I don’t know if it’s ever taken me so long from setting up the tree to finalizing the decorations as it did this year! A part of it was I wanted to take my time and let my vision for the tree unfold as I played with what I had. As I started to experiment with those ideas, I ended up making about 60′ of two types of garland, so that slowed me down a bit, too! Anyway, it’s done and I really love it.
I don’t completely start from scratch when it comes to decorating our tree each year, but I like to sort of tweak it a little bit depending on the look I want. I use the same ornaments, maybe adding a few new homemade ones and I always use white lights, but I’ll mix up the garlands, ribbons, and/or picks. This year, I wanted to create a playful, classic look emphasizing homemade elements.
First, can you see the strings? I’ve received a lot of questions about kitties and Christmas trees and we have always added heavy fishing line to the top of our tree to keep it from tipping if they get too rowdy. They don’t climb the tree, but they love wrestling under it and playing with their toys in the tree skirt. It is quite amusing, but I know it wouldn’t be funny if the tree fell over. You can see the light catching the line in the photos, but it disappears in person.
The tree is the 8′ Noble Fir from Balsam Hill and this is our 7th Christmas setting it up. We cut off the lights two years ago because almost all of them were burnt out and, after all of the fuse testing and bulb swapping, I wasn’t able to get them working. It was worth it, though, because the tree is still beautiful and we knew the lights wouldn’t last forever. Now, I string the lights on each year, which definitely takes more time but that’s just a part of decorating the tree for Christmas.
I am still clinging to my old-school incandescent white lights. I’m sure I’ll come around to LED at some point, but it just doesn’t put off the same glow for me.
For the garlands, I used cream wool pom-pom garlands I’ve had for several years, a chunky crochet garland (you can find the pattern and tutorial HERE), and an orange slice garland (you can find that tutorial HERE.)
The prominent store-bought ornaments on the tree are THESE brass birds that I’ve been collecting for a few years as well as Wallace Sleighbell ornaments. They have been made since 1971 and I have a bell for each year and a few multiples that I purchased with lots that contained bells I was missing. I also added some blue and pale green satin ribbons simply tied on some branches. To me, it gives sort of a maypole vibe!
Homemade ornaments on the tree are (and I’m linking each to their tutorials) molded salt dough ornaments, easy embroidered felt ornaments, chunky crochet snowflakes, German glass glittered ornaments, handpainted ceramic ornaments, and polymer clay ornaments.
The only thing I haven’t figured out is a tree topper. In our last house, we had 9′ ceilings, so an 8′ tree with a topper worked. In this house, our ceilings are 8′, so the 8′ tree just barely fits. I even had to bend the tallest branch down into the tree so it wasn’t pushed up against the ceiling. Since there isn’t room for a topper, I’ve been thinking about different ideas that might work. I think I have finally found a solution – a crown that can sit down over the top of the tree. It might even be fun to make one, but we’ll see.
The tree skirt is one I made years ago out of antique linen toweling. You can find details on how I made it HERE.
I wanted to add some presents under the tree for the pictures, but the cats would view those as new places to hide and more ribbon to chew on. We’ll just wait to add those until Christmas Eve.
42 Responses
Lovely, just lovely
Oh, don’t ever switch to LED lights, there is NO comparison to incandescent! I like the way you did the ribbons with their long tails hanging down. The crown idea is wonderful and would look great, but really you don’t notice that there isn’t anything up there and it looks more natural.
Your tree is beautiful. I tried ordering some of the brass birds in early December and they were already sold out. I found the same birds for sale on Etsy and bought a few: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1296065991/tin-holy-spirit-doves
Thanks for sharing!
Ack, they sell out so early!
What color wool ease thick yarn did you use? Need to order online. Thx.
It’s the color Fisherman.
Your tree looks beautiful. I have two artificial Christmas trees. The one in our living room was an expensive one but was 75% off in July when I bought it. The lights failed three years ago. My husband insisted on buying LED lights. Despite them being labeled “warm white” they are much brighter and more blue than incandescent which have such a lovely warm glow. I bought the tree for our family room at Salvation Army for $27 about 8 years ago. It’s 9 ft. tall and 4 ft. wide. A couple strings of lights quit last Christmas. I bought new lights according to the length of the wire although it has twice as many lights – 1,900. What a chore to figure out how make each section have separate strings of lights so I wouldn’t have to remove them! With a 69 year old back, I could only string new lights for two hours at a stretch. It took DAYS to finish the job. It is a lovely tree and I’m glad I did it.
Beautiful!
What a bargain find! Good for you!
Your tree is lovely, and I especially love the glimpse of it from the kitchen, where I seem to spend most of my time during the holidays. My question, however, is regarding your last blog — the pomegranate barley salad. I couldn’t help but notice the charming honey dipper and wondered if that too was from Polders? (I didn’t see it on their website.)
I don’t think that was from them. I think it might’ve been given to me as a gift.
It is beautiful. Really beautiful. Remember the tree skirt you glued the ruffle on? I made one and I am sure a lot of us did. I like it because it is heavy. So many beautiful ideas from you Thank you.
Oh, of course! That tree skirt was one of the first things to really blow up online. I used mine for many years and, I agree, I loved how heavy and full it was. I ended up selling mine somewhere along the line.
