How to make your Christmas tree look full
As we start to approach the festive season, now is the perfect time to decide on this year's theme. Whether you plan on a maximalist approach with lots of different colours and textures or you're a traditionalist at heart, it can be tricky to make your tree look full without splashing out some serious money. There's also often a fine line between your decor looking full and cluttered.
So, taking all that into consideration, we're sharing some of our top tips to make your Christmas tree look full, with options for every budget and taste. And generally, a mixture of affordable staple baubles and more special decorations can yield a fantastic result, allowing you to look forward to bringing them out year after year.
Here's how to make your Christmas tree look full whatever the theme...
How to make a Christmas tree look full
As we say, to keep costs down, it's worth investing is some packs of baubles and decorations that will fill in gaps and keep your decor looking consistent. Adding lots of lights is also a cost-effective yet impressive way to add volume. We know there's lots to think about at this time of year, including gifts and the Christmas food shop, so you could also start with a pre-decorated tree and add some extras if you're short on time or inspiration.
While a mix of eclectic, colourful, and quirky decorations is in right now, if you're worried about your tree looking as if a child decorated it, stick to one or two colours to keep the theme consistent. Add a personal touch with homemade decorations like these felt baubles or festive crochet ones.
Maximalist Christmas tree decorating
To make decorating your Christmas tree a little less daunting, we spoke to Peter Robinson from The White Company to get some expert tips on how to make your tree look full without it overwhelming your space...
"To decorate your tree to full effect we suggest buying your decoration in groups of six or 12 and keeping to two or three styles only for impact – alternately a single hero style can be a real statement," he revealed.
A mix of large and small decorations is also advisable, since they can balance the look of the tree, depending on their placement.
Robinson says: "We recommend at least 80 baubles for a tree of 7.5ft and to place delicate decorations near the top so they are safer and in pole position. Larger baubles with weight look great placed to the centre where they are more supported whilst smaller decoration can be tied to the ends of branches."
Choosing Christmas tree lights
Getting the right lights for your Christmas tree can also make or break the look. If your tree lights look too sparse you risk the tree looking a little sad, while too many will overpower the decorations. The best way to make your Christmas tree look full with lights is in the decorating technique, according to Robinson.
"There’s something so magical about a Christmas tree's twinkling lights. We recommend at least 170 lights per metre of tree. Start from the bottom and wind then up and around for the easiest way to ensure coverage.
"Choose a subtle green flex that can bend around the branches of your Christmas tree, making it look as if the lights are almost magically suspended in place. The bulbs sit closely together to create a richly lit, tinsel-like effect when illuminated."
Top tips for decorating a full Christmas tree
Think about the placement of your decorations and lights to ensure full coverage.
Set aside time to decorate and don't be afraid to play around with different looks.
For a grown-up finish, stick to just one colour scheme or theme.
Tie your maximalist tree theme in with the rest of your decor for a cohesive look.
Add fun personal touches that are meaningful to you and your family.
Have fun – Christmas decor should be about joy and celebration, so as long as you love the way that it looks, that's all that matters.
Looking for some more inspiration? Snap up some of our favourite 2024 Christmas decorations below...
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