| Did you ever look in the windows of those grand | | | | inside, and some crystal ornaments with imprints |
| department stores and wonder how they got | | | | of the nativity. When I look for ornaments, I look |
| their Christmas trees to look so perfect? | | | | for things that say "Christmas" to me, and fit in |
| It's not nearly as difficult as it looks. And I'll share | | | | the color scheme I've chosen for my tree. |
| the secret here. | | | | Occasionally, my kids get the better of me and |
| 1. The tree - not that it matters a whole lot what | | | | we use colored lights instead of white lights on |
| the tree is, but my favorite tree is the fat | | | | the tree. Those years, anything goes on the tree |
| rounded kind with branches that allow a bit of | | | | branches, and we've done everything from |
| space between, but not so much that you can | | | | stuffed animals and hot wheels cars hung in the |
| see through them. I love the smell of fresh pine. | | | | tree to paper ornaments cut out of colored |
| But in my particular case, with an allergy to pine, I | | | | paper. Spirals, paper chains, and glued ornaments |
| find the most adorable fake tree I can find and | | | | with glitter all go in our collection. |
| make it look as much like a real tree as possible. | | | | 5. The topper - Whatever you want to put on |
| I've even been known to tie pinecones to the | | | | top of your tree - make sure it's big enough to |
| branches as I wrap them with lights to make the | | | | be seen. Our tree usually gets an angel or a star. I |
| tree appear more realistic. | | | | have a selection. My tree is 7 feet tall, and my |
| 2. The lights - Whatever kind of lights you choose, | | | | star is well over a foot tall. My angel on the other |
| get enough to cover the tree well, but if you are | | | | hand is not so big, because she's always |
| going to add ornaments, you need less lights and | | | | competing with the angels on the tree - so she |
| more sparkle. I like to bury the lights just a bit | | | | can't be too huge. |
| inside the branches, so I add the lights as I put up | | | | If it's a color year, we make a new star out of |
| the branches a couple of rounds per layer, so | | | | colored paper or fabric and attach all kinds of |
| there's some depth to the tree, a few glowing | | | | shinys to it with glue. Last year, we had a bright |
| lights hidden inside the branches. Wrapping the | | | | yellow star with silver glitter and gold braid along |
| lights into the branches as you assemble the tree | | | | the edges of a six pointed Star of David. It was |
| is great for a fake tree, but a real tree needs to | | | | awesome. |
| have lights buried just inside the branches so you | | | | 6. The tree skirt - Under it all you need something |
| can stll see the ends of each light. | | | | to hold the packages, and the finish it off. I have |
| 3. The garland - garland offers color and style to | | | | a white braid and ribbon skirt this year. It started |
| the tree. Add a garland that compliments your | | | | out as a circle of cloth and I was just stitching |
| tree decorating style. After the lights are on, the | | | | some ribbon along the edge - I ended up with |
| tree is up, walk around the tree with the garland | | | | layers of ribbon spreading out around the base of |
| in your hand and drop generous swags of garland | | | | my tree. The best part is, I don't have to put |
| between the branches of the tree, allowing them | | | | many presents under a tree that has a great |
| to fall freely and gracefully. My favorite garlands | | | | skirt. |
| are thin ribbon with a nice satin sheen to reflect | | | | I've found a great adornment for my Christmas |
| the lights, beads, or for a natural look, some | | | | tree is a nativity that I can set under the edge of |
| popcorn and dried berries strung on a thread. Jute | | | | the branches, in plain sight. The star on top is a |
| or hemp lengths tied into loose bows at junctions | | | | special touch - and the boughs of the evergreen |
| make a nice natural drape on your natural or | | | | protect it. Everyone notices the nativity under the |
| southwestern style tree. | | | | tree, and I have a special place where children |
| 4. The ornaments - A wide variety of ornaments | | | | look and ask questions, so I can tell them the |
| depicting a specific theme work very well. My | | | | story of Jesus birth. |
| ornaments are mostly gold and white with some | | | | Of course, there's another nativity on an end |
| dark red or Christmas red and Navy blue thrown | | | | table, another in my dining room, and another in |
| in for accent. I have angels, drummer boys, toy | | | | each of the bedrooms, because I love nativities. |
| soldiers, glass orbs, stars, sleighs, a rocking horse | | | | After all, what is Christmas all about? |
| or two, some crystal bells with carved ornaments | | | | |