Decorate the Christmas tree like a Pro

Decorating the Christmas tree is a time-honoured tradition in many households, but it is handled a little differently in each house - and that's the nice thing about it. The elements used to decorate the tree - lights, garlands, tinsel, and ornaments - are almost the same everywhere. But when it comes to decorating a Christmas tree that is designed to express not only your style but also your personality, heritage and surroundings, the options are virtually limitless. The best Christmas trees are filled with layers upon layers of memories, traditions and ornaments - both handcrafted and purchased.

Three steps to success

The secret of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree is simple: Style in layers! Just follow our three steps and you can decorate your Christmas tree beautifully - just like a professional.

All it takes is an understanding of how the individual elements work together.

But always remember: it is more important for the family to decorate together than to strive for an absolutely perfect look. Nevertheless, the following three steps will ensure that your tree shines.

Step 1: Hang the lights on your Christmas tree

The first step in decorating a Christmas tree is hanging the lights. Fairy lights are now available in many different versions and colours. Choose a colour for the string of lights that goes with the rest of your tree decorations, or one where the cable disappears into the branches.

When you light your Christmas tree from the inside out, it looks most dynamic. Starting at the base of the trunk and working your way up, wrap lights around each major branch, going from the trunk to the top and back.

Of course, you can also use real candles. If so, however, you should never leave the tree unattended when lighting the candles. It is also important to place the candles in places where they have a lot of space at the top. It's also a good idea to have a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher close by just in case.

Basically, you can experiment with different lighting systems until you find one that you like. It's also okay to mix and match different fairy lights. For example, a background of white or clear lights can be highlighted with coloured strands of light that wrap the outer areas of the tree.

Step 2: Add a Christmas tree garland

There are no hard and fast rules for decorating a Christmas tree when it comes to draping a garland. To prevent the branches from arching between the tightly clamped strands of the garland, it is best to start at the top of the tree and slowly increase the amount of garland between each row of branches as you work your way down. Plan about two strands of garland for each vertical tree foot.

You can decorate your Christmas tree with a variety of garlands, from simple to fancy. Thin, beaded garlands look best when hung from branch to branch; thicker paper or tinsel look best wrapped loosely around the entire tree.

Alternative: Bows and ribbons

Decorating a Christmas tree with a bow is a popular alternative to a garland. Loosely wrap a wide, patterned ribbon horizontally around the entire tree. To make the whole thing more interesting, you can try making large bows from the same or a similar ribbon and using them to decorate the branches.

Once you know how to adorn a tree with ribbon, why not try using the ribbon vertically on the tree by cascading streams of ribbon from the top of the tree to the base, threading the ends under the canopy, and on the base around the trunk.

Step 3: Hang the Christmas tree decorations

The final step in decorating your tree is hanging up your Christmas decorations. Here, too, there are a few things to consider:

In order to show off your favourite decorations to the fullest, place them in the best positions on the tree.

Next, hang the larger pieces evenly spaced around the tree. Christmas baubles in one colour but in different sizes and textures create continuity from top to bottom. Hang the larger elements at the bottom and the smaller ones at the top.

Then hang up medium and small pieces. Make sure to hang a few pieces closer to the trunk to add visual depth; this way the light is reflected, which makes your tree sparkle from the inside out.

Top it all off with a simple star or angel.

Finally

Then, at the end, take a step back and study your tree from different angles to see if there are any bare spots that could do with some more decoration.

You see, decorating a beautiful Christmas tree that has depth and vibrancy is not much of an art. You just have to pay attention to a few simple things - then you too will have a Christmas tree at home that is exciting and beautiful and makes your home shine.