Decorating Secrets

[Ellie]

What tips, tricks and unusual items do you use when you decorate your tree(s)? Have you found an unconventional way to decorate or is there something special you add that helps create a magical look?

For example, I hang ornaments with black thread instead of ornament hangers. I can hang an ornament in the perfect place and it looks like they are suspended from the branches. I also like to use different scale ornaments, large and small.

[JollyElfDC]

I live in a small condo. Rather than make an extra trip to the storage room, when my tree is decorated, I wrap all the boxes up to look like presents. It saves a trip, and my boxes are all ready when I take the tree down. This is also a good way to camouflage anything that you dont have space for, and normally sits on your counter or something. If you need to make your house look neat and tidy for company, just wrap up whatever is in the way

[steph535]

we have an artificial tree, the older kind where the branches are color coded and all. every year, the lights and I have a war, so last year, I did things a little differently. I put the center pole up, then put a string of lights going up and down it. then I put in the bottom row of branches, arranging them as I went. then I put lights on the bottom row, then I put in the next row up of branches, then the lights, etc... so the lights were a lot easier to put on. I still had trouble with the top part, though since that already has all the branches on it, but hey, every little bit helps. and yes, it was a lot of lights, but that's ok, because I like a lot of lights. I can always use my dimmers if I want so I can get a candle glow effect. and I hang ornaments throughout the tree, not just on the outer branches. It gives more of a 3D effect.

[SnowAngel]

My fake tree is kinda sparse in the center, so I fill it with matching garlands.

[ANGWife]

It's not really a trick.

But since I have a small child, I make sure to hang all my favorite breakable ornaments on the top out of reach. I'm still teaching him not to touch the tree (at least until he can understand not to break everything) and if he is tempted to touch, I won't be upset if it breaks.

[Kittyskyfish]

We also have to string lights on a fake tree. One of my favorite tricks, as mentioned by steph, is to run lights on the center pole. This really brightens up the center of the tree and gives it an overall glow! Try a string of C7s for extra light. Also, I run a 9-outlet extension cord up the center pole. As I string lights in the branches, I can plug them in conveniently instead of trying to get ends to reach down to the wall outlet or power strip.

I also mix in several strands of twinkling lights (multi-function lights) to give some extra brilliance.

[steph535]

We also have to string lights on a fake tree. One of my favorite tricks, as mentioned by steph, is to run lights on the center pole. This really brightens up the center of the tree and gives it an overall glow! Try a string of C7s for extra light. Also, I run a 9-outlet extension cord up the center pole. As I string lights in the branches, I can plug them in conveniently instead of trying to get ends to reach down to the wall outlet or power strip.

I also mix in several strands of twinkling lights (multi-function lights) to give some extra brilliance.

just make sure that if you use an extension cord with multiple outlets that goes up the trunk, that you don't overload it. I used one of those a couple years ago and I must have had too much plugged in because it ended up getting so hot that it started melting right where one of the prongs was inside the outlet on the wall. I never did get that prong out of there , so we no longer can use that wall plug. I had to throw that extension cord away. Thank goodness I caught it before there was a fire.

[Kittyskyfish]

just make sure that if you use an extension cord with multiple outlets that goes up the trunk, that you don't overload it. I used one of those a couple years ago and I must have had too much plugged in because it ended up getting so hot that it started melting right where one of the prongs was inside the outlet on the wall. I never did get that prong out of there , so we no longer can use that wall plug. I had to throw that extension cord away. Thank goodness I caught it before there was a fire.

Wow! I use two - one for the trunk lights and one for the tree lights. But still, it seems like your wall plug was receiving too much current. We have a switch that operates the outside eaves and it smoked onetime when we were running a lot of current through it. It stopped once we put in a heavier gauge switch.

[Ellie]

just make sure that if you use an extension cord with multiple outlets that goes up the trunk, that you don't overload it. I used one of those a couple years ago and I must have had too much plugged in because it ended up getting so hot that it started melting right where one of the prongs was inside the outlet on the wall. I never did get that prong out of there , so we no longer can use that wall plug. I had to throw that extension cord away. Thank goodness I caught it before there was a fire.

Wow! I use two - one for the trunk lights and one for the tree lights. But still, it seems like your wall plug was receiving too much current. We have a switch that operates the outside eaves and it smoked onetime when we were running a lot of current through it. It stopped once we put in a heavier gauge switch.

Geez! That is a really good reminder to be careful of how many lights are on one circuit..I will certainly be more mindful this Christmas.

Thanks for everyone's great ideas! I'm inspired!

Here's another one I just remembered...I have all artificial trees in my home and I love the smell of fresh pine; so here's what I do...at Christmas tree lots, they have random branches around for free (usually)...I get a few and mix them into garlands, or spread them around the tree base. The other thing I do is purchase a few fresh wreaths from Costco, decorate and hang them inside. I just spray them lightly with water so they last longer.

[gandr1212]

The best thing I ever did was: when we built I knew where I wanted my tree so I had an outlet wired up to a switch so all I have to do is turn on the switch to turn on lights. I also had a outlet set into the top of my mantle so I didn't have to have wires running down. We've sold and are building again and I intend to do the same thing.

Gail