This coming weekend marks the official date to decorate the tree. Look no further for inspiration than our curation of the must-have Christmas tree themes for 2024.
Decorating your Christmas tree is a fun and joyful experience to get you feeling festive, and whether you choose a real Christmas tree for your home or opt for an artificial tree in bright and bold hues, the possibilities are endless.
These suggestions bring together the latest must-have Christmas decorations along with our favourite Christmas decorating ideas to elevate the tree in style to decorate a living room for Christmas.
11 Christmas tree themes to try in 2024
The biggest Christmas tree themes for this year take into consideration the latest coordinated colour schemes, stylish baubles, and luxe lighting to decorate the tree like a professional.
1. Bountiful bows
Bows are bigger than ever for Christmas 2024. From trees to mantels, elegantly laced ribbons are the most coveted finishing touch for any colour scheme. Bows are so big in fact that they are a decorating Christmas tree theme in their own right, with nothing else but lights required.
"Pre-tied bows ensure a perfect finish to embellish your tree," says the creative expert Danielle Le Vaillant, head of photography & film at Cox & Cox. "Choose colours to complement your existing scheme.
"Or make the bow the star of the show with giant satin bows in a single colour, as your tree’s sole ornament. Invest in jewel-toned velvet or silk ribbons to create bows around crisp linen napkins on the Christmas table for low-key luxury."
RRP: £14.99 | When fashioning DIY bows it always helps to use wired ribbon because it creates a more rigid frame, that holds a better bow silhouette. This gold-edged ribbon is 6.3cm wide to make hearty bows to dress your tree from top to bottom.
RRP: £22 pack of 4 | This set of four elegant white satin bows offer a beautifully understated way to introduce bows to your tree, however the oversized elements help to make them feel more impactful.
RRP: £6 | Red sequins are the perfect seasonal touch, just look at Amal Clooney's ruby red dress replacing the LBD for party season. As Lisa explains, John Lewis are embracing bows in more jazzy materials to ensure there's a style to suit all tastes.
2. Understated minimalism
Never before has the understated minimalist look been so popular – even Victoria Beckham's Christmas decorations are minimalist this year.
With the busy world outside, many of us have come to embrace the “less is more” mindset when it comes to our homes. Incorporate this into your holiday decorating and opt for a minimalist Christmas tree theme that makes just the right style statement without overwhelming your living space.
A deep green fir tree is best, decorated with simple ornaments, neutral colours, and a wicker Christmas tree skirt to add a stylish yet simple finishing touch.
RRP: £18.99 | Covering the base with a tree collar helps to simplify things by hiding the bucket of a real tree and the feet of an artificial tree. This white-washed woven design is the ideal solution for a thoughtfully decorated minimalist tree.
RRP: £9.99 for 6 | When you're keeping the decorations minimal you can afford to up the scent to appeal even more to the senses. ScentSicles are ideal for making your artificial tree smell like it's cut fresh from an alpine forest.
RRP: £8 | This biscuit-coloured beaded star is the epitome of understated chic. Eve. if you choose not to have any statement decorations on your minimalist tree a star is still a welcome way to top things off.
3. Rainbow-bright and bonkers
Some would say that Christmas is the ideal time to be bold with colour choices because it's not permanent, so for those people, there are merry and bright Christmas tree themes to embrace bold hues for the holidays.
Create a gradient effect with different hues of your favourite shades, or go all out with bold and bright. Finish the look with fairy lights and an oversized tree topper.
Amongst the celebration of rainbow colours are the novelty characters too. With glass decorations in the shape of everything from air fryers to singing Santa, this look is all about making us smile.
Whether decorating alpine spruce or a snowy white tree, add bright and colourful ornaments and accessories to bring a playful pop of colour to your festive space. A bohemian mix of jewel-toned brights to welcome a kaleidoscope of festive colour, all of which will omit a warm glow when illuminated by the tree lights.
RRP: £12 for a pack of 9 | This set is a riot of rainbow-bright colours in assorted finishes and patterns. The generous tree decorations measure 31cm in diameter so are sure to make a statement.
RRP: £12.50 | Add a bright mix of satin ribbons to the ends of your tree branches to make the rainbow colours really stand out.
