLAY on that Christmas playlist and make the absolute most of it. Take your design cues from the tree and continue adding some decor to your gift wrapping, maybe treat yourself to a flute of champagne and take a moment to reflect on the love, gratitude and strength you have, reflect on how you are feeling about 2020 you have had and maybe what changes you want to make for 2021.
3 Christmas Tree Themes You will Love…
My Pom Pom Inspired Christmas Tree is one for the crafters and colour enthusiasts! - in this instance, my gorgeous pink and orange pom poms are garlands I found on a recent trip to India. If you are planning on decorating your Christmas tree with pom-poms this year, I would recommend leaving wool tails on your pom-poms long enough to knot and tie to your tree.
Tips for creating the perfect Christmas tree is full of tips & tricks to get your tree looking the best it can be. From hanging garlands to looking at shape and balance, this is perfect if you are like me - dress the tree with the kids, then go back and rearrange!
Create A Rainbow Inspired Christmas Table Setting after reading this bright and fun post all about colour. Creating this colourful rainbow tree was a dream, to graduate the colours like that of a rainbow - on a tree, using decorations on mass making sure they are colour blocked, was so fun to do and just looked amazing. Many shops sell cylinders of coloured balls that are very inexpensive, and by grouping them in this style and creating the layers - your tree will be a Christmas rainbow in no time.
AND, OF COURSE, WITH EVERY CELEBRATION,
THERE MUST BE MUSIC!
A combination of hymns, singalong carols and festive classics fill this collection to the brim. On one of the most beautiful days of the year that is enjoyed all over the world, it needs a soundtrack that is graceful, unintrusive and thoroughly enjoyable, perfect to share with loved ones. If you are already using Spotify all you need to do is search Chyka.com or Chyka Celebrate and you will find the collection of playlists. Simply subscribe or download each list and your next event already has a playlist!