Creative Christmas Tree Themes

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated June 28, 2019
Whether coastal, snow-covered, or Charlie Brown-approved, these Christmas tree theme ideas are sure to make your home all the more merry. We'll help you find your true Christmas tree style and show you ways to flaunt your family's personality from skirt to star. Bonus: We've included lighting tips to make your Christmas decorations really shine.
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Neutral Christmas Tree

With Christmas decorations sometimes simple is best, like in the case of this classic tree in shades of gold and white. When decorating your tree, stick to Christmas classics like white glass ball ornaments, pinecones, and wooden cut stars. Finish with a simple DIY basket tree collar.

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Out of the Woods Tree

Fresh off the tree farm, this glowing pine dazzles with metallic baubles and homemade pinecone ornaments. The real star of the show, though? A folded kraft paper star coated in gold leaf. Who knew! Use chunky outdoor lights to give this woodsy Christmas tree theme an authentic look.

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Retro Christmas Tree

Take a cue from holiday's past for this year's Christmas tree theme. A simple flocked-white Christmas tree is the perfect canvas for vintage Christmas decorations—you can even make your own flocked tree if you don't want to buy one. Look for fun ornaments like mercury glass, globes, and faux candles in shades of baby blue, pink, and silver.

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Traditional Rustic Christmas Tree

Bring a cozy cabin vibe to your home by decking out your Christmas tree in traditional favorites. Red ribbon garland, pinecone stars, and woodland creature ornaments make for a rustic scheme. Add plaid details, like wrapping paper and Christmas tree ribbons, to complete the look in a way that's both classic and on-trend.

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Gold Christmas Tree

Want to make a statement this year? Go for a glitzy gold Christmas tree. To get this look, use a simple flocked or white Christmas tree and top it with oversize gold stars and metallic ball ornaments. Add a geometric star tree topper for the finishing touch.

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Collected Memories Christmas Tree

Spend time reflecting with a collected memories Christmas tree theme. Prepare well ahead of time by pulling your oldest ornaments out of storage or asking family members to send you some of theirs. Add ornaments from your parents or your grandparents and make an entire day out of decorating the tree, telling stories about the ornaments as you go.

Editor's Lighting Tip: Worried you missed a spot? Step back from the Christmas tree and look at it with your eyes crossed. Where you see dark holes, rearrange Christmas lights and fill in voids.

(image credit: Amy Buchanan)

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Birds of a Feather Christmas Tree

When you love a Christmas tree theme, don't shy away from making a big statement. Glowing jewel tones are used throughout the ornaments but are the most impressive in the giant bow tree topper. Mixing in soft white bird Christmas decorations is a fun touch that highlights what this homeowner loves.

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Candy Cane Christmas Tree

Get inspired by the season's signature candy! Red and white striped ribbon is the perfect Christmas decoration for this classic tree. Round out the look with colorful glass ball ornaments in a variety of coordinating hues.

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Glowing Gold and Green Christmas Tree

When you love a specific color scheme, your decorating philosophy should be "the more the merrier." Pretty twinkling lights, shiny gold and green ornaments, and kid-friendly DIY garland are finished off with a sprinkling of artificial snow. A unique and eye-catching tree topper is the perfect final touch.

Editor's Lighting Tip: Thin out branches before decorating to make each light and ornament have more presence.

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Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

You don’t have to wait for your favorite Christmas special to see a bare tree become beautiful. Fill in this sparse fir tree with silver and white Christmas tree decorations, such as snowflake ornaments and a glittery garland. Just be careful not to take it over the top. Minimalism is where it’s at—especially when holiday decorating for a small space.

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Sweet Pink Christmas Tree

Start with a brightly colored Christmas tree for a sweet-as-can-be look. Ornaments include 3-D red paper balls and basic bulbs in pastel colors. Extra sweetness is achieved through a peppermint-dotted bow topper and homemade doughnut ornaments. The doughnuts were made with plaster in a standard doughnut-baking mold.

(image credit: Kelly Lanza)

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Family Christmas Tree

Celebrate the ones you love most with a sentimental Christmas tree. Create handmade ornaments with your children's silhouettes and hang them on a fresh evergreen tree. You can even add DIY handprint ornaments for an extra special touch. Keep the rest of the Christmas decorations simple in shades of white and gray.

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Mix-and-Match Tree

The best part about Christmas tree theme ideas? There are no rules! This tall stunner is dressed to the nines in mix-and-matched ornaments and keeps its aesthetic by sticking to a saturated color palette. Avoid a busy look with a simple Christmas tree ribbon, topper, and Christmas tree skirt.

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Fun for the Kids Christmas Tree

For a Christmas tree that's special to your family and one-of-a-kind, decorate with handmade treasures and homemade monogram ornaments representing each relative. Art projects, sentimental ornaments, and lots of fun color make this tree unique. Want an unexpected touch? Try placing the tree in a rustic basket instead of opting for the usual Christmas tree skirt.

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Bold and Graphic Christmas Tree

Our Best Tree Tips!

A white Christmas tree becomes a bold statement when done up in bright red, silver, and clear decorations. Wrap presents in graphic black-and-white patterns (if you dont' have any, make your own stamped wrapping paper!) for continuity in theme that adds to the overall look.