By some twist of fate, I ended up with both LED and incandescent lights this year. Rather than going to the trouble of returning them, I just put them on the tree in more or less alternating rows. They actually look sort of neat to the naked eye, but in photos, it’s clear that something is very wrong!
Very very beautiful but honestly I think bloggers are trying to one-up each other this Christmas.
Between Inspired Charm, you, and others, who can create such a Christmas wonderland in their homes? I know it’s suppose to be for inspiration and you are very good about sharing your designs but can we get back to reality and have examples of simple beautiful holidays that are about people and charity. You and Michael are very popular influencers, and for good reason. Maybe create one of those beautiful trees for a foster home or nursing home next year.
Kathy… I have to say your comments really rubbed me the wrong way. Well at least you commented that her tree
was very very beautiful which it is. I think Marian is very generous with how much she shares for free with her
followers. She has many followers for a reason. She is very talented and generous with her tutorials. We come here
to get inspiration and love seeing her vision come to life. It is not expected that you copy her designs exactly. Take
what you want from them and move on.
Kathy, I appreciate your feedback and I understand how overwhelming social media can be. I’m sorry if anything I shared perhaps made you feel like you’re not doing enough. In my defense, I don’t feel like putting up a tree I’ve had for seven years, using ornaments I already had, and adding just a few inexpensive elements (like handmade garlands and ribbons) is one-upmanship. It’s just putting up our Christmas tree, which I would do for my family whether I shared it online or not.
While I do spend a lot of time decorating my home for Christmas (I just thoroughly enjoy it and always have), I have helped set up trees and decor in our church many times over the years and have served at Christmas in other ways (dinners for the homeless, filling shoeboxes, church music programs, gifting to needy families, etc.). I think serving is very important, but that’s not the kind of thing I share on social media or the blog. I do that for an Audience of One and not for “content.”
I would be curious and it would be fun to know how many ornaments, ribbons and garlands are on that tree….it is fully loaded!!!
It is beautiful and I bet even better in person!!! Would love to see a night time photo too. Way to go!!!
I would estimate there are about 80-100 ornaments, six spools of ribbon, and I’m not sure about the garlands. I do have three different types, so I imagine it’s a lot!
Oh!— there’s a tree under there??? 🙂
Really beautiful!!!
Your tree is beautiful and I love the fact that you took the time to decorate it. Thank you for sharing.
Your tree is so lovely. I love your crown topper idea – a (large)vhollow bulb turned upside down might also be an idea. I have one of my late mother’s tabletop trees and for its topper I turned a vintage Delft blue and white teardrop-shaped ornament upside down – I have the top branch folded in half & running through the bulb which holds it up but doesn’t need a lot of height. Wishing a Merry Christmas to you & your family.
The tree is beautiful! We always decorated our tree as a family. We had hot chocolate, brownies or cookies and put on Christmas music, a fire in the fireplace and made an evening of it. I really miss that now. Doing it myself is just a chore even though I love looking at all the sentimental ornaments (no themes for me). And putting it all away an even bigger chore.
We always decorated the tree as a family when I was a kid, but Jeff hates putting up lights and the boys were never very interested in helping. The boys will carry bins up from the basement and put them away when I’m done, but I do most of it myself.
Merry Christmas Marian
Beautiful..exquisitely unique…joyful! I can imagine all those your heart holds dear gathering around this Christmas tree in celebration and gratitude for all the effort you put into all that you do..🎄I have followed you for years …you were featured in a magazine and made a wreath of music sheets rolled into scrolls..I took my Moms letters to my dad in World War II and fashioned them into a wreath…I see it every day…brings me comfort and joy! Thank you for your sweet inspiration…I remember you complemented my yarn snowballs per your tutorial….so thoughtful of you…a thousand thank you’s for all you do …and a multitude of best wishes foe a Merry Christmas and theHappiest of New Years!
Oh, I love that! I thought about adding some paper elements this year but I just ran out of time. I need to bring those back again!
Very pretty tree in your nicely painted room.
How about a large bow to top the tree from the same ribbon you have already used?
Yep, that’s a good idea!
I don’t understand why some people feel a tree needs a topper!
Your tree looks magnificent as is!
Yeah, I don’t feel like I have to have one, but it’s a nice finishing touch!
Your tree is stunning! Merry Christmas, Marian!
Beautiful. A very robust tree! I thought of a crown for the tree topper too. A few years back, Restoration Hardware was featuring gorgeous crowns for toppers. I seriously think you could make one though. My mom has made many a crown for theater using different materials, but one that she did comes to mind where she stiffened lace and painted it gold. I’m sure she added golden glitter as well. Lovely blog posts for the season – cozy, elegant, artistic. Merry Christmas!
Your tree is beautiful and the crown idea would ‘top’ it off! I need to find a topper for our tree also. Thank you for bringing us into your home. You have given me inspiration in so many different ways. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
The tree is lovely! Your home is so warm with all your special touches!
I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas.
Thank you for all your inspiration this year!
Just beautiful! Merry Christmas!
Check out ebay item 225896459820 for a crown tree topper
So happy your blog has started appearing in my email again. I simply love seeing all the wonderful things you find and do with them. Merry Christmas to you and yours Marian.
Have you previously written a post about adding your own lights to a Christmas tree? I’d love some advice as I bought a new to me tree at an estate sale this fall, which needs new lights. Any advice is appreciated!
Yes, a crown tree-topper to remember the incarnation of our glorious King!