Treating your tree

TREAT YOUR TREE THIS CHRISTMAS

Your Christmas tree is the centrepoint of your decorations so here is our guide to getting it right this year

As the winter season approaches, attention will soon turn to adorning the house during the busy Christmas period. And there is no bigger opportunity to nail decoration than ensuring that the Christmas tree radiates splendour throughout the home. So here are some tips on how to make everybody envious of your tree, this year.

FAKE VS. REAL? Every year, the question of a real or fake Christmas tree raises much debate through households. There are, indeed, pros and cons for both, making that key decision all the more difficult. Real trees provide an unmistakable, authentic Christmas feeling through their smell, as well as their individual shape and size. However, they do require extensive maintenance throughout the festive season, as well as the hassle of getting rid of them after it’s all over.

On the other hand, an artificial tree requires no regular maintenance, the proportions are all symmetrical, and they can be used for many years. Although, a study has shown that as a result of the carbon footprint caused from making artificial trees, a single tree would need to be used for ten Christmasses to keep the environmental impact lower than that of a real tree. But whatever your decision, it’s the decoration which is the most important thing.

Red goes well with gold and green and is a classic Christmas combination with warm white lights.

COLOUR SCHEMES If you fancy changing up your tree theme this year, then here are a couple of ideas to brighten up your home.

1. Keep it Traditional If you’re someone who usually prefers to go bold with colour schemes, why not go back to the traditional colours of Christmas. A traditional Christmas tree makes a home feel extra festive and homely with a splash of red, so why not warm up the room this winter? Red goes well with gold and green and is a classic Christmas combination with warm white lights.

2. Bring the Snow inside Even if the weather flatters to deceive, give the inside of your home the full winter experience and pick a white colour scheme to go with your tree. This stark colour compliments the lush green of the tree and also pairs perfectly with the blue or white of an artificial tree. Snow spray is a great way to turn a boring tree into something more special.

3. Add Some Luxury If your home boasts darker tones to the walls and furniture continue in this vein with your tree and choose rich gold and black decorations. These colours work well with the dark green of a tree and really add a sense of class to proceedings. Wooden tree decorations complete the scene with some natural material added to the luxury. A traditional Christmas tree makes a home feel extra festive and homely

DIY DECORATION Making Your Own Baubles If you can’t find the perfect coloured decorations for your chosen colour scheme then have a go at designing them yourself. This can be easily done by buying transparent baubles and then filling with whatever you like! You can combine glitters, confetti and stars, and after giving it a shake, you’ll have your very own custom bauble to complement the colours of your tree.

Mason Jar Display Perhaps not one for the tree itself, but when decorating, if there are baubles or other trinkets left over, place them in mason jars and arrange on the mantelpiece in a pyramid shape, resembling a Christmas tree. This is a great way of adding vibrancy to every area of your home, whilst also ensuring that every ornament is on display.

How to Complete your tree? We’ve already mentioned the importance of picking a colour scheme and fully utilising all of your ornaments, but what else can be done to really make your tree the talk of the town?

Less is More There’s nothing worse than a Christmas tree that looks disorganised. So ensure that the lights are evenly layered around the tree so that every branch is given a warm glow. Likewise, with other ornaments. It’s great to see an array of baubles and other trinkets adorning a tree, but don’t forget that the tree itself is a sight to behold, so don’t let your decoration become too busy.

Add Different Textures Baubles are a staple of any Christmas tree, but that doesn’t mean that there can’t be more going on. If you’re looking for other items to spruce up your tree with, ribbons and bows can provide a neat and tidy alternative and if your tree is looking especially sparse, then dress your tree in tinsel, which can take it to a different dimension altogether, in terms of its boldness.