A Modern Spin to a Lifetime Tradition – The Christmas Tree
Casa De Rivera - Christmas Tree 2020
Tis the holiday season
There are a few staple traditions that we follow in our home. The Christmas tree is a big to-do around here, and every year I like to make it special and different from the past. Ofcourse completely changing the tree can be a costly endeavor. In this blog I will share how I got away with spending just ONE DOLLAR this year on my Christmas tree. Yes, you heard me right folks, just one single dollar, or 4 quarters if you may. Here are the dets!
MY Tree:
This is a prelit 9’ narrow pine tree from Martha Stewart with just enough “snow “ and pinecones. It comes in 3 sections that pop into each other in minutes. It is so beautiful on its own, I keep it undecorated for a week and enjoy it. I purchased it last year and it will last me a good 5-10 years.
Now, for the fun stuff,
the décor!
In 2018, we lived in an apartment and had a tiny real tree. For that tree, I purchased a group of very special handmade ornaments that had a vintage look. They are religious based depicting baby Jesus with Mary, the Nativity, and Angels. These really plucked a cord on my heart strings. After all, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, and I wanted to maintain that aspect of Christmas on my tree.
I admit, I spent about $350 on these ornaments at approx.. $20 each, but I knew I would cherish them and pass them down for generations to come. There are six different styles from the same collection, so they provide a cohesive yet unique look. I did not need much more to fill the tiny tree that year.
In 2019
& 2020
These became the showpieces of the design, and now I needed some fillers, well a lot of fillers! So I hit Michaels with my 40% coupons, purchasing small blue and burgundy ornaments for a color pop, as well as burgundy velvet and gold netting ribbon. I followed up at the DollarTree, and to my surprise, I found an abundance of items and I went to town lol.
Dollar Tree finds
– Firstly, I filled my cart with large balls in various silvers and golds to and add mass and create a base of ornaments. Then I looked for smaller unique ornaments and found stars, bells, snowflakes, snowmen (2 for $1), again in silvers, golds and white. These were going to add interest to the tree without necessarily standing out too much. Finally, I hit a home run and scored 6” and 12” glittery stars. Ooo and I don’t want to forget the white clip-on flowers. The 2019 tree had all of the above placed evenly throughout. The tree was a beautiful success!
Now 2020 rolled around, and needless to say its been a rough one. I did not want to make any unnecessary purchases, but still wanted my tree to be different from last year. I decided to use the same décor however I placed it on the tree in a spiral as a large ribbon wrapping the tree. I imagined three strips wrapping diagonally down the tree, gradually getting thicker from top to bottom. I also called in special extra enforcements. My good friend Kat from Hang Your Heart came over with the kiddos and we decked the halls merrily. Big thank you for helping my vision come to life. The mid-day margaritas definitely kept the momentum strong!
We started by making clusters of 3 ornaments using 1 large silver/gold ball with 2 Smaller balls in the accent colors. The clusters made the base of the “ribbon”. The 6” and 12” stars followed, evenly placed throughout the ribbon. The white flowers came next, placed in spots that had holes that needed to be filled. Then the two ribbons from Michaels were cut into 12” pieces and placed throughout to give the illusion that the ribbon was going in and out through the entire spiral. Finally, the showpiece ornaments and all other small ornaments were placed throughout the spiral. The ONLY item I purchased this year was the glittery “Merry Christmas” sign, which I used as the tree topper. And guess what, it was a dollar! The tree skirt is an unused gold velvet curtain that I simply placed under the tree. The gift boxes will be wrapped in coordinating papers and adorned with leftover ribbon and small ornaments.
So here is all the mathematics:
2018 Shopping List (total of $350) :
· Hicks Nursery
o $350 - 20 assorted religious vintage ornaments in the same style
2019 Shopping List (total of $110) :
· Dollar Tree
o $30 – 30 large silver and gold balls
o $20 – 20 assorted accent ornaments in silver, gold and white
o $10 – 10 white clip-on flowers
o $10 – 6” and 12” glittery stars
· Michaels
o $15 – 2 ribbons
o $25 – assorted accent color medium and small balls
2020 Shopping List (total $1) :
· $1 – Merry Christmas sign as the tree topper
As you can see, I was able to create a new design this year by simply rearranging the placement of the ornaments. There is not one way to decorate your tree. I invite you to think outside the box and design your hearts out this year!
TIPS & TRICKS for DECORATING and/or REINVENTING your tree!
1) Figure out your theme. This can include a color scheme, vintage or modern, farmhouse or glam, whimsy and stylish. Remember, it is ok to mix styles, in fact I prefer an element of eclectic surprise.
2) Make sure to maintain the ornaments and décor that are sentimental to you and build the rest of the design alongside them.
3) Get creative and DIY. There is so much out there on the internet today, you can literally google anything and get a step by step video. For example, a garland out of dried oranges can add that earthy vibe for just a few dollars.
4) Shop early and out of season. This is obvious, but something to be conscious of. Set a calendar reminder in your phone to start the planning for next year. One of my new favorite places to get Christmas décor is the Dollar Tree.
5) Purchase a tree that is correctly proportioned to your room. Faux trees will last you many years and they are easier to maneuver. You can actually bend the branches to assist in the ornament hanging. Ofcourse, real trees have their own charming natural beauty and smell like winter magic. So I leave this up to your personal preference.
6) Mix your décor with a small selection of special/pricy items and less expensive filler items.
7) A tree skirt can be made from a curtain, a blanket, a basket, etc.
8) Change the design year to year by adding and/or omitting accents colors instead of buying al new décor.
9) Make the tree coordinate to the colors of the room. If your living room has colors of peach, baby blue and grass green-well go with that as your color scheme. No need to only decorate in the traditional Christmas colors of green and red.
10) A tree topper is not just an angel or a star. It can be anything that coordinates with the rest of the décor and adds a wow factor.
Be sure to comment on the post and share your tips/tricks and pictures of your tree! Make sure to tag us on the gram and we will surely repost your beautiful creation! @houseof_meraki #HOMinspired