Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas
& Christmas Tree Themes

christmas tree decorating ideas sampler

European-style Christmas tree decorating ideas and homemade Christmas tree decorations for you-nique Christmas trees.

Country Christmas Tree Ornaments

Gilded Walnuts
& Apples

Learn to make gilded walnuts! My how-to instructions for these Homemade Christmas Tree Decorations were featured in a recent book, The Ultimate Christmas, (by HCI, publishers of the legendary Chicken Soup series).

Gilded walnuts & apples are my favorite homemade Christmas tree decorations - perfect for an Alpine Christmas tree in a log home, or for colorful, rustic 'European country' Christmas tree themes.

Don't just use these easy-to-make Christmas ornaments for your tree ...

decorate an Advent wreath with gilded walnuts,
dangle them from drawer/door knobs,
scatter them on a window sill/side table/hallway table, or
add them as gleaming highlights to your Christmas dinner table decoration.

Use-What-You-Have
Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

Printable paper Christmas ornaments
Paper Christmas
Ornaments

Download a set of free, printable Christmas ornaments, find a pin or a needle somewhere, and create these simple Paper Christmas Ornaments. Apart from the needle, you'll need scissors, glue and some colored card (or the back of a writing pad and a bit of leftover paint). That's it ... easy-to-make Christmas ornaments.

You'll find six free Christmas ornament patterns to print off. Turn them into super simple homemade Christmas ornaments, or use the craft patterns as a lauchpad for your own design ideas, and create truly unique Christmas tree decorations.

Sparkling Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

Handmade
Xmas Tree Balls

The Christmas Tree Ball 'recipe' on this site isn't exactly a quickie craft project. These lovely snowy baubles are kind of messy Christmas ornaments to make, what with all the PVA glue & glitter involved in the creation. However ...

... the oooh's and aaah's you'll get for the results are absolutely worth it! So, go ahead & create glistening 'snowball' tree ornaments, and glam them up to your heart's content (three suggestions in the article - just add your own Christmas tree decorating ideas!)

You'll end up with absolutely unique Christmas tree decorations, and in all likelihood you'll be making them for friends and family once they've seen them on your Christmas tree ;-)

Edible Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

gingerbread stars
Gingerbread
Tree Ornaments

Dough - whether gingerbread, cookie, or flour-and-salt dough - is great for creating unique Christmas tree decorations.

Mostly edible, dough-based Gingerbread Christmas Decorations were the most-used country Christmas tree ornaments in rural areas of Europe during the 19th century, and they're great fun to make. (Edible Christmas crafts also feature prominently in Liliana's story of Christmas tree decorating in Poland!)

More Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas ...

... from the old-fashioned to the newfangled, from the simple to the utterly elaborate. Make your own version of the ideas below!

Depending on the kind of Christmas mood you want to achieve, as well as your tastes and the style of your home - your Christmas tree might look elegant, rustic, retro, or funky.

Here are some ideas for unique Christmas tree decorations:

Red Pine Cones

Paint small pine cones (or cones from other evergreens) in deep, glowing red hues, ranging from a coppery orange to deep crimson. The more sculptural the cones, the better they will look in red! Varnish some (or all) of them with a clear, super-high gloss.

Tie the cones into clusters with skinny gardening wire, and fasten them in ...
♦ your Christmas tree
♦ a door/Advent wreath
♦ outdoor shrubs
♦ windowboxes
♦ or hang them from a curtain rod on a beautiful ribbon!

N.B. Painted pine cones make great Christmas tree decorating ideas, but they also look lovely on a Christmas table, combined with red candles or red candlesticks. Paint them well in advance, though, to make sure the 'fresh paint' smell has enough time to wear off!

Fabric Christmas Ornaments

Textile Christmas tree decorating ideas work extremely well for a country Christmas tree theme. You could make ...

little felt shapes (hearts, baskets, boots...), embellished with cross-stitch and pretty buttons
cross-stitched Christmas ornaments - they're quick & easy to make
crochet Christmas tree ideas, like elegantly covered Christmas baubles (that's Brit-speak for Christmas tree balls)

Here is a collection of highly praised, homemade Christmas tree ideas & decorations (mostly textile):

Lace Ornaments

Lace is a lovely material for homemade Christmas tree decorations. If you're looking for lacy Christmas tree ornaments to make, here are some ideas:

Bobbin lace. It takes some learning at the outset, but you'll create small, delicate, unique Christmas tree decorations that don't take long to make.
Tat doesn't look tatty on a Christmas tree! Similar to the look of bobbin lace, tat ornaments are a fun way of creating old-world Christmas tree looks.
Crochet lace is another good one if you're looking for easy Christmas ornaments to make.

Check out some of these books for craft instructions:

3D Paper Crafts

Origami folded stars and ornaments make exquisite homemade Christmas tree decorations! Here's a selection of easy Origami how-to books:

More Christmas tree decorating ideas & Christmas tree themes:

Children's Christmas: Hang tiny old-fashioned (wood or tin) toys into your Christmas tree, and complement with red Christmas tree candles and a few golden accents.
Rustic Christmas: Use country Christmas tree ornaments made from natural materials like straw, raffia, or wood
Retro Christmas: Little robots in Fifties colors, or colored Christmas tree balls and tinsel