How to Decorate Your Christmas Tree

Place the Christmas Tree and Fluff the Branches

Before you bring your tree out of storage or pick out a new one, think about where you'd like to display it. Popular spots include the hallway, the sitting room or family room, particularly near a window where it can be admired from inside and out. Measure your preferred space before buying, allowing enough room for the tree's branches and any finishing touches.  

Once your tree is in place, arrange the branches to create a full, natural shape. Our faux pre-lit trees makes decorating simpler, with warm white lights already in place. For an alternative to a tree stand, consider placing your tree in a larger planter or basket, such as our Mandalay Giant Planter.  

Design Around a Theme and Colour Scheme

Before you start decorating, it helps to settle on a theme or colour scheme. This will make choosing baubles, tree toppers and lights much easier. For a traditional look, consider deep garnet reds paired with antique golds, or introduce raspberry tones for a richer take on a classic Christmas palette. Alternatively, combine shades of green, red and orange for a more eclectic feel, mixing hand-painted papier-mâché decorations with hand-embroidered details.  

Put the Lights On

With your Christmas tree theme in mind, pick out your lights. Choose yellow-toned lights to match a warmer colour scheme or more traditional look. Cooler or white lights look great as part of a modern look or an icy, ‘winter wonderland’ theme, while multi-coloured Christmas tree lights lend a playful feel to the festive season. Whichever you choose, make sure the colour of the cord matches the colour of your tree, to ensure it blends in as much as possible. 

When people contemplate how to dress a Christmas tree, adding the lights can often be the most daunting element. To make the process as smooth as possible, we recommend starting from the plug socket, partly because it’s easiest to keep track of what you’re doing when the lights are switched on. At the base of the trunk – sticking as close as possible to the centre of the tree – begin to wrap the cord around the larger branches, working your way up to the top. If you have cord left over, work back towards the bottom and outwards towards the ends of the branches. Starting from the inside will give your tree a more organic, 3-dimensional look. 

Start Adding the Decorations

Once your lights are strung, it’s a good time to add garlands, bows, strands of beads and any other decorative elements that are larger than baubles, such as picks and sprays of berries, pinecones, foliage or icicles for a natural touch. If you’re adding a Christmas tree garland, we recommend starting from the top and winding your way down the tree, taking care not to bunch too many branches together. Gauzy or metallic ribbons and strings of dried orange slices are popular traditional garlands; make sure to avoid wrapping them too tightly around the trunk so that they will be seen. Alternatively, red velvet bows make a tree look especially sumptuous if you want ribbon on your Christmas tree.

Though they seem like finishing touches, it’s easiest to add tree toppers at this point before delicate baubles are hung. For the ultra-traditional, angels and stars remain popular choices for elegant Christmas tree decorations, while others prefer to “branch out” with unique Christmas tree decorating ideas, such as sunbursts, paper rosettes, white doves, fairies, gnomes or bows. As fans of mixing and matching, we like the idea of opting for a topper just because you love it, whatever your chosen theme.

Hang Your Baubles

And now for the fun part, where you can really express your chosen theme: the Christmas tree ornaments. Those of us who haven’t collected a lifetime’s worth of special Christmas baubles may choose to coordinate hues with a handy multi-coloured set of glass or paper designs. In our collection, you’ll find a variety of styles, textures and colours to suit your theme. For 2026, we’ve introduced a selection of papier-mâché baubles finished in a choice of vibrant patterns. Pair these with our other bright Christmas baubles in alternative textures – such as our Honeycomb Paper Baubles – for a pleasing tactile contrast. If you’re looking for gold baubles for the Christmas tree, allow us to introduce our natural take on the theme, our much-loved set of Hanging Acorns.

If you’re wondering how many ornaments are needed for a large tree, you might look for approximately 80–100 baubles, depending on its size and whether you’d like it to look jam-packed or a bit lighter on its feet. It’s a good idea to limit yourself to three or four colours, and a variety of finishes, from shiny to sparkly to matte, to give your tree a sense of depth. Hang larger baubles closer to the inside of the tree and towards the bottom, so they don’t weigh the branches down. Place smaller baubles higher up. Then, weave in any sentimental or visually interesting ornaments you’d like to feature prominently.   

Dress The Base With Presents 

Complete the look by arranging presents beneath the tree. New for 2026, our Troupeau Present Sacks and Ocellus Present Sack offer a considered alternative to traditional gift wrapping. They feature rich velvet, intricate embroidery and oversized bows, adding a decorative touch long before the gifts are opened.