Decorating the Christmas tree is everybody’s favorite part of the holidays. Maybe you enjoy the traditions of Christmas, or maybe it’s the designer in you that likes to change old styles each year. Whether you’re having a fresh tree or flocked artificial Christmas tree, there are tips on how to decorate your tree to make it truly beautiful.

- It’s time to decorate. You’ll need to choose a color palette. Traditionally most people just pile on all the ornaments, ornaments that are mostly red and green. If you want to do something more dramatic, pick two or three colors, like rust and gold, or fuchsia, lime green, and plum, to switch it up this year.

- If you don’t have a pre-lit tree, you’ll need to start with stringing the lights. If your tree is flocked make sure the lights have a white cord; if your tree is green, use lights with a green cord. Starting at the top, weave the lights around the tree, making sure to go all the way to the trunk of the tree, in and out of each branch. This ensures that the tree glows all the way through, instead of being dark in the center and bright on the outside. Continue going around the tree, in and out on each branch, until you reach the bottom.

- Add ribbon. The ribbon should work with your color palette, and is another great way to bring color onto the tree. Starting at the top, trail the ribbon down the tree on an angle, weaving it in the branches in some areas to create flow, making it soft and natural, creating circles as you weave it loosely through the branches.

- Add some other types of foliage for added texture and color, such as glittery branches or leaves or small wreathes, which can be found at many craft or holiday décor stores. Make sure to tuck them into the tree so that just the tips pop out for extra color.

- Now for the ornaments and bulbs. Most bulbs need ornament hangers, so get the silver ones for a flocked tree and the green ones for the green tree. Using different shaped bulbs, place them on the ends of the branches. Place some halfway in as well and save the really delicate ones for the top branches that are smaller.

- Use a tree skirt. Choose one that complements your tree’s colors, or for a dramatic look you can use a fur blanket.

- Have fun with the topper! It can be a bundle of ornaments and feathers at the top, a large star, or even a big bow made out of the same ribbon you used on the tree. Worth noting is that if you are decorating a flocked tree, less is usually more, as the flocking is a large part of the decorating scheme. You’ll want to use big hooks on the ornaments, as the flocking takes up surface space on the tree branches.

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