For years, I’ve wanted a formal Christmas tree to display in our house. I’ve always loved looking at window displays during the holidays and seeing the beautifully curated Christmas trees. Finally, after wanting one for so long, I decided to make it happen! Decorating our formal Christmas tree is one of my favorite things to do because I absolutely love the end result.

I’m going to share my process for decorating my tree with you. Even though this is for a more formal/stylized tree, these instructions can work for any type of Christmas tree décor. I have taught my family these instructions, and we follow them when we all decorate our family tree. A note about my preference: I love a full tree with lots of ornaments and ribbon. You can use these instructions with any amount of items on your tree.

1.) Set your tree up and let it sit empty with only lights for a day.
In our family, we use artificial pre-lit Christmas trees. I always like to get the tree assembled and fluffed first so I can then spend time deciding if I need to adjust any branches to make it seem full and even. Every time I walk by the tree, I will look it over and see if anything needs adjusting. You can do the same with a real tree and Christmas lights that you add to it. You might see that you need to move the lights around to fill in any holes/gaps in your tree. Allowing yourself a day before you decorate it helps ensure that the tree is evenly spaced and ready to go.

2.) Once you are ready to decorate: place your tree topper on first.
Many people like to save the angel or the star or whatever they use as a tree topper for last, however, I prefer to place it first. This way, I know how far down the tree the topper will come, allowing me to see where I need to fill in with ornaments. I use a large white ornament for the topper on my tree and then add white beaded picks all around it--the more picks, the better, in my opinion.

3.) Add ribbon, garland, or tinsel.
Having a tree free of ornaments allows you to arrange the ribbon/garland/tinsel however you like. You don’t have to worry about moving ornaments out of the way to get the look you want. I use ribbon and create a cascading effect. To achieve this look, I cut the ribbon into strips and then tuck the ends into the tree. I place my ribbons at a diagonal angle to look like they are wrapping around the tree lengthwise. To get the ribbon ends to stay put on an artificial tree, you can bend the branches to wrap around the ribbon.

4.) Add large ornaments.
I use large ball ornaments to help hide any holes that might appear in the tree. Always start by adding your largest ornaments first, then move down in size. In addition to the large ball ornaments that I have, I also add other large ornaments making sure everything is evenly spaced around the tree. I like to use ornaments with different textures to make the tree have some dimension.

5.) Add in medium-sized, then small ornaments.
Fill in all of the leftover space with your medium-sized ornaments next, and then finally add in the smallest ornaments where there is space.

6.) Add picks to any available space.
For a little something extra, add picks to your tree. I will always place my picks last because they don’t take up a ton of space and easily slide in anywhere on the tree. Sometimes I will also slide a pick behind an ornament.

7.) Finish with your tree skirt.
I save the tree skirt for last because I use a flocked tree and lots of the fake snow always falls off while decorating. Once I’m finished placing my ornaments and ribbon, I will vacuum up any snow or needles that fell and then place my tree skirt around the tree stand.

I hope these instructions help you create the most beautiful tree! I always love to turn on Christmas music and have my family help decorate the tree. Decorating our tree is one of our most favorite things to do together every holiday season.

XOXO, Lindsay (Pursuit of Pink Blog)

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About Lindsay and Pursuit of Pink:
Pursuit of Pink is a place where women can come to gain inspiration for home décor and life. Through this blog, I hope to help you create a home and life that you love. I designed this space to offer you tips and tricks on making life a bit easier to navigate. Life can be messy and hard; I want to come along beside you and offer resources to lessen your load. It is my heart to give you a place of positivity that encourages you, lifts you up, and helps build confidence in who you are as a woman.