Things You'll Need:
- Varying sizes and shapes of gold and silver ornaments, smooth glass or with glitter, along with a lesser amount of white ornaments (about 3 doz for a 7’ tree)
- Gold or silver ribbon about 1-1/2 inch wide (two 4-yard spools)
- Assortment of decorative wreath-type decorations (1-2 doz for a 7’ tree; see Step 5)
- White twinkle-size string lights (2-4 strings of 100 lights each for a 7’ tree)
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Step 1
Lights go on first. Start at the top with the non-plug end of the string and tuck the first light deep into the branches. Continue wrap and tucking the lights as you go down and around the tree or zigzagged (as in, wrap the string counterclockwise to the center-back of the tree, drop down a bough or two and come back clockwise around the tree to the center back, drop down a bough or two and going counterclockwise, wrap the string around the tree). Tuck the lights deep into the branches, close to the trunk of the tree. One string will work, even for a tree up to 7 feet tall. Add your favorite topper ornament, like a star, angel, or large multi-looped bow the same color as the ribbon.
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Step 2
Follow up with more lights closer to the tips of the boughs. To add emphasis, you can use two strings of lights together.
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Step 3
Using metal hooks, add the silver, gold, and white ornaments, taking care to distribute them evenly on the tree. Hang some of the ornaments near the trunk of the tree in areas where there is emptiness.
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Step 4
Unroll one of the ribbon spools and holding the ribbon from the mid-point, drape it across the top of the tree so half falls to the front and half to the back. Begin tucking the ribbon between the first set of boughs about two inches in, then twist the ribbon once or twice and again, tuck the ribbon between the next set of boughs going straight down. Continue this process of twisting the ribbon and tucking it between the boughs until you get to the bottom of the tree. Look for locations where you can tuck the ribbon behind a favored ornament to bring attention to it. Tuck the end so it does not show. Repeat this process with the second role of ribbon, only this time, drape the ribbon so it drops down the left and right side, so you will have four ribbons dividing the tree downward. The ribbons do not need to exactly divide the tree into top-to-bottom quarters and in fact, would look more pleasing if the ribbons were not exactly spaced apart.
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Step 5
Assortment of wreath decorationsUsing your selection of wreath decorations, select an empty area on the tree to tuck the decoration in. These decorations will not be hanging from a bough but instead, will be lying on top of a bow. The decorations are also great ways to emphasis a favored ornament by tucking the decoration close to the ornament as was done in the picture with Step 1.
Comments
Susanh said
on 2/23/2009 What a beautiful combination!
LilacGirl said
on 11/23/2008 Wow, I bet this is just gorgeous! Thanks for the clear instructions and good photos.
kluke82 said
on 11/22/2008 Great article! The tree is gorgeous!