RRP: £6 | Tinsel is back! Draping a length of rainbow-coloured tinsel is an easy way to add bold colours to your festive decorating scheme.
4. Candy cane delights
Good enough to eat, quite literally in some instances, sweeten the deal this festive season with a candy cane-themed Christmas tree.
"Christmas trees are looking fun again this year with a nod to lifting our spirits," says Emma Morton-Turner, an interior stylist, writer and founder of Inside Stylists. "There are tons of brightly coloured sweetie decorations and oversized candy canes - think what a tree would look like if Willy Wonka went mad at this time of year. Oversized and over fun. I'm so here for it."
Think of a red and white colour scheme, over-the-top ornaments, and plenty of real candy canes, lollipops, and hanging sweet treats for good measure. Of course, if you're worried about little hands helping themselves to real treats you could opt for sweet-themed decorations instead of the real thing.
RRP: £8 | This comprehensive set of candy cane-inspired baubles with mini candy canes, and assorted red and white baubles is just the thing to encapsulate this characterful Christmas tree theme.
£10.50 | New for this year is this playful candy-striped bow to dress the top of the tree. This elegant design feels like the grown-up way to indulge in this sweet theme.
RRP: £8 | It may not be shaped like a candy cane but this swirly decoration is a deliciously fun ornament to support this red and white striped Christmas tree theme.
5. Traditional rustic charm
Modern country and rustic home decor will always remain hugely popular as a simple, laid-back style that lends itself to a traditional Christmas decorating scheme.
Incorporate this trend with homespun accessories like handmade garlands, rattan Christmas tree topper ideas, and plenty of earth-toned, muted hues. Warm lights are a must for this look, to emulate the soft glow of ambient candlelight and roaring fires which are synonymous with country style.
RRP: £12 | This understated willow star decoration offers a simple yet stylish finishing touch for any rustic Christmas tree theme.
RRP: £19.90 | Warm lights are an essential ingredient when dressing a rustic Christmas tree theme because they need to exude warmth to get the look right.
RRP: £35 | Hide any unattractive tree base perfectly with a little help from this attractive rustic tree skirt. It comes in three interlocking sections for easy installation.
6. Glam gold
For a classic festive decorating scheme that exudes sophistication, opt for a gold Christmas tree theme. If you're wondering how to decorate a Christmas tree with this metallic scheme, consider glass ornaments, metallic ribbons, stars, and hints of sparkle.
For most, a gold look is unapologetically glam but you can also make it feel more muted if you choose matt gold finishes, rather than shiny attention-grabbing gold Christmas decorations.
RRP: £2.50 | Add understated glam to your tree with the addition of this embossed metal decoration. Sold individually means you can add as little or as many as you desire.
RRP: £12 | Welcome gold and glitter in abundance with this pack of three hanging decorations. The bead embellished baubles are ideal to add a glam touch to a gold Christmas tree.
RRP: £8.99 | Cover all gold bases with this selection box of 100 hanging shatterproof baubles in a variety of different finishes –including glitter, shiny, disco ball, matt and etched.
7. Scaled-back Scandi style
When the minimalist style is too little but the other schemes feel too much there are always Scandi influences to set the scene with ease.
"The casual Icelandic retreat trend is perfect for those who favour a reduced colour palette and natural textures," says Claire Douglas, an interior stylist and regular contributor here at w&h.
"I love linens and rustic ceramics, so this calm aesthetic really appeals to me. The trend will work well in a neutrally decorated room and is a great way to create a cosy feel despite the pared-back styling. It's subtle but stylish".
RRP: £15 | This set of 4 delicate porcelain bird decorations adds a subtle nod to Christmas traditions. The jute hanging ribbon adds a lovely rustic touch.
RRP: £4.99 for a pack of 3 | Simple, understated yet effortlessly stylish these paper honeycomb tree decorations are the epitome of Scandinavian style.
RRP: £16 | This delightful felt dove would make the perfect finishing touch for a paired-back Scandi-inspired tree.
8. Natural wonder
Inspired by nature, this year’s emerging festive trend celebrates the natural beauty of winter woodland, keeping decoration colours neutral or derived from nature.
This Christmas tree theme captures the essence of woodland charm but is simplistic and accessible in nature. Mixing earthy neutrals and touches of frosty snowy whites create a soothing and enchanting look.
