How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Like a Pro (with Video Tutorial)

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Interior decorator Nissa-Lynn Parson's tips for making your tree stand out this season

Co-authored by Nissa-Lynn Parson and Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: November 14, 2025 Fact Checked

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Few things bring more cheer around the holiday season than a lavishly decorated Christmas tree. And while it’s easy to toss ornaments on a tree and call it a day, following just a few pro tips can give you an elegant tree that looks professionally designed and exceptionally festive. Here’s a handy guide that will show you how to decorate a Christmas tree like a true pro, from creating a theme to picking the perfect topper, with expert advice from interior decorator Nissa-Lynn Parson and seasonal decor expert Marissa Fidler. Looking for a visual aid? Check out our video tutorial to see how it's done!

The next Christmas is Thursday, December 25, 2025. There are 12 days left!

Expert Tips for Decorating a Christmas Tree

Interior decorator Nissa-Lynn Parson recommends starting your tree decor with ribbons after stringing the Christmas lights. Begin with a 4-inch (10-cm) wide ribbon, then accent the tree with smaller ribbons. Next, add the largest ornaments, then medium and small ones. A mix of sizes creates balance and visual interest.

1

Choose a theme for your tree.

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A great tree has a theme that ties all the decorations together. Before choosing ornaments and decorating your tree, think about what you want the final product to look like. Your theme could be a hobby, an aspect of the holiday that you enjoy most, your favorite ornament, an aesthetic style, or an overall color scheme. (For example, a Christmas tree theme could be “rustic cheer,” “music,” “art deco tree,” or “winter wonderland.”) Once you decide, you can find decorations that fit the central theme.
- A more minimalist theme will emphasize restraint and simplicity and will probably use only a small number of decorations, while a more maximalist theme will incorporate lots of layers, textures, and decorations, like ornaments, dried fruit, garlands, and more.
- Even if your theme isn’t based on a color scheme, following a palette can make your tree look more polished and professional. "I am very true to a traditional style," notes Fidler. "So, I do reds, greens, golds for Christmas… I would say it's a very traditional palette."^{[1]
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- Pick the main color, and then a couple of secondary colors to complement it. You could pick a neutral scheme with lots of classic white, silver, and gold, or add a pop of color by incorporating some blue, green, or red in your color palette.
- If you’re not sure how your theme will tie together, create a mood board that has everything you want to use. You can get a better idea of what your tree will look like and what you’ll need to pull the design off.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Nissa-Lynn Parson is an interior decorator specializing in creating elegant and sophisticated spaces with a focus on timeless style and attention to detail. She loves decorating for holidays and sharing her favorite home decorating tips.

Marissa Fidler is a home and seasonal decor expert with a passion for making holidays special. Her work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens’ Christmas Issue, in stores October 2025.

2

Fluff and shape your tree.

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Fluffing an artificial tree will make it look more lifelike. If you're working with a fake tree, separate all of the tips on each branch and position them in different directions to give the tree a fuller look overall. Then, look your tree up and down, starting at the bottom, for any large gaps between branches. Bend tree branches into place as you find these gaps to fill them up.^{[2]
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- Wear gardening gloves when you fluff your artificial tree to protect your hands.
- Consider looking up pictures of the species that your artificial tree is based on. You'll then know what it should look like and which directions you should bend its branches.
- If your tree is real, make sure it has plenty of fresh water every day. The best way to keep a real tree looking fluffy and full is by giving it lots of fresh tap water each day for nourishment and keeping it away from radiators and other heat sources, which drain the tree of its moisture.^{[3]
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3

String the Christmas tree lights.

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Start stringing lights at the top of the tree and work your way down. Wrap your string lights around the tree, keeping them close to the trunk. When you reach the bottom of the tree, move back up, weaving another layer of lights between the branches. This time, place your lights closer to the outside of the tree. This will light your tree up from the inside out!^{[4]
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- Make sure your lights work properly before stringing them on the tree.^{[5]
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- Select your lights based on which wire will blend in best with the tree; most string lights come with dark green, black, or white wire strands.
- You can use strands of clear (white) or multi-colored lights according to your preference and theme. Mix and match, too; an inner layer of clear lights and an outer layer of colored lights will make your tree shine.
- The average tree has about 100 lights for every vertical 1 ft (30 cm) of tree. Double this to 200 per 1 ft (30 cm) if you’re looking to dazzle, or reduce it to 50 per 1 ft (30 cm) for a minimalist look.

4

Add ribbon or a garland.

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Use anything from a thinly beaded garland to a thick ribbon. Fidler recommends wired ribbons: "You want ribbons with a wired edge because it's much easier to work with than one that's loose that doesn't have any wiring or structure to it."^{[6]
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Marissa Fidler
Seasonal Decor Expert

Expert Interview} Other than that, garland decor doesn’t have many rules, as long as you use something that fits your theme. To string a garland or ribbon, start at the top of the tree and work your way down, spacing the garland or ribbon evenly and letting it hang loosely from the major branches of the tree.
- In terms of quantity, aim for about two strands of garland for every vertical 1 ft (30 cm) of tree.
- As with lights, feel free to mix and match. Pair up ribbons of different widths and textures to get a more eye-catching look for your tree. Chunky wooden beads will give your tree a more earthy, organic feel, while bells will make it feel more elegant and magical.
- You can also make your own garlands by stringing popcorn or cranberries. It's a fun and festive family activity to do while watching your favorite Christmas movies—and it's thrifty!

5

Hang your ornaments next.

