The holidays are officially here and it’s time to spread some Christmas cheer! You know what that means! Time to trim the tree, decorate your home, shop ’til you drop, and bake some of your favorite holiday goodies while blasting those classic holiday tunes!
If you’re like me, with these high temps down here in Texas, it’s a bit trickier to get in the holiday groove. We are all used to the lack of snow in the South, but temperatures in the 80’s are of no help! So to help get me in the Christmas spirit this year, I have teamed up with my favorite holiday store Holiday Warehouse to create my own winter wonderland right here in Dallas!
Follow this step-by-step tutorial, and you too can bring home the magic of Christmas and transform your Christmas tree into a magical winter wonderland.
- Select the Right Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree is the shining centerpiece of your home, so this step is key! In order to lay the foundation for your winter wonderland and create a wintery, snow dusted scene, consider investing in an artificial flocked or frosted tree this year.
Flocked trees are adorned with a heavy artificial snow, so you already have the illusion of a snowy wonderland and half your work is done! The needles on frosted trees are usually just spray painted white and they retain their flat shape. Both are great options, but if you want the full snowy look, I recommend a flocked tree. Holiday Warehouse up in Plano has a full selection of each type and can help you find the the tree that will perfectly bring your vision to life.
- Choose your Color Scheme
So we know that you want to create a winter wonderland, but what kind of style or formality do you want to create? Do you want a more romantic scene with only shades of white? Are you aiming for something a bit more glam by adding some metallic tones? Or, do you want something more playful by adding in an accent color?
Last year, we decorated our tree with champagne and gold ornaments and ribbon, but I was loving a festive burst of red to go with my wintery whites this time around!
- Hang the Christmas Tree Lights
If you bought an artificial flocked or frosted tree, chances are the lights are already strung; however, if your tree does not include them, this is the first step you will want to take in decorating your tree!
To continue with your theme, buy about 100 white lights for every vertical foot of your tree. Start at the bottom bough and move upwards. String the lights starting at the trunk and moving towards the tip of the branch and then back. Continue until you reach the top of the tree. Make sure that the lights are plugged in while you are wrapping the tree, so you can easily see if you missed any sections.
- Add the Ribbon or Garland
This is where you will bring out your color scheme and differentiate your winter wonderland. Garlands and ribbons add a beautiful pop of color and texture that gives some added appeal to your tree. If you are going for that romantic, pure white scheme, select two white ribbons with different textures. Or if you want to add a pop of color, select one white ribbon and one red or the color of your choosing.
Starting at the top of the tree, softly wrap your ribbon slowly around the tree, increasing the width as you move down. If you want to mix up the classic ribbon look, consider draping the ribbon in a vertical manner by starting at the top of the tree and creating bustles of about 1.5 feet in length moving towards the base of the tree.
Pro Tip: Christmas tree ribbon can be very pricey, so to help with the cost, consider using a budget friendly ribbon option on the interior of tree and using a more expensive one on the outer layers.
- Add the Picks and Stems
Christmas tree picks and stems are a great way to add a little volume to your tree as well as an extra pop of color. You can buy these florals already made or have your local holiday store make you one that matches your theme. Holiday Warehouse has an entire room of pick options that are perfect for this snowy wonderland theme!
I wanted to create a pick that married my wintery theme with the playful natural red tones, so I used a red berry pick, a snow covered pine cone and branch, and a crystal branch to create a pick that pulled my theme together perfectly.
You always want to decorate with odd numbers, so make sure that you have an odd number of picks for your tree. For my 7.5 foot tree, I used 7 picks in my tree. If your tree is a bit smaller, you may want to use just 5, but if it’s bigger, you may want 9-11 picks.
- Hang the Christmas Tree Ornaments
Now this is the fun part of the decorating process! Start by hanging the larger balls evenly throughout the tree, ensuring that you hang some closer to the trunk to create depth and dimension. Use a copper wire to secure them to the tree and place heavier balls towards the top of the tree and closer to the trunk so they are not knocked off by pets or passersby.
Once you have hung the larger balls and ornaments, fill in around them with medium- to small-sized balls and decorative ornaments. The decorative ornaments is where your tree can really shine and your can show off your personality. Consider ornaments that continue to pull in the winter wonderland vibe such as snow covered pine cones, snowy antlers, snowflakes, and icicles etc. I paired orbs with glittery, matted, and snowy looks to achieve a balance of glam and festiveness.
Make sure you step back and evaluate your work while you are decorating to ensure you aren’t missing any sections and that your favorite pieces are properly showcased!
- Add the Tree Topper
Finally, add your tree topper. There are such a beautiful variety of tree toppers including angels, stars, and bows; however, for this snowy wonderland, I love the idea of a simple bow on top, or some large snow covered antlers, or snowflakes! Huge thanks to Holiday Warehouse for making this fabulous bow for me!
- Decorate Around the Tree
Just because the tree is complete, doesn’t mean your work is done! The setting around the tree is almost just as important as the tree itself.
Start with a winter inspired Christmas tree skirt at the base of the tree such as a white fur lined skirt or even a white sheepskin rug if you have one laying around your house.
Place your presents at the base of the tree on top of your tree skirt with the larger gifts in the back and the smaller ones in the front. I recommend wrapping your presents in 3 to 4 different wrapping papers that match the color scheme of your tree. For example, if your tree is purely white and romantic, consider wrapping your presents in a selection of textured white papers. Or if you brought in that red color like I did, a selection of red and white papers is perfect.
Now for my favorite part! Additional winter wonderland decor! To really help create that magical snowy scene, bring in some white winter animals such as these stuffed deers that I brought in from Holiday Warehouse. Or perhaps you have a cute vintage toboggan or some frosted tree branches that would be perfect leaning up against the tree. This is a fun way to get creative and style your tree with some of your favorite winter creatures.
Now sit back, (turn on the A/C if you are here in Texas) dim the lights, and enjoy your perfect winter wonderland Christmas tree with your loved ones! Merry Christmas to all!
Photography: Stephanie Drenka
Christmas Decor: Holiday Warehouse
Styling: The Everyday Hostess
Calligraphy: JBScript