The tree, whether real or artificial welcomes classic festive greenery but the complementary tones of oatmeal, verdant greens, and pale wood elevate the look and make it feel more contemporary.
RRP: £4.50 | Amazing value, this pack of 20 assorted baubles has everything you need to achieve this Christmas tree theme - with green, gold and champagne-coloured decorations.
RRP: £10 for a pack of 3 | This beautifully crafted set of wooden mushroom tree decorations baubles is designed to add a touch of nature-inspired charm to a natural Christmas tree theme. The glitter tops add a touch of understated glam.
RRP: £16.50 | Go glam and green with this elegant set of 21 glass baubles including matte, gloss and transparent finishes in rich spruce green shades – all in a selection of three sizes and feature gold caps.
9. Frosted silver
On the opposite side of the metallic colour scale is silver for an icier approach to using gilded tones. From frosted silver trees to glitzy decorations and cold-hued lights, a silver Christmas tree theme gives a more polished look ideal for contemporary glam decor.
From matt pewter tones to high-shine silver baubles and glitter-covered ornaments a mix of silver touches adds depth to this effortlessly cool theme. Silver can be effortlessly supported by white decorations that add to the snowy, iced aspect of the colour palette.
RRP: £6 | Disco balls are a HUGE trend for decorations in 2024. We love this mini silver disco ball, it's perfect to add a little touch of 'extra' to a silver Christmas tree theme.
RRP: £10 | Cover all styles of baubles with this generous selection box of 30 silver and muted blue decorations, from silver stars to textured swirls there's a bauble to suit all.
RRP: £13 for 3 | Make an elegant impact with these three silver baubles, that feature a stylish yet subtle etched flower pattern to add to the silver design.
10. Traditional red and gold
Another traditional Christmas tree theme, red and gold Christmas trees are a classic choice that provides a timeless style that will look great in any space. Some of the best Christmas decorations come in these colorways too, so you won't be short on choices.
This colour scheme is best suited to a natural-looking fir tree to welcome a touch of green foliage which acts as an accent colour. And because the look is more traditional you can add woodland touches via the decorations to create a cosy cabin feel that adds to the ambience.
RRP: £17.99 | This 40-piece box contains red and green glitter Christmas balls, snowflakes and reindeer-shaped tree decorations Xmas to encapsulate all the traditional festive favourites.
RRP: £7 | If you love this traditional Christmas tree theme you can't go wrong with this 25 by 18cm bell bauble. Topped with frosted artificial leaves to add a rustic touch.
RRP: £18.50 | Add an elegant touch to your traditional red and green Christmas tree theme with the addition of this set of 4 luxurious velvet bows in deep red.
11. Snowy sophistication
Snow-tipped Christmas trees will ensure that a white Christmas is a reality whatever the weather. With a snowy Christmas tree, it’s best to keep things simple – just add warm string lights and white or pastel ornaments to bring everything together.
You can also work this Christmas tree theme into your Christmas centrepiece ideas too, for a pulled-together holiday decor scheme.
FAQs
How to choose a Christmas tree theme for your home
When choosing a Christmas tree theme, you should consider your overall design aesthetic, and opt for pieces that you can use year after year, minimising overall cost and waste. Rachel Epstein, design specialist and creative director of CARME Home says that it's important to think about existing themes when choosing a tree.
"Christmas trees are a standout feature of the home and so you'll want to choose a theme that complements your interiors without clashing with your décor. The main things to consider when choosing a theme are the colour and lighting," she tells Woman & Home. "The colour of the decorations should complement your tree as well as the rest of the room.
"For lighting, stick with your current lighting tones, so if you have warm lighting go for warm lights. Contrasting lighting is a big no!"
Rachel says that a fashionable and cosy Christmas tree is "essentially a balancing act". Each time you place a decoration try to coordinate where the next one will go and think about the size, colour, and texture of the items.
"Start with your standout decorations and place them in the prime locations making sure that each section of the tree has a good standout bauble. A great tip to make your tree look taller is to hang any large decorations at the bottom and keep going smaller towards the top," she notes.
"A classic mistake people always make is forgetting about the tinsel or lights! Place these on first and then your decorations, there's nothing worse than weaving lights in and out of your filled-up Christmas tree."
