Creating a Designer Christmas Tree

	Where Do I Start?
	How Many Lights Do I Need?
	Multicolor vs. Clear Lights
	Placing Lights on the Tree
	Theme Trees
	Hanging Ornaments
	Garland, Tinsel and Icicles
	Finishing Touches

Select a tree that reflects your personality.

The tree you select is often a reflection of your family personality and traditions. Most people buy the same type of tree year after year, and those traditions are part of their holiday ritual.

Consider where you want your tree to go, and match the size of your tree to the location. If you have a large space, go for a bushy tree. High ceilings suggest a tall tree. If space is limited, consider a table top tree or a tall, thinner Alpine tree.

Many people opt for artificial trees. Today's artificial trees are extremely lifelike and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The convenience of an artificial tree is a major draw for many. Once you select an artificial tree, you will be able to use it for many years. With an artificial tree, there are no needles to sweep up and no watering. Modern artificial trees also reduce the potential for fire.

But, for some people, there is just no substitute for the scent, look and feel of a real tree. If you decide to buy—or cut your own—real tree, you may want to use a hand saw to trim the branches to define the shape or fit your space. And, don't forget to water!

Whatever type of tree you choose, before you start to decorate it, pull it away from the wall so you can walk completely around it without obstruction. This makes decorating much easier. If you're using an artificial tree, fluff the branches and turn some of them upward before you start decorating.

Plan on 100 lights per foot of tree.

The starting point is 100 lights for each foot of tree. For example: if you have a 7 foot tree, you will want to have a minimum of 700 lights.

You will want to add additional strands if your tree is fuller than average or if you like a heavily lighted tree. You'll find lights in packages of 35, 50, 100 or 200. Many people find that the 100-light strand works best for decorating most trees.

Plan ahead and make sure that you have enough working lights on hand. You'll be angry and frustrated if you run out of lights in the middle of decorating!

Many people choose clear or white miniature lights because they complement any colors you use for ornaments or other decorations. But multicolored strands give a traditional and festive look. There are also strands of a single color, such as red or blue. Strands of a single color go well with certain theme trees.

Starting at the base, wrap the cord around the branch until you reach the tip.

Wrap back toward the base, wrapping individual branches as you go.

Before you place a single light on the tree, you must test your lights. Plug each strand in to make sure it is working.

Lights go on the tree first—before tree toppers, ornaments or anything else. Plug them in before you start. It's much easier to position a lighted strand.

Have you ever noticed how some trees have wonderful depth and dimension when lighted? That effect is achieved by wrapping lights around the branches. To do this, you will want to start with a special multiple-socket extension cord, often called a light controller or holiday hookup. (These are available at your local Lowe's store.) These cords, which are about 15 feet long, allow you to plug up to nine strands of lights into one cord and are controlled by a single switch, which is located on the cord. For most trees, you'll want to buy a green cord, although white is available for use with white or silver trees. You want it to be as unobtrusive as possible.

Attach the cord to the trunk of the tree with colorless twine or a green pipe cleaner. This will give you a cord that runs vertically down your tree, with outlets spaced at regular intervals. Once the cord is secured, grab a string of lights and start at the top of the tree.

Plug the strand into an outlet near the top. Starting at the base of a branch, wrap the cord around the branch. Continue until you reach the tip of the branch, then wrap back toward the base.

As you work out and back, wrap around a few individual branches. When you're back to the base, start on a new branch.

This technique will give your tree dimension and depth, but make sure you don't overdo it. You don't want to wrap the lights too loosely, because you don't want the wires to show, but don't put them too close together because you will use many more lights than you need.

With this technique you will not need to wrap every single branch. Just make sure you maintain consistency from the top of the tree to the bottom. Step back frequently and view your work. Fill in gaps and holes as they occur. You will end up with a tree that almost looks as if it is lighted from the inside out. If using an artificial tree, spread and arrange branches as you go—it's easier than waiting until you're finished!

A theme tree anchors your holiday decorating scheme.

Theme trees are gaining popularity every year. Many people find that theme trees allow further personalization of holiday decorating since they can be decorated with special collections or items of interest. Often, a family adds a second tree and makes it a theme tree because they don't want to part with their traditional tree and ornaments.

A theme can be anything. Just think of something you like—a color, a decorating style, a shape—and start your theme from there. There are so many ornaments available that you'll find plenty of things to hang on your tree.

Here are some idea for theme trees. Use one of these, or let your imagination run wild:

• Angels and Cherubs - all colors, crocheted lace and other textures.
  
  
• Bears - tiny teddy bears all over.
  
  
• Color Theme - red, gold, blue, winter white, pink or any combination.
  
  
• Country - handmade ornaments and craft pieces.
  
  
• Fisherman - tiny tackle boxes, nets and lures with fish ornaments.
  
  
• Gardener - tiny flowers and vegetables and small garden implements.
  
  
• Handmade - do a tree with all handmade ornaments.
  
  
• Kids - give your children their own tree and let them pick a theme.
  
  
• Kitchen Tree - tiny utensils, teapots and pans, with a dishcloth as a tree skirt.
  
  
• Southwestern - chili pepper lights with cow, horse and 10-gallon hat ornaments.
  
  
• Sports - you'll find a wide assortment of ornaments with colors and insignia of pro and college teams
  
  
• Victorian - hearts in pink, cream and gold and lots of lace.

Well placed ornaments make the tree.

When it comes to ornaments, anything goes. Ornaments can be more than a ball with a hook. Cards, ribbons, bells and dolls are all great decorations for the tree. If you like it, add it!

To give your tree more dimension, don't just place ornaments at the end of the branch. It's tempting to do that, because you want everyone to see your beautiful ornaments, but your tree will look much better if you put ornaments everywhere—deep into the branches, at the top and bottom of your tree. Don't hang ornaments from light strands—a metal hook on a slightly frayed wire could start a fire.

Secure your ornaments on the tree by pinching the hanger closed after you've placed the ornament. If you have an artificial tree, bend branches upward.

Overly uniform garland looks too stiff.

Again, anything goes. If you're a fan of traditional tinsel, garland or icicles, you likely won't be swayed. After all, that's part of your holiday tradition. But, to give your tree a fresh look, consider strings of popcorn, cranberries, gold-colored beads, wire ribbon or bows.

When placing garland, don't arrange it in a rigid pattern. Where the garland dips on one level, let it go up on the level below. Don't give in to the temptation to leave off garland entirely. Your tree won't look finished.

Don't forget the finishing touches.

Choose a huge bow, a glass tree topper, an angel or a star, but make sure there's something at the top of your tree. Consider a nontraditional topper, something that goes along with the theme you've chosen. And, don't forget the bottom of the tree. You need some kind of skirt underneath. Several yards of material can be bunched under the tree for a decorative skirt. If your tree has a country, handmade theme, use a quilt for a skirt. Run a train around the base of your tree or just stack wrapped packages everywhere. You can bet they'll be shaken every day!