One question that I often get asked as people are busily planning their Christmas tree decorating (and one that you have likely asked yourself at times too) is “How many decorations do I need on my Christmas Tree?”
While there is not one straightforward and definitive answer to that question, I can definitely give you some handy tips and hints to follow that will give you a good idea of what might work best for you.
Consider YOUR Christmas Tree
There are a variety of things that can affect the final number of pieces that you might need to decorate your Christmas tree.
Tree size and shape – the first, and perhaps the most obvious, thing to think about is the size and shape of the tree that you will be decorating. You will generally need many more pieces to decorate an 8ft tree compared to 5ft one. And a fuller shaped tree will need more than a slimmer pencil tree.
Preferred amount of decoration coverage – a big factor in how many decorations you need for your Christmas tree is your personal preference in how you would like it to be decorated. Do you want a lavish tree that is heavily covered from tip to base, or do you prefer a lighter coverage and less-is-more aesthetic? Of course, you will need more decorations to complete a tall tree that is heavily decorated.
Fullness of the tree and branches – in much the same way that the size and shape of your tree dictates the number of decorations that you will likely need, so too does the fullness (or sparseness) of the branches on your tree. And this is connected to your personal preferences too.
If it is your plan to make a sparse tree look nice and full, you will require a large number of decorations to do that, whereas if you are starting with a tree that is relatively luscious and full you may not need so many.
Types of Decorations – the types and varieties of decorations that you are choosing to use will also be a factor. Are you planning on only using a few types of decorations such as baubles and other hanging tree decorations? Or will there be a mix of baubles, tree decorations, ornaments, sprays, picks and garlands?
Consider also the colours, sizes and shapes of your chosen decorations.
If you have a limited variety of decorations, you will need to have a larger amount of each type. If you have a wider variety, then you won’t need as many of each particular one.
The same theory applies in regard to the size of your chosen decorations. You’ll need more smaller sized pieces to fill the same space as fewer larger sized pieces.
How Much of Your Tree Are You Decorating?
There are purist Christmas Tree decorators that say you should decorate your whole tree, regardless of whether it can be seen of not. I am not one of those. I often have my trees in corners or against walls and therefore I don’t see the point in hiding all that prettiness at the back. I prefer to have all the amazing decorations positioned front and centre to be fully enjoyed as one impressive display. But that’s just me.
But How Many Do I Need for My Tree?!
Ok, so I can practically hear you saying, “I get all that, but I am still not sure what to do/where to start.” I’m pretty sure I can hear you asking, “But how many?! Tell me the numbers!!”
There are lots of different guides and calculators on the internet that can help to give you an idea of approximate numbers for baubles, garland and lights based on your tree size. These can provide a good start point but obviously if you are using other types of decorations too, you’ll need to make adjustments accordingly.
How Many Decorations on My Christmas Tree?
I personally prefer a Christmas tree that is decorated quite full with lots of different types of decorations. The most common size tree in my home is approximately 7ft, so we’ll work with that as an example.
The first thing I would say is to make sure you have lots of lights! I love working with pre-lit trees but even with a pre-lit tree, I will add another set of 500 lights. If you are working with a tree that is not pre-lit, then I’d opt for adding at least 1000 lights.
If I was decorating the tree to be viewed from 360 degrees – that is you can walk around the whole tree, or perhaps it is in a window and can be seen from the other side too – I would use the larger quantity of the number range I have indicated below. If I am decorating a tree that is going in the corner, so that you will mainly see the front and a portion of the sides, I would use the smaller quantity.
As a general rule, for the majority of my decorating pieces I usually work with the formula of 1 x piece of each decoration type per foot of tree.
There may be some additional ornaments or special pieces in one-off or smaller quantities to make your tree extra special. You may also need to factor extras if you are building a DIY tree topper. See some of our amazing tree topper ideas.
Here’s a guide of approximately how many different types of each item I would usually use when decorating my Christmas tree, along with total amounts of each for a tree that is fully decorated 360 degrees as well as a tree that is only partially decorated, ie. only decorated on some sides. And a few handy tips for how I would usually group and position them too.
So that’s how I like to decorate my Christmas tree. It is very much something that has evolved and developed over time as I tried different things and got to know what I liked and didn’t like, and how best to achieve and recreate the elements that I liked.
Deb’s Top Christmas Tree Decorating Tip
The best Christmas tree decorating advice that I can give is to give it a go, and keep giving it a go. It will never be exactly perfect or completely done. And for me, that is the fun of it. Each year (or each time you do a tree if you are doing more than 1 each year!), take note of what you liked and what worked well and keep those things for next time, and then also think about what you’d like to add or do differently.
Perhaps most importantly, do it your way. Of course, take inspiration from all the amazing decorators out there but try not to get too hung up on recreating an exact look that you have seen – I think that kind of takes the fun and uniqueness out of it. It can also be an unrealistic goal which can lead to frustration and disappointment and that is definitely not the feels you want to be having during the festive season.
Christmas tree decorating is a most special part of the festive season and for a lot of people it is a treasured tradition. No matter how you choose to decorate your tree, I hope that it brings you plenty of pride and joy and that you can share those feelings with your loved ones through the festive season.
If you’d like to see exactly how I have decorated some of my trees, check out our decorating videos on The Christmas Cart YouTube Channel. There’s plenty of decorating inspiration there.
In particular, the Decorate With Me – Nutcracker Christmas Lounge Room and Decorate With Me – Farmhouse Christmas Tree & Guest Bedroom videos both have really great Christmas tree decorating sections that give quite a lot of detail and tips about how I decorated those stunning trees.
We absolutely love seeing how other people decorate at Christmas time, so make sure you follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages for even more decorating ideas and inspiration and be sure to share your Christmas decorating adventures with us too.