If you’re a Christmas freak like me, you’ve probably had your Christmas tree and decorations up since the middle of November. If you adhere to traditions, you might have just started thinking about it now, as many experts say that the second week of December is just the right time to put up your Christmas tree.
So, we here at Bored Panda decided to give you some ideas on how to decorate your wonderful trees. Here’s a list of unique Christmas trees folks have put up in their homes, workplaces, and even yards for you to glean some inspiration from.
To learn the secret to a perfect Christmas tree, Bored Panda reached out to the Jennifer Perkins—blogger, indie craft pioneer, and author of five books about crafting. She kindly agreed to give us some tips on how to make a stunning and one-of-a-kind tree!
A Very Special Christmas Tree In Public Library (Sulęcin, Poland)
When it comes to inspiration for Christmas tree design, for Jennifer, it starts with both a theme and a color palette. “Occasionally, I will find an amazing ornament, gift wrap, or tree skirt in an unusual color combination that kicks the whole thing off,” she told us. “I tend to veer away from typical traditional Christmas colors, so, my color palette can come from lots of different places.”
Jennifer prefers artificial Christmas trees, mostly because they come in colors other than green. “I tend to put unusual things in my trees. This year, I have my collection of mod ceramic piggy banks in one of my trees. Artificial trees can hold the weight and keep their shape, real trees can’t handle my kinda Christmas,” the master crafter shared.
For those who want to spice up their Christmas with a different kind of tree this year, Jennifer recommends not getting stuck on making everything red and green. “I have hot pink, lavender, yellow, and even rainbow-striped trees in my collection. I love a vintage Christmas moment, but don’t be afraid to mix in some brand-new goodies from big box stores.
“You don’t have to get hung up on one era and be a purist. Mixing and matching styles, materials, brands – all the things – makes for a more interesting tree.”
Christmas Tree In Lecce, Italy
This Christmas Tree Has Been Created By A Group Of Elderly Women From A Community In My Village. It’s Displayed In Our Central Square
You might be thinking that throwing everything and anything on your tree is the best way for it to stand out. But Jennifer is here to restrain us all. “I have an aunt who’s ex-husband once asked: ‘Do you own a jewelry box?’ She tended to wear all her jewelry at once and he was probably hinting she could use an edit. Probably why he’s an ex,” Jennifer quipped.
“As an avid Christmas collector, I think of this story often. I can’t have EVERYTHING out at once. I rotate years with my ornaments, trees, and collections. This gives me a chance to do different themes and gives collections and pieces their chance to shine rather than be lost in a sea of Kitschmas collectible chaos. I’m a firm believer [that] minimalism is for quitters but even I know to use the metaphorical jewelry box when decorating,” she added.
DIY Christmas Tree Cat Nest
I Made A Solar System Christmas Tree!
Cool Christmas Setup My Dad Built For My Step Mom
Our list may inspire you to try out something different this year. Instead of a traditional tree, you might go for a book tree, a Lego tree, or even a tree made entirely out of plushies (if you have that many, of course!) But if you’re going the traditional route, you still may face a dilemma: real or plastic tree?
That’s the age-old question, isn’t it? This year, the majority of Americans (46%) will have an artificial tree in their homes, according to Statista. Only 26% of consumers say their tree will be a live one. Some 30 years ago, most of us believed that a real tree is way better for the environment and that plastic trees are the devil. But is that really true?
Whether a plastic or a real tree is better for the environment depends on how we use and dispose of it. Artificial trees leave less of a carbon footprint than natural trees that get composted or incinerated. If you do, however, replanting or chipping it and using the tree after the holidays for your own landscaping purposes is a more environmentally friendly solution.
Tree-Rex
Saw These Christmas Lawn Decorations Constructed Entirely Out Of LEGO Today
My Who-Ville Tree
But plastic trees also can be a sustainable choice. A 2018 study showed that if we use our plastic trees for at least five years, they may have less environmental impact. Another 2009 study claimed that you’d need to keep your artificial Christmas tree for 20 or more years for it to have less environmental impact than a natural tree
A lot of things come into play when considering which Christmas tree to choose. “The impact of both types of trees varies based on how far consumers travel to get their tree, how they dispose of their tree (for live trees, landfill, incinerate or compost), and how long consumers use their trees,” the researchers of the 2018 study concluded.
Since I Last Shared This Little Tree, I Couldn’t Resist Sweetening It Up With Just A Few More Newly Acquired Frosted Sugar Fruits And Hanging Some Ornaments In The Window To Tie In The Colors Of The Dishes That I Used To Style The Shelves That Flank The Tree. That’s The Best Part Of Decorating, Isn’t It?
