Aydin Arjomand
Break from Tradition with These Sophisticated Christmas Tree Themes
It’s getting to be that time of year: the time for that annual trek to pick (or dig) out your Christmas tree. But before you risk being crushed to death in an avalanche of holiday decor storage boxes, have you considered your Christmas tree theme this season? Of course, many of us have nostalgic ornaments that we hang up year after year (read: that toilet paper tube angel you made in first grade), but sometimes the annual festooning can feel, well, a little same old, same old. Why not make 2023 the year to go an alternative route?
A themed Christmas tree can help unify your Tannenbaum with the rest of your home’s decor (think flocked branches and gleaming groupings of complementary baubles) or serve as an opportunity for you to let your creativity run wild. Party-planning guru Bronson van Wyck, for his part, recommends busting out of the red-and-green paradigm and has decked out his clients’ trees with outré motifs ranging from crustaceans to Noah’s ark. If you can’t bear to give up your treasured ornaments, keep ’em; just integrate them into a broader theme or color story. “I love to hang the ornaments and unwrap each with the excitement of seeing an old friend,” Rebecca Gardner of Houses & Parties says. For her tree, she goes ham with a collection of vintage ornaments, laying on even more throwback charm with glass beads and tinsel.
And—for those who simply can’t decide—you don’t have to stop at just one tree. “One of the biggest trends I should mention is that people are increasingly decorating more than one tree in their home,” observes Mercedes Feller, vice president of merchandising for Balsam Hill. “In addition to the traditional living room tree, we are seeing entryway trees, bedroom trees, and smaller trees for children.”
Read on for 39 designer-approved and outside-the-box Christmas tree theme ideas. But, do heed Gardner’s advice: Decorating is “a long process best fueled by strong eggnog and Bing Crosby.”
Sheep-Themed Tree
Aydin Arjomand
Wooly sheep are an essential part of a nativity scene. Why not bring them to your Christmas tree too? Here, designer Phillip Thomas hung leaping lambs off the boughs of his farmhouse-themed tree in Bellport, New York. Coupled with cozy textiles and more cuddly creatures in the living room, it’s not looking like a baa-d idea at all.
Style-Under-the-Stars Tree
Lacey Sombar
Like Hammel, designer Bradley Odom looked to the great outdoors in creating his Christmas tree theme. He scattered the evergreen with star ornaments and then layered on whimsical, camping-inspired baubles including vintage RVs, acorns, mushrooms, and reindeer. Lush greenery throughout the living room makes the theme even more convincing. “I think abundance can really be the highlight of the season,” he tells us. “Instead of thinking of the rule of threes, throw that out the window and go over the top.”
Display seasonal greetings.
Becky Luigart-Stayner
Those Christmas cards filling your mailbox absolutely deserve pride of place! For a festive look that is sure to beat a jumble stuck to the fridge, show off your happy hodgepodge of well wishes by clipping them to a garland that sits in a well-trafficked area of your home.
Visit a small town.
Jessica Attie
While Christmas is undoubtedly a delightful time to head home and hunker down with ones you love, there’s something so exhilarating about experiencing the magic of an all new locale—and our favorite Christmas towns make for the perfect destinations.
Try a new twist on the tree.
Becky Luigart-Stayner
Scotch pines and Fraser firs aren’t the only ways to get your Christmas tree fix! For a fun new tradition, challenge yourself to find new ways to turn favorite vintage finds into decorative tree displays. Stacked in descending size and wrapped with garland, weathered flowerpots make for a pretty garden-themed decoration on a front porch.
