When I was a little girl, family friends hosted a lavish holiday party every year. I still remember the excitement of pulling up to their house and seeing every window aglow. Inside, an enormous Christmas tree filled their great room. I marveled at how they managed to decorate it, imagining them stacked on one another's shoulders or leaning precariously from the balcony to place the star. The tree was just one of dozens; every room — even the bedrooms — contained at least one tree, and the kids made a game of dashing from room to room, counting as we went.
Over the years, my family has enjoyed just about every type of Christmas tree there is. For over a decade, my dad would drag our fake tree down from the attic, and we would spend hours fluffing its scraggly branches. During high school, we moved to Lucas right after Thanksgiving, so Christmas decorating took a backseat to unpacking. We did manage to hang a few ornaments on a potted Norfolk Island Pine which we later planted in our backyard. One year, we made a sojourn to a Christmas tree farm and spent the morning sipping hot cocoa and searching for our family's tree. And when I was out on my own and didn't have space for a traditional tree, I crafted one out of twinkle lights and push pins, zigzagging the lights across a wall in my tiny apartment.
There are countless options when it comes to decorating your home for the most wonderful time of the year. From real to artificial and from book trees to borrowed trees (yes, borrowed!), your perfect tree awaits — whether you display just one or decorate one in every room.
Real Christmas Trees
Despite getting a bad rap for their effects on the environment, real trees are actually quite beneficial. Not only does a Balsam fir fill your home with the delicious whiff of winter, for every tree cut down, one or two are planted in its place. Plus, real trees can be recycled into mulch, and trees naturally decompose over time.
Artificial Christmas Trees
Gone are the days of flimsy fake firs. Today's artificial trees are lush and sumptuous. Artificial trees snap together easily and often come pre-lit, meaning you can focus on hanging ornaments. And if you're in the market for something fun, they come in a range of colors — even pink!
Book Trees
Perfect for the book lover in your family, these trees are created out of your favorite tales. Simply create a ring of books on the floor or a table, and layer on ever-decreasing rings of books.
Borrowed Trees
The latest trend in trees? Rentals! While not available everywhere, Christmas tree rental companies are popping up across the country. Rather than cutting a tree down, your tree is dug up, placed in a pot, and delivered to your home until after the holidays. You can even rent the same tree for several years in a row!
“Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard or too sad when you’ve got a Christmas tree in the living room.” – Nora Roberts
