The run-up to Christmas is a busy time for a lot of us, so here’s a simple step-by-step guide to creating a perfectly decorated Christmas tree. As you can imagine, we at Urban Planters decorate a lot of Christmas trees for hire each year and we have found that these simple rules create a beautiful, festive result every time:
• Lights: these go on first. Trying to put them on after the other decorations would defeat even the most seasoned tree decorator!
• At least 30 lights per foot of tree will give you plenty of sparkle (some even say as much as 100 lights per foot!)
• Carefully remove the packing and unfold making sure they don’t tangle.
• Plug in the lights and check they are working.
• Drape the lights evenly onto and around the Christmas tree (tip: hold the plug in your hand and carefully wrap the length of lights in a ball then starting from the top of the tree, walk round it
placing the lights as you go).
• Remove the packaging from the baubles, count and lay out.
• Before decorating decide how the tree is to be viewed.
• If you’re not a fan of tinsel, try metallic beads, ribbons or even popcorn threaded in a chain as a garland to add interest among your other decorations.
• If you do use a garland, start from the top and work your way down the tree, making the drape between the branches bigger the closer you get to the bottom.
• Attach the baubles to the tree with the bauble hooks, or floristry wire if you can get some, for a securer attachment.
• Use a “diamond” design to place the first bauble sticking with similar sizes and colours – it’s what the professionals do and it’s a failsafe way to make the decorations look perfectly placed.
• Place larger decorations at the bottom to ensure an even density.
• Continue to use the “diamond” design for the rest of the decorations.
• Don’t forget to keep standing back and looking at the tree as a whole.
• Pay attention to eye-level using the best decorations where they can be seen.
• Putting some decorations closer to the tree trunk will add depth to the over look of the tree.
• Turn on the lights, stand back and admire your handiwork.
Remember to keep all the packaging for you decorations and your tree if using a replica tree, so packing it all away again won’t be such a headache.
Merry Christmas!
To take down your tree after the festivities:
• Turn off the lights.
• Remove all the decorations from the tree and repack into the boxes.
• Carefully remove the lights and check for any damage before packing away.
• Packing away the Christmas tree – reverse the manufacturer’s assembly instructions.