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Start with your favorite ornaments and then go from largest to smallest. It pays to be a little strategic about ornament placement: place your favorite ornaments (especially ones that enhance your theme) in the most visible spots around the tree. Then, Parson recommends "[adding] large ornaments, followed by medium and small ones. Having a mix of sizes adds visual interest and makes the tree look more professional."^{[7]
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Nissa-Lynn Parson
Interior Decorator and Brand Influencer

Expert Interview}
- "If your tree has a theme, you can put other fun pieces in there outside of ornaments," Fidler suggests. "I've seen people do large nutcrackers in their tree before, or Christmas teddy bears in their tree, or trains or large snowflakes, things like that."^{[8]
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- Generally, it’s easier to hang heavy ornaments close to the top of the tree where the thickest branches are.
- Hang some ornaments closer to the trunk and others on outer branches to add a sense of depth to your tree.

6

Balance your decorations.

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A polished and pretty tree will have a balanced display of lights, ornaments, and other decor. Divide your tree into thirds (top, middle, and bottom) and decorate one section at a time, starting at the top, and check your work as you go. This helps you ensure that no two same ornaments are next to each other and everything is evenly spaced.

7

Cluster ornaments to add texture.

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Use 3 or 4 types of ornaments (not counting your unique ornaments) to decorate the tree—they can differ in size, style, and color, so long as they fit your theme. Hang one of each in a small cluster, and continue hanging your ornaments in contrasting clusters all around the tree. This will give your tree some extra flair while making sure everything is balanced and visually pleasing.

EXPERT TIP

Nissa-Lynn Parson
Interior Decorator and Brand Influencer
Nissa-Lynn Parson is an Interior Decorator and Brand Influencer based in Texas. With a longstanding passion for decorating, she started her own interior decorating business in 2010, Nissa-Lynn Interiors. She offers interior decorating and design, home staging, and e-design. Nissa-Lynn later branched out in 2015 and pursued home decor influencing on social media. She has had the opportunity to attend product launch events, participate in design panels, and work with PR firms and companies like Hobby Lobby, Amazon, Floor & Decor, and Macy’s. Her content has been published in several national magazines including The Cottage Journal, and has been featured on web and social media sites like Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, Pottery Barn, Target, and many more. Nissa-Lynn specializes in creating elegant and sophisticated spaces with a focus on timeless style and attention to detail. She loves decorating for holidays and sharing her favorite home decor items, entertaining pieces, and decorating tips to inspire others to love the space they’re in! She received an AA degree in Fine Art from BYU-Idaho in 1997 and a BA degree in Marketing Communications and minor Visual Arts from Brigham Young University in 1999.

Nissa-Lynn Parson
Interior Decorator and Brand Influencer

Mix items you already have with a few new decorations. You don’t need to go out and replace everything. I buy a few seasonal items every year, but I always incorporate them into my existing décor. It creates a more cohesive and calming effect in your space and feels less overwhelming.

8

Fill the space between decorations with tree picks.

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Tree picks add a touch of elegance without overpowering the other decor. A tree pick is a small accent piece that you can attach to a tree by tucking the pick’s stem into a branch, and they’re handy for filling up empty spots on the tree that your other ornaments and garlands haven’t covered. Alternatively, they’re perfect for adding a splash of color to the tree!^{[9]
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- Tree picks come in a wide range of styles, generally nature-themed, including glittery twigs, branches, feathers, berries, and pinecones.
- You can even bunch a few picks together using floral wire to create more eye-catching spots around the tree.
- If you have leftover tree picks, you can add them to wreaths and garlands around the house, which will tie the tree's theme together even more.

9

Add florals and other accents.

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Make your tree stand out with a few well-placed accent pieces. Florals, such as attachable poinsettia ornaments and other Christmas-themed blooms, are popular choices for this; other tree accents could include bird ornaments with nests or large snowy pinecone ornaments. Accent pieces are useful, too, as they fill in gaps while also adding a lot of visual appeal to your tree!
- Fidler recommends "bringing the outside in. For any holiday…use what you have in your own yard…. A lot of people have Holly bushes. You can take stems off of that for Christmas [trees]."^{[10]
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10

Add a tree topper.

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The right tree topper completes your tree visually. When selecting a tree topper, make sure that its color fits the color scheme you’ve picked out for your tree. While the classic tree topper options are a star or angel, you have far more freedom: you could top your tree with a large bow, a floral bouquet, or some other design that fits the theme you’ve chosen.
- If nothing on the market appeals to you, consider making a tree topper at home. Custom toppers add a little personality to your tree and give you more freedom in choosing themes and colors.

11

Finish the look with a tree skirt.

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Tree skirts protect your floors and balance out the look of your tree. They cover the stand that holds your tree up, while also picking up fallen pine needles if you have a real tree. Pick a tree skirt that matches your theme and think outside the box! Tree skirts are typically made of fabric, but they can also be made from other materials such as wicker or galvanized metal.^{[11]
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- You can give your tree skirt some extra embellishment by adding decorations to it.
- For example, lay down some white fabric and set up a family of snowman decorations to create a winter wonderland, or create a miniature village around the tree.

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Question

What size tree is best?

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It depends on the size the house and room where you plan to display it.

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Do ornaments need to go all around the tree?

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You can put the ornaments wherever you'd like on the tree.

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Would big ornaments go well on a small tree?

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If you have a smaller tree, smaller ornaments are better. They look better, and have lower chances of weighing down the branches and breaking them.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you're using an artificial colored tree, such as a white tree, choose just one other color for your lights and ornaments as contrast. For example, a white tree with blue lights and blue ornaments, or a pink tree with silver and white decor.
Hang your most delicate and breakable ornaments near the top of the tree so children and pets cannot reach them.
Add something creative to make it pop, like decorative mesh.
Don't add too much tinsel. It will overpower the tree.

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