Decorate tree without ornaments

[Shelydon]

This year I need to do very low preparation Christmas decor. I have a huge event in January that will take up all of my time over the holidays. I am planning on getting out an artificial Christmas tree and purchasing some fresh cut wreaths. For the Christmas tree, what could I purchase that would be easy to decorate with that would not require me to get out tubs of ornaments.  Some sort of giant ribbon? Bows? Decorating is not my thing. 

[Catwoman]

How about big, thick garlands? You can get everything from conservative fabrics to very shiny and glitzy, depending on your taste.

You can wrap them around the tree in a traditional way, or you can hang them vertically all around the tree from the top, and then cover the ends with a fancy tree topper. If you are strapped for time and want to be sure the tree looks very full and decorated, I think hanging multiple garlands down from the top of the tree is the best way to be sure you get full coverage without having to fuss very much with it.

Edited October 21, 2023 by Catwoman

[mommyoffive]

Personally, I love a tree with just lights.  I much prefer that than putting ornaments on it.   But yeah, you can put lights, garland, bows, or whatever you want and it is totally fine.

[ScoutTN]

When I was in college and grad school, I did a tree with just white lights and red bows. It was beautiful. 

[Harriet Vane]

White lights and baby's breath. It dries beautifully.

[kbutton]

Some of my ideas are not fast, but fit the no tubs of ornaments idea and can be made or purchased ahead without taking up a lot of space.

Beaded garland (something light is more controllable than the heavier ropes of plastic beads)

Ditto on the dried flowers

A lot of bundled pretty silk flowers/pine cones/poinsettias in the Christmas section at a craft store can be purchased and tossed into the nooks and crannies of the tree as is with stems toward the tree trunk (real of artificial)—these are usually intended for attaching to wreaths or garland

Small Christmas themed cards spread out on branches—not sure of a slam dunk prepackaged way to get these, but sometimes I see small cards or even paper gift tags that would work; with a small set of stamps and pre-cut card stock from the store, someone could stamp up a set quickly ahead of time also—think white or cream paper with 2-3 stamps that look good in a single color—could even be blue snowflakes on white paper. The flakes could be multiple designs or one design stamped in several shades of blue.

Paper chain or paper snowflakes or paper gingerbread people

[City Mouse]

One year when I had a crazy active toddler, I decorated our tree with all edible items. I used candy canes and foil wrapped chocolate ornaments. I don’t remember what else. I don’t even think I put lights on it but I don’t really remember. 

[MEmama]

2 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Personally, I love a tree with just lights.  I much prefer that than putting ornaments on it.   But yeah, you can put lights, garland, bows, or whatever you want and it is totally fine.

Same. Simple strings of fairy lights ftw ✨

[Bambam]

I had a friend who did a "Noah's ark" tree when her kids were really young. She just put all their smaller stuffed toys on the tree. If you have extra, just toss them in there. Or ... artistically arrange them, whichever suits your style the best! 

Otherwise, I vote for just lights. 

[-----]

nm

Edited September 1 by kathyl

[Shelydon]

Thank you all! Lots of great ideas

[Carol in Cal.]

I’ve done this twice.  Once we put on the regular lights and added some bubble lights and a top star and called it good.  It was festive and quick.

Another time we had a pre lit tree and I tied simple, large bows from Costco wide wire edged ribbon and just placed them everywhere on the tree, and that was all.  Also festive and quick.

[Lynn in al]

Ribbon and garland and various floral picks can make a beautiful tree.

[lmrich]

A flocked tree with lights does not need ornaments, in  my opinion. 

[Clarita]

I fluff the fake tree and DH puts up the lights. Then DD5 puts up the ornaments and rearranges them on an hourly basis. DSalmost7 just throws paper airplanes into it. One cat knocks down most of DD's ornaments in the night.

We only have the tree for the children we let the children deal with it. There's less "magic" I suppose but the family has more fun with it.

[Starr]

We found when ds put this up it didn’t need decorations   Lol

[Grace Hopper]

We have done lights-only, no ornament trees for the past several years - and I used to put up several trees with lots of ornaments. The lights-only are beautiful and peaceful and I cannot describe how liberated I feel not having to manage hundreds of ornaments.