Tis the season…well almost. Now that it’s snowed here in Maine I feel like it’s somewhat okay to post about my Christmas tree! This year Christmas is coming a little early: 1. because winter is coming a little early but also 2. because it’s our first winter in our own house. I’m so excited to decorate for the season but I’ve been trying to keep myself to a budget. Hopefully some year soon I’m able to go all out but for now, this will have to do. I’ve already received SO much feedback on my tree! So much so that it compelled me to write a blog post. Picking out a tree and theme can be a little stressful but hopefully, you’ll find this post helpful.
When it comes to picking out a tree there’s a few decisions you’ll have to make:
- Real of fake?
- What size?
- What shape?
- Pre-lit?
- Flocked or green?
So, to start, we decided we will probably stick with fake trees until we have kids. As much as I love the tradition that comes along with cutting down a live tree {my family went to Merry Christmas Tree on River Rd in Windham ever since I can remember} we want to stick with a fake tree because they’re easier and the most cost-effective option. I decided to go with a 9-foot tree because we have vaulted ceilings now but I’m worried that we’ll have shorter ceilings in our next house. My dream is to have a 12 foot {or taller} tree one day! I also went with a slim tree and a non-lit tree because that’s how mine came and I’m happy with both of those decisions. One option that I wasn’t really flexible about was the fact that it had to be flocked. I’ve heard all of the horror stories about a flocked tree {flocked = fake snow basically} but I was set on getting a good quality flocked tree. As of now, I’ve had zero issues with my flocked tree and absolutely love it. Now a non-flocked tree looks like it’s missing something to me.
As for buying a tree, you can get carried away. It’s insane what some people will pay. However, as a recent grad, my budget was $150 or under. My biggest tip and takeaway from this whole post is look on facebook marketplace or shop the sales! I bought my tree, brand new still in the unopened box, for $150 but it was a $570 tree. I actually just found a 7-foot King of Christmas flocked unlit tree
The decorations are probably my favorite part. You have so much creative freedom when it comes to this part. I always loved my sentimental, mismatched tree growing up but this year I was super excited to have a “themed” or coordinated tree that was simply just pretty. I looked up ideas on Pinterest and have been inspired by the infamous trees that Emily Gemma of The Sweetest Thing has put together over the years. This year the Dollar Tree was on point. The ornaments and other accessories are so on-trend. I bought most of my pieces from there including the tulle, garland, and ornaments. I did, however, buy one kit of 28 ornaments on amazon {linked here: shatterproof amazon ornaments
Okay, so I’ve always loved lights. They’re like the finishing touch on a tree…the cherry on top. My parent’s had our tree lighting up all the time when I was a kid and there’s just something about seeing that tree lit up when you pull into the drive way. It’s that “ahhh I’m home” moment.
Well, this year lights have taken on a whole new meaning to me. I invested in a string of LED lights
The last ingredient to the perfectly decorated christmast tree is the tree skirt. Again, I have another tip for you! Please don’t invest in a skirt if you can help it {unless you find the perfect one}. I’m frugal and like to find peices that I can reuse so a skirt is just like a waste of $20 – $50 to me. My Styled by Sarah hack is to find a blanket and make that work. That way you can use it throughout the year and it’s not sitting in a clear plastic tote taking up space in your storage area for 10 – 11 months out of the year. I was lucky enough to use a blanket that we already had and it works better than a skirt for me. The blanket that I used is an oversized fluffy blanket that I bought at Marshalls for $20 a few months ago. The skirts that I looked at on Amazon, at Marshalls, and at Christmas Tree Shop were cute but they weren’t even big enough for the effect that I wanted.
To conclude, I really hope you found this post helpful & I wanted to give a shout-out to my friend & co-worker, Nancy Williamson, for taking the amazing pictures featured in this post. She is the talented owner of Nautics Photography. I’d highly recommend her for your christmas card photos, professional potraits, or whatever your needs may be.
