Award Winning Decorated Christmas Trees

How Do You Decorate?

Would your decorating skills ever place your tree among those award-winning decorated Christmas trees that draw ooohs and aaahs from crowds of observers? How do you decorate? Are your decorations a hodge podge of decorations that have been passed down from one generation to the next? You know…those reindeer ornaments that are missing a leg or two, or that handmade ornament that has lost some of its glitter. Perhaps you've allowed your kids to decorate your tree with paper chains, lots of tinsel, and an assortment of lights.

What's wrong with this type of tree décor? Nothing! The pleasure families derive from pulling out those old ornaments and reminiscing about where each one came from is worth the sometimes shabby condition you'll find some of them in. However, if you want your tree to number among the celebrated Christmas trees that have been featured in magazines and on tree tours, then you'll have to let go of the nostalgia and focus on making a statement.

Award Winning Decorated Christmas Trees

Many of the best decorated trees focus on a particular theme. Whether your neighborhood or town is hosting a "most beautiful Christmas tree" contest, or you want to enter your tree into a photo shoot, you can certainly decorate a gorgeous tree if you have the right ornaments and other decorations.

Your first step is to find the perfect tree. You can have the most beautiful ornaments in the world, but if your tree is scrawny and odd-shaped, you'll have trouble competing for the coveted title of best decorated tree. Trees are often selected based on preference, and the artificial trees of today are certainly not your mother's aluminum tree from the past!

In fact, there are many exquisite Christmas trees that look so real, you actually have to tug on their needles to determine that they are indeed fake. Whether you choose a real or a fake tree, the following often make beautiful Christmas trees.

• Douglas fir
• Fraser fir
• White fir
• Balsam fir
• White Spruce
• Colorado blue spruce
• Scotch pine
• Virginia Pine
• White Pine
• Eastern red cedar

While you may be able to order a live tree from another state, take a look at the trees that are available in your area as well.

Decorating Choices

Consider the following facts when decorating.

• Size-Some people believe that the larger the tree, the more presence it has. If your home can accommodate a large tree, then by all means go for it, but larger isn't always better.
• Shape-Again, some prefer fat while others prefer the elegance of a thin and regal tree.
• Decorations-Consider decorating based on a theme. For example, use lots of bleached seashells, soft ribbons, etc. for an ocean theme, or create a musical tree with a variety of gold and/or silver instrument shaped ornaments. A Santa Claus tree could be covered in Santas of all shapes and sizes, or only vintage Santas for a nostalgic feel. A tree decorated with crystal ornaments can be pricey, but how beautiful it will look in the dark as the lights shimmer and shine through each crystal decoration. A woodsy tree can be covered in natural ornaments, such as nuts, fruit, pine cones, Sometimes, the more unusual the tree, the better its appearance and appeal.

Finding Inspiration

Where can you find inspiration for your decorating skills? Consider signing up to take a tour of homes in your area, check out decorating magazines, and look at other trees on the Internet.

For a look at some of the most famous, check out the following:

• Rockefeller Center-Check out the most famous tree in NYC!
• Biltmore-The Biltmore mansion in Asheville, North Carolina, has plenty to boast about any time of the year. It typically has several decorated trees, but usually features one huge tree as well.
• White House-Probably one of the most famous Christmas trees resides in Washington. The National Christmas Tree is located at the White House.

Have a famous Christmas tree or decorating tip that you'd like to share with our readers? Let us know in the "Comments" section of this article.