How to Decorate a Valentine Tree

You can create a Valentine tree inside or outside with a variety of materials.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lace
• Ribbons
• Costume Jewelry
• Aleene's Tacky Glue
• Cupid Ornaments
• All Occasion Ornament Display Trees
• Dried Or Artificial Roses
• Fabrics
• Heart Ornaments
• Heart-shaped Boxes
• Needles And Thread
• Strings Of Heart Lights
• Hershey's Kisses Candy
• Foil-wrapped Candy Hearts
• Pendants

1. Decide if you will be decorating a live tree outside or an ornament holder inside. If you decorate outside, use materials that are weather-resistant - plastic is your best bet for outside.

2. Determine if you would like to decorate your tree with hearts, Cupids, or other Valentine items. Hearts are the easiest to find.

3. Look at the size of your tree or ornament holder. If it is large, you will be able to use any size ornament. If it is a small tabletop display, you'll be limited to smaller ornaments.

4. Shop for heart ornaments all year. You may find some in Christmas shops displayed as Christmas ornaments.

5. Be creative and nontraditional. There are lots of heart-shaped items that can be hung on a tree. Inexpensive pendants, little pillows, foil-wrapped candies, children's costume jewelry, and homemade decorations can all find a place on your display. Sew or glue a loop of ribbon on the item and hang it.

6. Add strings of heart-shaped lights to really give your display some flash.

7. Tie pink, white, and red bows on the tips of your branches or on the arms of your display tree. Tie lace in bows or drape as garland.

8. Add some bunches of dried or artificial roses. Attach them to your branches with wire or set them between branches.

9. Display some attractive heart-shaped boxes of Valentine candy underneath your tree, or drape some lace or other fabric around the bottom if your tree is indoors.

Tips & Warnings

• Valentine decorations beyond cardboard Cupids are becoming easier to find in stores. Target carries a large selection of Valentine decorations and some large drugstores like Eckerd advertise Valentine lights.
• Look in craft supply stores like Michaels for decorative items to hang on your tree.

on 2/6/2006 I use an artificial Christmas tree to decorate for Valentine's Day, as well as Independence day. Last year was my first year to do this. I used a 3 foot, white, artificial Christmas tree. This year, I purchased a 6.5 foot, artificial, flocked tree. After Christmas I removed all of my Christmas ornaments, then removed the bottom section of the tree to reduce it to 4 feet, and decorated it with Valentine ornaments. I have found many of my ornaments at JoAnn Fabric Store or on eBay. I love decorating trees and experiment all year long. It is nice to legitimately have a reason to put up a tree for other occasions throughout the year.

on 2/2/2006 When Christmas is over, it is always sort of sad, especially for the little ones. This year we decided to keep our small artificial tree out of the attic a little while longer. We just decorated it for Valentine's Day using red tinsel and white lights that are wrapped around each other. Also, we made small heart ornaments from red and white foam and topped the tree with a small stuffed elephant that is holding a heart. All these items were found around the house. We may leave it up after Valentine's Day and decorate it for Easter! The possibilities are endless as to what you could decorate it with, and there is no shortage of holiday themes to choose from each month of the year.

on 11/22/2005 I have a snowball bush in my yard. I use colored lights and ornaments for the different holidays - red lights and plastic hearts for Valentine's Day; egg lights and pastel eggs for Easter; and so on. It is so nice to decorate it other than for Christmas.