13 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Christmas Tree This Season

Add a Burst of Color to Your Tree

To give your tree decorating a little extra oomph, opt for a mix of shapes and textures. "Bright, nontraditional embellishments add funky flair to your holiday decor," says Katie Kime, a designer in Austin, Texas. Colorful yarn tassels offer an unexpected pop, while metallic, mirrored, and iridescent decorative accents reflect those vibrant shades. Use multi-globe branches to strategically fill out your Christmas tree design for a lush effect.

Give a Potted Plant a Christmas Design Makeover

"Dress up a tall cactus, euphorbia, or another sturdy houseplant for a quirky twist on tradition," says Justina Blakeney, a designer in Los Angeles. With a smaller footprint than a standard spruce, a potted plant is a great alternative for small-space dwellers—and it also requires fewer decorations. Keep the embellishments consistent, using primarily brass and gold charms, then soften the overall look with a pom-pom garland or plush patterned fabric around the base.

Update Your Classic Christmas Tree Decorations

"Balance sophisticated, artsy, and personal elements to create something that's both stylish and meaningful," says Rebecca Atwood, a designer in Brooklyn, New York. Start with silver, gold, and blush baubles, then weave in sentimental mementos. (Atwood opted for a lobster ornament to recall her New England roots.) Finish with a traditional faux-cranberry garland. To tone down the formality, arrange a few yards of indigo-dyed shibori fabric around the tree stand, tucking the hem under to form a rounded edge.

Make a Monochromatic Christmas Tree Shine

If you're sticking with a certain color scheme, have fun with the ornaments. Work in unexpected charmers like letters, fun shapes, and unusual objects like glittery insects or shells.

Find a Cool (and Colorful) Decorating Idea

Red and green will always be the season’s signature colors, but it's okay to experiment with a new palette—like, say, tangerine and charcoal grey. And consider soft balls and pom-poms, which are sturdy enough to stand up to pets and kids (yet still look stylish on your Christmas tree).

Design a Kid-Friendly Christmas Tree

For a playful approach, call on the kids to trim the tree. Choose super sturdy ornaments, and a decorating theme kids might love—like this tree decked out with tiny stuffed animal ornaments. The bird tree topper is the perfect addition to this tree decorating idea.

Dream Up a Sophisticated Tree Decorating Idea

For a sophisticated style—even with a Christmas tree meant for a small space—limit your color palette. Focus on a color scheme that's bold and bright, like gold, royal blue, and yellow. And don't be limited by the traditional Christmas colors—strands of faux berries and baubles can add a festive touch to a small Christmas tree.

Pack a Visual Punch With a Tiny Tree

While petite in size, this tree is bursting with loads of color and holiday cheer. Choose a bold color for the tree itself, and a limited color scheme for the garland and other ornaments.

Decorate With Garland

A garland instantly adds pops of color and rich texture to trees, banisters, and even mantels. These festive strands can also hide those inevitable bare spots you swore weren't there when you picked out the tree. Start by committing to one color palette. Choose something with depth, like a deep crimson, and soften it up with complementary tones in pale pink, charcoal grey, and creamy ivory.

As long as you stick with the same color family, you can play up the fun factor like wrapping branches with pom-poms, mittens, and mini ornaments. When it comes to the technique, it's all in the wrist: Softly drape (note: avoid firmly stuffing) the strands along the branches.

Mix the Old With the New

Your favorite vintage ornaments can hang in harmony with some newer picks. To look just right, decide which favorites complement (i.e., don't compete with) one another. Take it slow and go through your selection one by one. Start with a vintage pick like a beautiful golden owl, and work in a modern find like a hot pink finial for balance. Continue this process until your tree is complete.

Decorate With Pets in the Home

A pet-friendly decorating scheme may require some concessions, but it can be just as festive. Consider a tabletop tree that can stand out of harm's way. (For the record, tabletop trees can be just as beautiful as their 7–foot siblings.) Shop for shatter–resistant, non-toxic ornaments  (cotton, felt, wool), because there's no telling when someone will go in for a licking. If one small tabletop tree isn't enough for you, group a few together on a console table or mantel.

Decorate on a Budget

Here's a trick: Skip the classic evergreen and pick a tree in an unexpected color—like a winter white. The less traditional the color, the bigger the impact, which gives you the flexibility to go a little smaller on the size. For the ornaments, stick to one bold color (like red, magenta, or turquoise) so it really pops.

Edit Your Ornament Collection

If you already have too many ornaments for your tree, start sorting. Empty the boxes and bins and organize the ornaments into categories: must-hang; maybe next year; never again. Once you've pared down your Christmas decorations to the tried–and–true favorites, find the palette that speaks to you. And it's OK if it isn't red or green. Dare to be a little different with a shocking lime green paired with shimmery neutrals.

Then, focus on scale. Choose larger ornaments or ones with more unique shapes to hang first. Not only will these picks add more depth to the tree, they'll also take up more space, which means fewer ornaments will be required.