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Candy-Coated White Christmas Tree

Need a fun kid's Christmas tree? This fun unicorn-theme mini tree is the perfect fit! Decorate a mini white Christmas tree with candy-theme ornaments and a handmade unicorn ornament. Give it a little sparkle with shimmery tinsel or garland.

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Scandinavian Christmas Tree

Red and white, the classic Scandinavian Christmas colors, star on this cozy tree. Use a variety of Christmas decorations to achieve the look, but keep it consistent by choosing only items in red and white.

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Glitter Christmas Tree

Instead of the expected green tree, go for a fun glitter tree. This tabletop Christmas tree sparkles in a bare living room. Decorate yours with mini glass globe ornaments in a variety of shades.

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Coastal Christmas Tree

Embrace a warm-weather vibe—even if temps are more "brrrr" than beachy. Starfish, seashells, and other coastal-theme ornaments adorn this coastal Christmas tree for a cheery and fun look. Add some personalization by hanging monograms. Don't own seaworthy ornaments? No problem! Watch our nifty salt dough tutorial, below.

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Pop of Color Christmas Tree

Choose a fun pop of color to be the guide for your Christmas tree decorations. If you have an accent color in your home, try mirroring it in your ornament choices. Here, pink contrasts with snowy white Christmas tree decorations for a chill look that nicely complements existing decor.

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Sparkly Jewel Tone Christmas Tree

Create a tree that's luminous but serene. Christmas tree ribbon in a variety of jewel tones provides rich-looking color, while silver glitter ornaments add sparkle. The end result is a sophisticated Christmas tree that quietly shines.

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Photo Tag Christmas Tree

The holidays are all about family, and this Christmas tree from Cottage in the Oaks celebrates your most cherished memories with DIY photo ornaments. Print black-and-white or sepia-tone photos and glue them atop plain paper shipping tags. The rest of the tree is simple, keeping the focus on the photos.

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White-on-White Christmas Tree Theme

The retro white Christmas tree has returned! Go for an all-white artificial tree and stick to only silver and white Christmas tree decorations, like this tree from Craftberry Bush. If you aren't quite ready to go all the way with this trend, purchase a mini white Christmas tree instead and style it with white decorations to make a smaller statement on an entryway table or buffet.

Editor's Lighting Tip: Use three 100-light sets per foot for a fresh Christmas tree, and 50-light strands for an artificial one.

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Gilded Gold Christmas Tree

Get the metallic look by adding nothing but gold to your Christmas tree, like this one from Style Your Senses. Start by creating a foundation with gold ball ornaments, then fill in with gold starbursts, gilded "Joy to the World" garland, and figurines. For added effect, first lay all the ornaments on a drop cloth and spray with a layer of glitter paint. Let dry before hanging and you’re golden.

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Fits Right In Tree

An easy way to bring the room together while still feeling festive? Carry the room’s color scheme and textures into the tree. Adorned with golden Christmas tree lights, a white pom-pom garland, and white Christmas tree decorations, this tree is just the right amount of cool and cozy.

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Santa's Workshop Christmas Tree

This festive Christmas tree theme idea is decorative and informative—from the center of the tree, a helpful arrow guides the way to Santa's workshop. To achieve a similar look, blend traditional Christmas favorites, such as red, green, and white ornament balls, with whimsical embellishments like shimmery reindeer ornaments and a quirky elf tree topper.

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Family Photos Christmas Tree

Photocopy pictures, glue them to silver paper, and frame them with rickrack and other trims to turn your Christmas tree into a family scrapbook. Fill the boughs with small apples, kumquats, and vintage-style ornaments.

Editor's Lighting Tip: Pick lights in a color that matches your key ornaments (in this case, orange). That way they enhance the color scheme rather than draw away from it.

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Neutral Christmas Tree

Who says neutral Christmas decorations can't stand out? Drenched in golden, copper, bronze, and cream-color hues, this twinkly tree boasts traditional Christmas beauty. Deck the tree with white Christmas lights, a gold-bead garland, copper and gold ornament balls, golden starfish, delicate off-white paper flowers, and wooden ornaments. For final touches, add a majestic crown-shape tree topper and decorate the Christmas tree skirt with brown paper-wrapped packages.

Editor's Lighting Tip: If your artificial tree is not prelit, wrap miniature Christmas lights securely around the branches so you can permanently attach them to the tree. Light each section separately. Don't cross sections or points of assembly with light strands—sections will no longer come apart easily.

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Colorful Christmas Tree

Dare to be different! Make yours a unique Christmas tree by incorporating colorful Christmas ornaments instead of the expected traditional red and green ones. With white lights, a wispy gossamer garland, bright felt ornaments hung from polka-dot Christmas tree ribbon, and handwritten Christmas greetings, this Christmas tree feels youthful and fun.

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Red-and-Gold Christmas Tree

Shimmery ornaments and eccentric accents give this traditional red-and-gold Christmas tree gusto. Soft white lights, chorister ornaments, and sprigs of plastic holly look fancy and festive, while the red ruffle tree topper, thick strands of gold and red sheer ribbons, and glittery gold music note, angel, and bow ornaments add a distinctly modern feel.

Editor's Lighting Tip: If your Christmas tree can only be seen from one direction, string all the Christmas lights on that side of the tree.

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Bold Christmas Tree

Three colors star on this creative Christmas tree. Start with a natural wood bead garland. Add Christmas decorations in shades of red and black for maximum impact. We love the look of handmade chalkboard ornaments.

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