Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas to Showcase Your Personal Style
In this post: Everyone has their own approach to Christmas tree decorating. Why not showcase your personal style and passions in your holiday decor?⇒
I have a thing for teacups.
I’m not sure where this passion came from, but it’s been with me for a long time. Certainly it goes back to the early days of our marriage.
No doubt it arose from my taste for antiques and perhaps the realization that teacups were one of the most affordable things you could find in an antique shop.
You could spend a few hours perusing the stalls of an antique market and find a couple of little treasures that packed a whole lot of gorgeousness into a tiny little package.
Hence my collection was born.
I also recall having this budding collection but nowhere to put the teacups, as I didn’t yet have a fully furnished home. An early solution was my teacup chandelier, but as the collection grew I found ever more unique ways to display my teacups.
Until finally one day they wound up on my tree…
Christmas Tree Decorating
Now, truth be told, when it comes to decorating trees, I have tended to take the easy way out. For one thing, I think a bare understated tree can be quite pretty on its own. I enjoy the look of sporadic baubles placed at intervals where they can be well appreciated. A few ornaments, some twinkling lights and call it good.
But lately I’ve been thinking about dressing a tree up in the full regalia. Perhaps it’s the challenge that’s been calling out to me, or maybe I’ve just been romanced by the trees I see online, but I wanted a tree that fully expressed my personal style and taste.
I decided to take up the challenge.
In an effort to start slow, I selected a lush but petite tabletop tree. You can see the 4′ tree in its bare state above. It comes pre-lit and equipped with red berries. I chose a corner of the living room with a well-sized square end table, placed a rustic wood tree collar on it and placed my little tree inside.
Then I stepped back to assess what was needed.
Pro Tip: Taking photos at this stage is a great way to see where the holes are in your tree and to evaluate which areas will need the most work.
Add Picks
Certainly everyone has their own strategy when it comes to decorating a tree, but I’ll outline the steps I took to achieve both a full plush look and one that expresses my unique style.
For the first step I used picks to add density to the tree. I wanted to stay pretty simple in my color feeling since I knew I’d be leading up to the teacups which would bring in color, so I opted for picks with white faux snowberries.
I started tucking in the picks where the holes were most obvious, bending branches to accommodate them as I went along. I also wanted a very random pattern, so they would look more natural.
I must admit, from this point on, after each item was added I could have easily left the tree that way and felt I was done. That’s exactly how I felt when the picks were added and that’s likely how my trees have wound up very simple in the past.
But I moved onward this time, according to the plan.
Weave in Ribbon
Next up was the ribbon and I will freely admit, this is the area that has always intimidated me in the past, but I was determined to get it right.
When it came to selecting the ribbon, I put a good deal of time into figuring out what colors and patterns I wanted to use. For a small tree I figured two patterns was enough, and again, I knew I’d be using varying china patterns in the teacups, so I opted to stay with green and white ribbon. I picked a 2 1/2″ wide green gingham check and an off white ribbon with pretty green trees.
Next I needed to master the technique of adding ribbon to the tree and it was way easier than I expected. I used multiple cut pieces, roughly two feet in length, and started by ruffling up the wired ribbon in a few spots and tucking in the ends. I found they tended to curl in the right way by themselves, so I just folded in both ends and added all the pieces randomly.
I was paying attention to filling up holes, while creating a pleasing pattern with the ribbon. I did one pattern at a time and got comfortable pretty quickly.
Much like the picks, when the ribbon was done, I could easily have stopped there. I actually had to push myself to keep going because I thought it already looked quite lovely. But on I pressed.
Wire Teacups to the Tree
I think everything you add to your tree is expressing your taste, from the tree itself to the ribbon and other elements you select. But here was the most telling aspect of my personality. Deciding on teacups shows a clear preference for vintage, feminine and French style and that’s what I most wanted to convey.
So I rounded up my favorite pieces in varying shades of pink, gold and white and wired the handles to the branches. If the design on the cup was more interesting on the inside, I faced the cup outward, making sure to assort the shapes and colors in an irregular fashion.
And again, I could have stopped here.
Add Some Ornaments
To finish things off, I decided to use some traditional ornaments, giving the tree a bit of holiday glimmer. I chose mercury glass ornaments for their vintage look, as I felt that worked best with the antique teacups. I kept it simple and only filled in sparingly.
Top with a Crown
A little tree like this doesn’t really need much of a topper, but I thought it would be fun to add a small gilded crown which offers the same French aesthetic as my vintage teacups.
I just plopped it over the top branch and let it fall askew.
And there you have the finished tree. It’s a sweet little representation of my personal taste, pays homage to my favorite decor elements and works well with my modern French room decor. It’s a bit unique to my style, which is always the aim of personalizing your home.
So how about you? Do you put personal items that express your passions on your tree? Whether you have ornaments collected on past journeys or ones hand made by children throughout the years, with attention paid to whimsical styling, your tree can express what’s uniquely you.
Resource Guide
To get the look, click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
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Love it! Has me thinking about doing a small tabletop tree using my demitasse/espresso collection.
