According to tradition, Christmas decorations would typically be on display at the start of the Advent season, which occurs on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. However, this is not a strict rule, and many people opt to put up their decorations by mid-November or earlier.
Mental health experts say that having your Christmas decorations earlier than usual shows that you are an organized person who likes to be prepared and plan things in advance, aside from being someone who loves to celebrate Christmas. On top of this, putting up early Christmas decorations has mental health benefits because it can make you feel happier and friendlier as it enables you to tap into the excitement and nostalgia almost palpable in the air during the holiday season.
Since putting up Christmas decorations is not something you would typically do year-round, the change in routine also triggers a neurological shift in your brain that lifts your mood and makes you happy.So, if you are still hesitating about starting your Christmas decorations now or postponing them for later, worry no more because all the signs are telling you to go for it.
Of course, Christmas decorations would not be complete without a Christmas tree. This year, you may want to create a luxurious holiday atmosphere for your home by going all out and sprucing up your tree as a professional stylist would. After you finish with the decors, you may even want a Christmas photoshoot with your family right in the comfort of your home!
While this may require some additional budget, time, and effort on your part, the results will be so much worth it. To help you get started, here is a quick guide to making a stylish designer Christmas tree:
1. Decide on a Theme
Before shopping for your Christmas tree decors, you first need to visualize how you want your tree to look. Decide on the colors, ornaments, and overall theme, so you know what accessories you need to buy. “It’s important for your tree to have a consistent color scheme,” says Cadeaux Christmas, a professional Christmas decorator in Dallas, Texas.
It could look too busy and cluttered if you load up your tree with random colors and trinkets. On the other hand, if you hold off on the accessories to avoid clutter, the tree may look empty. Find the perfect balance by working around a theme that connects everything together, so the tree looks neat and professionally styled.
2. Don’t Skimp on the Tree
You may be tempted to save on costs by buying a cheaper Christmas tree, even if it doesn’t look the best, because it will be all covered up anyway. However, your tree will be the foundation of your design, which means that the condition of the tree will have a significant impact on the final look of your Christmas decoration.
Like an artist that carefully chooses his canvas, you also need to make sure that you get a tree that is most suitable to the theme that you have in mind. Natural trees must stay alive and fresh throughout the holidays, so you have to pick a stand that can hold water. Should you choose to go for a faux Christmas tree, pick one that has fluffy branches and looks as close to the real ones as possible.
3. Light it Up
When you decorate your tree, string on the lights first before hanging any ornaments, this will make it easier for you to ensure that lights fully cover the tree without any obstruction and that you get enough lights into the depths of the branches. Professional stylists recommend using about 170 lights per meter of the tree.
Start stringing your lights from the bottom and work your way up, fully covering a branch before moving to the next level. After a first round, turn on the lights so you can easily check if you missed some spots and fix them before playing around with your lighting arrangement. You can add additional layers using fairy lights or drape multiple strings around some branches to create a halo effect.
4. Have Fun with the Ornaments
While keeping in line with your theme, don’t forget to have fun while decorating because your joy and excitement during the process are as important as the look of the tree itself. You can explore different ways of decorating, such as using ribbons, flowers, beads, pearls, or even fruits and leaves that are aligned with your chosen look.
Mix different sizes of ornaments together to create depth and texture. For a balanced and aesthetically pleasing look, first display the trinkets in a Z-shape, with the larger ones closer to the center and the smaller ones hanging near the ends of the branches. Keep the delicate or breakable ornaments at the top of the tree to prevent breakages, then finish it off with any special toppers that you may have so they are at the most eye-catching positions.
