Make the season merry and bright with these helpful Christmas tree decorating tips.
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Artificial or Real?
The first decision you have to make when it comes time to put up a Christmas tree in your home is whether you want the tree to be artificial or real. Real (or “living”) trees offer the full Christmas experience. Traveling to pick one out at the local lot is a great way to establish a yearly, memory-making tradition and support local tree farmers, and once they’re in your home real trees give off a woodsy pine smell that’s sure to put everyone in a festive holiday mood.
But real trees are also more work to maintain and only last one season, requiring a replacement every year. Fake Christmas trees, on the other hand, require very little maintenance and can be used year after year. Ultimately, real and fake trees each come with a set of pros and cons and deciding between the two will come down to personal preference.
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Where to Put Your Tree
After your tree has been purchased you need to decide the best location for it in your home. Ideally, you want the tree in a highly visible location with great natural lighting and high ceilings. One snagged branch could bring the whole thing toppling over, so if you have young children or energetic pets you should highly consider tucking your tree into a corner.
It might take some rearranging of the furniture, but try to position your tree so that it is the focal point of a room. If your furniture is typically centered around a television, consider shifting the focus of the room towards the tree for the holiday season to help foster conversation and family time. Also, don’t forget to put your tree near an outlet so that you don’t have to run extension cords across the room to power the lights.
Don’t want the hassle of decorating a full tree or want to try to something new this year? Here are 12 ingenious Christmas tree alternatives.