Christmas is that special time of year when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and families get together to exchange gifts. There is nothing like seeing the face of a youngster light up when they open that special present they were hoping to recieve. In the background, mom and dad are snapping pictures, while uncle Lester videotapes the joyous occasion creating memories that will be seen over and over again in future family gatherings. When going back through the photo album, or watching the video on the television, the faces and their expressions are continually changing, but what often recieves the most comments is how well the Christmas tree in the background looks. Anyone who has ever decorated the Christmas tree knows that they have their work cut out for them if they are going to recieve the ooh’s and ahh’s they are hoping for on Christmas day, and during the trips down memory lane in the future.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Creating the best decorated Christmas tree has, in many families, become a silent competition. Some will spend countless hours decorating it, tweaking it, and making sure their beautiful creation stays that way until Christmas day despite their pets drinking the water and the kids knocking the ornaments off of it. Some families make it an annual ritual to spend one day together each year putting up and decorating the tree. A little planning goes a long way when creating a beautifully decorated tree as it will save a lot of time and should cut down on the number of arguments. That is, if everyone decorating the tree is involved during the planning process. There are five key ingredients to most Christmas tree decoration projects: the lights, the ornamentation, the tree skirt, the tree top decoration, and of course, the tree itself. Though all the ingredients should be coordinated together to create the perfect final outcome, our focus here is going to be on the Christmas ornaments.

Types of Christmas Ornaments

Crucial to any beautifully decorated Christmas tree is the selection of the ornaments that will adorn it. Though the number of choices may seem to be a bit overwhelming, the options can easily be narrowed down with solid planning and color coordination. Christmas ornaments come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and are made of many different material types including glass, plastic, wood, aluminum and even paper. It is generally best to add the ornaments after you string the lights and have placed any tinsel or garland decorations, as the bulbs tend to get knocked off the tree if added first. Christmas ornaments can be classified into two basic categories, decorative ornaments and collectible ornaments.

Decorative Ornaments

The decorative ornaments consist of the basic bulb-type decorations. It is generally best to place these on the tree first. Start by adding the largest ornaments and space them out around the tree evenly while trying to keep those of the same color a good distance apart. After the larger bulb ornaments have all been added, proceed to place the medium sized followed by the smaller sized ornaments in a similar manner until all the decorative ornaments are in place. Many of the smaller and medium sized ornaments can be placed further inside the Christmas tree, closer to the trunk, as long as there is enough space between the branches. This will enhance the beauty of the tree by providing more depth and interest. Plan on using around 20 decorative ornaments for every 2 feet of tree height being decorated.

Collectible Ornaments

The collectible ornaments include those that you have received as gifts, home-made ornaments, specialty themed ornaments, and those with sentimental value. When adding the collectible ornaments, try to space them out evenly between the decorative ornaments. Again, depending on size, you can place some of them more to the inside of the tree. For about every two decorative ornaments you added, you will probably want to place one collectible ornament.

After all of the ornaments have been put in place, all that remains is to place the tree skirt around the base of the Christmas tree and the ceremonial topping of the tree with an angel, star, or similar decoration. Now all that is left is to take a step back and gaze at the beauty of what very well could be the best decorated tree in the family. This decoration is one that will not only be seen this Christmas season, but for many years to follow as it serves as the background in all the pictures and video taken during the Christmas holiday season.

Author Bio: Brought to you as a courtesy from the decorative Christmas ornaments chapter of the Christmas decorations and buying tips guide.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: Christmas, home decorating, Christmas ornaments, advice, Christmas tree decorating