Tabletop Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

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basket with tabletop christmas tree and pinecones

A tabletop Christmas tree is a beautiful addition to any Christmas home! It's a savvy and oh, so pretty alternative to a standard size tree or a festive second or third tree in your home! Today let's decorate a tabletop Christmas tree, step-by-step! It's so so easy! Ready?

3 IMPORTANT THINGS

Decorating a tabletop tree is similar to decorating a regular size tree but a lot easier and much smaller! There are a few key things to keep in mind to create a beautiful Christmas tree.

Like any decorating, there are a few things to consider and decide before decorating your tree. Know these things first…

the theme of the tree
color palette
what topper you are using

Once these design elements are decided, decorating a beautiful tree will be so much easier!

There are as many ways to decorate a Christmas tree as there are people decorating them. So be creative, use what you love and to help you follow these steps and tips!

START WITH THE RIGHT SIZE TREE

Finding the perfect size tree for your home is probably the most important step in decorating a tabletop tree.

Knowing where you are going to put your tree is the first thing to do.

MY TREE

I wanted a tree for my sunroom so I chose a tree that wasn't too big or too small for the space. Tabletop trees come in many sizes! I chose a 42 inch Balsam Fir Tabletop Tree from Balsam Hill. It is prelit and has a timer for the lights! Doesn't it look real?

It fit in a corner between two windows perfectly!

USE A CONTAINER

Many smaller tabletop trees don't come in a container. Mine came wrapped in burlap. It was pretty but I wanted to put the tree in something that made a statement!

I found a nubby basket in the basement that worked great. Finding the right container for a tabletop tree is so important!

Here are some ways to contain a tree…

basket
urn
large bowl
wrap it in a nubby throw
terracotta pot

I'm not a fan of tree skirts. They don't do much but hide the stand of a tree. Using something that stands up and gets noticed is the way to go!

ADD A LAYER

Also, layer a throw or a swath of something soft between your table (or in my case, basket trunk) and the tree container. It's so much more interesting!

START FLUFFING YOUR TABLETOP TREE

I think "fluffing" a tabletop tree is one of the most important things you can do. Take time, wear protective gloves and pull apart and position ALL the branches on a faux tree.

A real tree may need a little bit of trimming. Don't be afraid to give your tree a little haircut if needed!

TREE DECORATING FOUNDATION

The first thing I do when I decorate a tabletop tree is to decide if I want to use a garland or a ribbon to add a foundation layer to the tree.

I decided to create a woodland tree with natural pinecones and silver and white ornaments. And because I did not have a tree topper for this new tree I chose to make a big bow on the top of the tree.

Because of the bow at the top of the tree using ribbon to add a foundational layer to my woodland tree seemed to make sense.

Starting at the top of the tree I tucked and looped ribbon is a random pattern to the bottom of the tree.

These loops were not all connected. I made a couple tucks and loops and then cut the ribbon and tucked the end deep inside the tree. And started the process again until the tree was decorated with pretty burlap ribbon.

Ribbon or a garland fills in the tree. And gives our eyes something pretty to look at.

One of the biggest advantages of looping ribbon in a Christmas tree is it takes up lots of space! And adds texture too. And even a tree can use a layer of texture!

ADD LARGE ORNAMENTS

The next thing to do to decorate a tabletop tree is to add larger ornaments first!

I chose silver and white ornaments from my "stash" and distributed them around the tree evenly.

Can you see that I did not overcrowd the larger ornaments? I kept in mind I'll be adding other decorations to the tree!

Just a little tip…

Add one or two of your prettiest ornaments front and center! See I put a pretty elongated, etched and glittered ornament in the center of the tree.

ADD ANY FILLER

Once the larger ornaments are on the tree now is the time to add any filler that will be tucked into the tree.

I used pinecones to continue the woodland theme.

Be generous. Tuck any filler deep into the tree and where the tree and the container meet.

Be generous with this decorating layer. I like to "plug" in many of the holes in the tree.

The Balsam Fir Tabletop tree did not have holes but I love the idea of pinecones in the tree so I added a lot of them!

Here's a pinecone tip… put some pinecones in backward. Let the pinecones with the prettiest bottoms show them off!

ADD SMALL ORNAMENTS

After tucking filler into the tree now is the time to add smaller ornaments.

I don't particularly care for tiny single ornaments all over the tree unless they are special ornaments like darling little red trucks and Santas and snowmen and such.

So, I strung three different silver/white balls on one ornament hanger and grouped them in threes all over the tree.

STICKS, TWIGS AND, BRAMBLES

If you have been a StoneGable reader for any time you know I am crazy about what I call sticks, twigs, and brambles. It's a light and airy layer of something that embellishes and blurs the sharp edges of what you are decorating.

I love love love a bramble! And you should too!

And I have a big stash of sticks, twigs, and brambles in boxes in the basement. They really hide a multitude of decorating sins!

I perused my stash of silver and white sticks, twigs, or brambles and found these pearly balls on wired stems. They are as old! I think they were once a garland a couple decades ago that at one time I cut apart. They and I go way back!

Anyway, I'm glad I kept them because I knew they would look great on the tree!

Adding something that will protrude a bit from the tree gives it a beautiful look!

Keep whatever you choose light and airy! No heavy branches, especially on a tabletop Christmas tree!

And use a light hand. Just a bit here and there on a tree will work perfectly!

BEAUTIFUL DECORATED CHRISTMAS TREE IN A BASKET

ADD A TOPPER

For this tree, I added a bow made from the same burlap ribbon I used as the foundational element on the tree and another deeper brown ribbon.

Bows are a pretty and inexpensive option to add to the top of a tree!

I wired the bow together and then wired the bow to the tree! Easy-peasy!

If you would like to know how I made the bow, here is a very old post with great content. See MAKING A CHRISTMAS BOW HERE.

FLUFF AND EDIT

NATURALLY DECORATING TABLETOP CHRISTMAS TREE

Now is the time to go over the tree and re-fluff the branches and ribbon and straighten out the ornaments and fill in any holes in the tree!

Also make sure to add or edit anything on the tree!

Don't skip this step! I really pays off! Your tree will look so much better if you take the time to fluff!

DON'T LET THE TABLETOP CHRISTMAS TREE BE "THE CHEESE"

I used this example recently in a post about how to decorate a CHRISTMAS MANTEL. When you decorate almost anything think of the song The Farmer In The Dell.

The farmer takes a wife, the wife takes a child, the child takes a dog… and the cheese stands alone!

Don't let a tabletop tree ( or almost any other decoration) be THE CHEESE! Don't let it stand alone! It will look lonely and out of place no matter how pretty it is!

I chose a couple of white and silver houses, ornaments and some pinecones to partner up with my tree!

See the difference…

Pretty CHEESE…