The Christmas season is upon us, a time of year when homes are filled with color. In most homes, the nativity scene and the tree become the central elements of the decoration.
We have already talked about Christmas decorations in general, but this time we will take the opportunity to discuss how to plan the decoration of the tree. Before we get into the subject, we will briefly look at the origins of this tradition.
Origins of the Christmas tree
It is believed that this Christmas custom has its origins in the celebrations of the Vikings who populated northern Europe.
Around Christmas time, these northern peoples decorated an evergreen tree, symbolizing Yggdrasil, the tree of the universe. With it they celebrated the birth of Frey, god of the sun and fertility. After their conversion to Christianity, these people kept the custom to celebrate the birth of Christ.
In Spain, this tradition was introduced in 1870 by Sofia Troubetzkoy, a princess of Russian origin who, after being widowed, married the Marquis of Alcañices, José Osorio y Silva.
Decorating a Christmas tree step by step
Actually, there is no right way to decorate our tree, but it is important to follow a series of steps that will ensure an excellent result.
Define the chromatic scheme
The first step before decorating is to define the style and color scheme we will use. In this way, we will be able to acquire all the necessary ornaments without having to rush to the last minute or, simply, putting on the tree all the Christmas ornaments we have at home. Towards the end of the article we will know some trends that can inspire us.
Choosing the right location
Deciding where we are going to place the tree is essential, especially if we have limited space. Sometimes, it may be advisable to change the distribution of furniture to make room for the new inhabitant of the house.
The ideal is to place the Christmas tree near a socket to avoid having the wires of the lights in the middle of the living room.
If we have children or pets, it is important to choose an area where they are not likely to run through. We will avoid a scare or two.
Once the location is chosen, we must take into account the dimensions of the tree. Not only must we measure the height, including the base and the star, we must be aware of the perimeter of our tree.
If the tree is natural we should keep it away from heat sources, such as stoves and fireplaces, and water it a couple of times a week.
Covering the base of the tree
There is nothing worse than spending a morning to make our tree look spectacular and leaving the plastic or metal base visible. The ideal is to cover it with a cloth or place the tree in a pot.
Placing a circular piece of fabric under the perimeter of the tree will also serve to collect the leaves that fall, if the tree is natural, and also allows to hide part of the wiring of the lights.
Open the branches of the tree
After spending almost 12 months in a cardboard box, it is necessary to open each of the branches of the tree. This will give it a more natural look and avoid gaps between the branches.
Placing the lights on the tree
If we want to give a touch of light to the tree, the garlands of LED lights are the best option. It is important that, if we decide to use them, they are the first decorative element we place.
We will place the lights starting from the top, leaving about 15 centimeters between each turn. It is important to make sure that the lights work before putting them on the tree and, of course, unwind them well.
Placing the tinsel
Once we have the lights, the next step is to place the tinsel. We will proceed in the same way as with the lights, starting from the top of the tree and continuing downwards.
Place the Christmas balls and the rest of the decoration.
Once we have the lights and the tinsel we will start placing the balls and the rest of the decorative elements.
It is convenient to start placing the balls of plain color to create a base that gives uniformity to the set and then add the most decorative ones. To achieve depth we will place the larger ones in the center of the tree and the small ones at the tip of the branches.
If we have glass balls it is better to place them at the top of the Christmas tree, where it is more difficult for them to fall.
Finally, we will place the top ornament. The star or the angel are the most common ones, but we can use snowflakes, birds, etc. It is important that it is not a heavy element, since it will be on the weakest part of the tree.
Trends for decorating the Christmas tree
To help us choose the colors of the decoration we bring you some of the trends that are being imposed.
Nordic style
Increasingly fashionable, the Nordic decoration also sneaks into Christmas. In this case we avoid decorations with bright colors. The aim is to achieve a relaxed look with colors that tend to silver and white.
Classic red
Combined with the green of the tree itself is a safe bet. Red is one of the most characteristic colors of Christmas and, undoubtedly, one of the most popular.
Natural decoration
If we like the colors and textures that nature offers us, we can use ornaments made with natural materials such as wood. Instead of tinsel, strips of sackcloth or other types of fabrics can be used.
Metallic tones
The golden ones stand out above all, although we can use colors closer to copper or bronze.
If we decide for this type of decoration, we will try not to put too many lights as it could be too overloaded.
