If this is the first year you are decorating your own Christmas tree, you may feel a bit overwhelmed.
After the first year, you can reuse the decorations and add to your collection, however this year you will most likely have to start from scratch.
Here are a few pointers to help you decorate your first Christmas tree.
photo courtesy of Allan Henderson flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/5243064376/Fresh or Artificial
The first thing you need to decide is whether to get a fresh or artificial Christmas tree.
If you get a fresh tree, you can start with a smaller tree this year so the decorating task will be a bit easier.
You will need to figure out the size of the space in your home that you will put the tree as well as how you will transport the tree.
Fresh trees require proper care in order to keep them looking great throughout the Christmas season.
If you decide to go the artificial route, the most cost effective time to buy artificial trees is right after Christmas when they go on sale.
You might consider using a fresh tree this year and buy an artificial tree right after Christmas for next year.
Don't forget that you will need a place to keep your artificial Christmas tree after Christmas - your attic, a closet, or your basement.
Lights
Most Christmas trees have strings of lights illuminating them.
A general rule of thumb is to use one string of 100 lights per foot of tree (if you have a 7 foot tree, get 7 strands of lights).
If you decide to use white or clear lights, make sure to buy several strands of the exact same sets of lights, since lights come in many variations of white light.
Garland
Garland is important when decorating a tree in order to make it look cohesive.
You can use grapevine, ribbon, fabric, or whatever would complement your decor.
Ornaments
Before purchasing new ornaments, ask your friends and family if they have any ornaments that they can spare.
The amount of ornaments needed for a Christmas tree can be substantial, so any freebies will help.
The most important rule when using ornaments on a Christmas tree is that small trees (desktop size) need smaller ornaments and larger trees (over 6' tall) need oversized ornaments.
Topper
To finish off the top of your Christmas tree, add some type of Christmas tree topper.
A topper can be a Santa, angel, star, bow, or cluster of florals.
Skirt
The final step to decorating a Christmas tree, after you have cleaned all of the needles and glitter off the floor, is to add a Christmas tree skirt.
The tree skirt finishes off the bottom of the tree and hides the tree stand.
You can purchase a pretty tree skirt, make a custom tree skirt, or simply wrap the bottom with a blanket or sheet.
