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What are Some Traditional Ways to Decorate a Christmas Tree?

J.Gunsch
J.Gunsch

The signature decorations of a traditional Christmas tree are the balls and bells. These can be any color and can be made of glass, plastic or coated in fabric. Usually every traditional Christmas tree has many of these balls and bells set as a base for the rest of the ornaments or as the sole decorations. Traditional Christmas songs like “silver bells” express the virtue of these ornaments.

One of the main focal points of a traditional Christmas tree is a star, angel or sometimes Father Christmas which is placed on the very top of the tree. Classic images often show a father lifting his child to place the star on the top. Without the help of a child you will need a ladder to position the star unless your Christmas tree is very small.

A Christmas tree with presents.
A Christmas tree with presents.

A traditional Christmas tree also has a generous supply of lights. The colors of the lights vary from strands of white or blue lights to strands of multicolored lights according to the decorators taste. With the advent of electricity, Christmas tree lights replaced the age old, beautiful yet dangerous tradition of donning the Christmas tree with candles.

Electric lights are often added to a Christmas tree.
Electric lights are often added to a Christmas tree.

Another time tested tradition of decorating the Christmas tree is garland. The garland is usually placed on the tree after the lights and before any other decorations. Garland is available in the form of woven leaves, colorful plastic material, popcorn, wooden beads etc. Children love to make paper garland by constructing a series of colorful paper loops to drape around the Christmas tree. Garland is not only a beautiful addition to the Christmas tree but also symbolizes honor and victory which connects the tree with the religious themes of Christmas.

The tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City is decorated for Christmas every year.
The tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City is decorated for Christmas every year.

In addition to the balls, bells, lights and garland, keepsake ornaments are hung on the Christmas tree to celebrate the joy of the holidays throughout the years. Some of the most popular include miniature Santa Clauses, elves, reindeer, rocking horses, stars, birds, wreaths and more. The sky is the limit when it comes to keepsake ornaments as they come in every any shape and form. Handmade ornaments are especially nice and can be handed down throughout the generations. Giving a keepsake ornament to a loved one that includes their name and the year is a great gift idea.

Ornaments hung on a Christmas tree add color and a personal touch to the holiday season.
Ornaments hung on a Christmas tree add color and a personal touch to the holiday season.

The last decorations to go on a Christmas tree are candy canes, and tinsel. Tinsel adds glitter to the tree making it appear as though there are beautiful icicles coating the branches. The candy canes make the task of taking down the tree more enjoyable since you can eat them instead of storing them away.

Discussion Comments

Glasshouse

@ Parmnparsley- There are two different options for live trees. If you are content with a smaller tree, you can opt for a potted tree that you can plant within the next month or so. If you are looking for a larger tree, you can look into buying a balled tree. These trees may have a couple of feet added to the height due to the root ball, but it is a good option if you do not want to kill a tree. Just remember a balled tree must be planted within 7-10 days of being balled.

The price will vary greatly by region, but you can buy almost any type of tree live that you can find fresh cut. There are many popular trees and choosing one is completely up to you and your tastes. You can buy them from tree farms and possibly from some nurseries around the holidays. A good short needle variety is the white or Concolor fir. For longer needle varieties or trees for people with sap allergies, a Leland cypress is a good choice. These trees have very nice shapes symbolic of Christmas.

parmnparsley

I do not want to buy a fresh Christmas tree, but I do not like the artificial ones either. I like the idea of a live tree, but I want to get something that has that Christmas tree shape. What type of live tree should I purchase, and how much can I expect it to cost?

Amphibious54

When I was a kid, my mother made a big deal about decorating the tree. We always decorated a fresh Christmas tree. Honestly, it was probably her favorite part of Christmas. The basic decorations were things like white clay pottery (porcelain maybe) doves and angels, white lights, gold bows, and multicolored glass balls. After this was set up, we would be able to decorate the tree with various decorations that we had made in school, and unique ornaments acquired over time. The finishing touch was the gold star and the candy canes that would mysteriously disappear before Christmas. She is always so happy after we decorate the Christmas tree.

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    • A Christmas tree with presents.
      By: Václav Hroch
      A Christmas tree with presents.
    • Electric lights are often added to a Christmas tree.
      By: Artistic Endeavor
      Electric lights are often added to a Christmas tree.
    • The tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City is decorated for Christmas every year.
      By: Andrew Kazmierski
      The tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City is decorated for Christmas every year.
    • Ornaments hung on a Christmas tree add color and a personal touch to the holiday season.
      By: womue
      Ornaments hung on a Christmas tree add color and a personal touch to the holiday season.
    • Popcorn can be strung alone or with cranberries to create a traditional garland.
      By: Przemyslaw Sitek
      Popcorn can be strung alone or with cranberries to create a traditional garland.