Thanks, Dani! That sounds like a great idea… 🙂
Lory, It is beautiful. I would have expected no less. I love your home. I love your tree in the Dining Room and it seems like the perfect spot that everyone wants to linger after a meal. Also, I just recently started following you and probably missed it, but I love the buffet in there. Where did you find that !!?? Look forward to much more this season 🙂
Kathy
Thank you so much, Kathy!! I actually found the buffet years ago at a store that was closing, but I will soon be adding resources to many of my older posts and where items are not available, I’ll include similar options currently available. I’m planning on getting that going right after the holidays… 🙂
Bravo Lory for the very first tree that you have decorated and what better to start with a gorgeous tree from Tree Classics. I love that you added your own touch by adding the vintage tea cups as you love to set a most beautiful table. An exquisitely decorated tree to enhance the decor of your beautiful dining room! Have a most wonderful Holiday Lory!
Thank you so much, Shirley! It seems the natural way for me to go… 😉 I’m really enjoying being on the tour with such a wonderful group!
I love it, Lory! The addition of the vintage cups is such a unique idea. Love the blingy napkin rings, too. I say you did quite well for your first tree.
Thanks so much, Kim! As much as I love vintage, I also love my bling… lol. I really had fun with this one and now I’ll want more trees for next year!
You did such a great job with your tree! I love the teacups. Well done!
Thank you, Nancy!! This was so much fun for me… 🙂
Lory! How enchanting!! I love the dainty tea cups used for ornaments mixed in with the metallics. Its lovely and I think wonderful that you are adding a tree for your holiday decor.
Amy, thanks again for including me, as I had such fun with this tour! I think I’m hooked now and want more trees next year… lol! I’m completely blown away by the quality of tree Classics products too… 🙂
Lory, I am enamored with your vintage teacups on your tree! They are a perfect reflection of your style! Im so happy to be on this tour with all of you beautiful ladies!
Thanks so much, Cindy! I just love having the tree in the dining room and having another place for my teacups!! I’m also delighted to be on this tour with such a great group! You guys all inspired me… 🙂
Well done, Lory! I love the teacups and recognized your napkin rings immediately. How very clever of you! I’m always impressed with your unique view. I was raised Catholic, but like to add a little Hanukkah corner somewhere. This year it’s a set of nine mercury glass votives on a slender “silver” tray I found earlier this year at Pottery Barn. I bumped the center votive with 3 stacked quarters and have an old dreidel ornament next to it. I love the rich traditions of our Judeo-Christian history.
Your tree did not disappoint…I knew it would be fabulous! With the tea cups and other table ware in addition to conventional ornaments, you made the tree your own. Love the varied textures of the ornaments. Great idea for keeping the storage boxes close by.
A beautiful tree, love how you used the teacups and napkin rings.
Extraordinary use of items, really unique and I LOVE it!! Beautifully done, elegant and classic. Wow, just a great big wow at the creative talent you have!
So cute using teacups on a tree Lory! Always so exquisite.
What a creative and gorgeous tree! I love the vintage china tea cups! Genius!
It’s beautiful and what a great idea to use your china cups!! I would be afraid of them falling and breaking, so I’m not sure I am going to do that, but how I do love the look!!! That is so YOU Lory!!! Bravo.
Lory, I’m an agnostic former Catholic…my loving and wonderful husband is a secular Jew. Nevertheless, we always celebrate Hannukah and Christmas. We always prefer when the two holidays occur about the same time as they do this year. I love your first X-Mas tree…lovely and imaginative. I love your sense of style in your home, and also your imaginative and lovely seasonal tablescapes. I’ve saved them all to copy in my own home. I collect teacups as well, so I love that you integrate them into your everyday decor and now your first X-mas tree.
Thanks so much, Patricia, and I love your inclusive approach to the holidays! 🙂
Loved the Christmas Trees,the china cups are great would not have taught of them.Thank you.
Hi Lory,
Love your website. So happy to find it. Could you please share with me where
to purchase the angel on your sideboard? Absolutely love it.
Wishing you a very Happy Holiday!
Merry
Thanks so much, Merry! I found the angel at a local garden center, but I’ve been looking for others like it and they’re not that easy to find. If I see any online, I will certainly post the links. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!
I love how you’ve decorated your first Christmas tree, Lory! Teacups are close to my heart, too, and if 100 of them weren’t in storage, I’d be tempted to copy your tree with the sweet baby 4′ tree I picked up at Sam’s Club on clearance this weekend. 🙂 I hope you have a lovely Hanukkah this year! May God always bless you. <3
Thank you so very much Barbara, for your lovely comment and wishes!!
Thank you for the tea cup idea. This year my mom became an amputee and became a resident of full time nursing care. I brought her vintage tea cup and demitasse cup collection home with me. She lived all around the world during her young mothering years and collected as she went, especially in Europe. She continued to collect with a critical eye until just last year at 88 years old and you have given me great inspiration. I will use your idea to honor her and her passion this year.
What a heartwarming way that would be to honor your mom’s taste and style… 🙂
What a brilliant idea, Lory! Such a perfect concept and tree location! I’ve been getting a lot of insight into your tradition via your posts, too. Such a fun way to learn and expand my cultural understanding, especially since I love table setting so much! You are always so inspiring! Happy First Tree! 😉
Lovely, so very lovely, esp the vintage and the bling. . . .we love that sparkle. It turns up a notch with the lights. I am yet another one who loves the garden angel on your sideboard.
Thank you so much!! Yes, I wish I could find more of those chippy garden statues… 🙂 (Not that I know where to put them… lol!)
I have a tabletop tree in my dining room which has a “tea” theme. All of the ornaments are tea cups, teapots, or tea related in some way.
Absolutely beautiful! Great ideas. Thanks for all the inspiration!