Christmas tree prep

Ok, so I know Halloween hasn't even come yet, but I'm a bit excited. This will be my first Christmas in my apartment as well as with my boyfriend. My mom's friend has given me a pre lit christmas tree (which she told my mom had something wrong with the lights, so I may end up re stringing it) and I need non breakable ornaments because of the kits.
I'm weighing off doing some local shopping with more expensive ornaments or driving the hour and spending gas money to go to ikea....
But what I was wondering about was what you guys thought made the prettiest Christmas tree? I'm going to have coloured lights, not white and I'd like to find a more rustic or simplistic topper....probably a star.
My mom thinks that white tiny lights and gold bows make the perfect tree...she likes the gold and white look....
So what do you think makes the perfect tree?

I like the variety look, though i'm having issues getting use to the "nothing hanging 2 feet from the bottom look".

But color and variety are my type of tree. Matching ones are pretty and I do like them, but I know myself well enough that I could never do it.

Colored blinking lights and different colored and styled ornaments!! I like variety!

I like to change things up a bit every few years. Last year i LOVED my tree! I did it in white lights and had pretty blues/silver/wooden ornaments on it- it looked beautiful! I'm doing that again this year as well!!!

Next year i may change it up and do something different- maybe burgendy and gold with some white lights- i think that's gorgeous as well!!!

It honestly depends on my mood. I've seen very simple, primitive trees that I have likes, but I have also seen glittery, shiny trees that I have liked.

You can see pictures of some of our members' decorations here:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...t=29108&page=5

We have a fake tree and we use colored lights on it. We also have tons and tons of ornaments.. enough to fill up 3 or 4 trees lol. Some are ones that my sisters and I have made during our younger years and some are ones that we have collected over the years. The only bad part about our tree is the top is broken so we can't put the Angel at the top. When we decorate the tree we are always careful not to put any ornaments near the bottom. The cats would have a field day with them if we did lol.

I know this sounds sad, but I've bought Pickle her own mini christmas tree, It'll be a tree that she can wreck without worrying about annoyed humans.

I'm thinking of just getting a small fibre optic one this year, because i really don't trust Jack with the large one that i usually put up

I love themed trees! Like trees with only peacocks on them with blue and purple lights and a big ole peacock on top....or a polar bear tree with white lights.

Generally I like a "frosted" winter look, with white or light blue ornaments, white lights, snowflakes.....


Go to the dollar store to find cheaper ornaments. You could also find some wood ones maybe at a craft fair near you, or even in stores.

In the past I have been a white light person, but 2 years ago I bought a prestrung artificial tree and after much thought I chose to go with colored lights. For many years I have collected Christmas ornaments - and still have several dozen from when I was a child - the wonderful glass ornaments from the 50's. I have always loved the old fashioned look. However, this year, because of Monster Man (Cosmo) I am not sure that I will put up a tree - or if I do, it will have only unbreakable ornaments! Probably my cat and bird ornaments only!
But, most of my decorating is very traditional, reminding me of my childhood!

hummm...
I like that it's coloured lights, because we used to have them when I was a kid and I spent hours matching the right ornament to the right light....so it reminds me of when I was a kid
One of my friends suggested the dollar store too. She says that she does a different theme every year through them.
I think I'm just going to have to go old fashioned and make some/buy some plastic bulbs....still thinking ikea though, if I can pull myself away...they have these star lights that I'd really like to get for my front hall anyway.
I've never done it, do cranberry garlands rot???

Originally Posted by Sylorna

hummm...
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I've never done it, do cranberry garlands rot???

Click to expand...

No, they don't, they just dry up, and look like craisins. I string popcorn and cranberries each year, easy and cheap to do, just time consuming.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

I like the variety look, though i'm having issues getting use to the "nothing hanging 2 feet from the bottom look".

But color and variety are my type of tree. Matching ones are pretty and I do like them, but I know myself well enough that I could never do it.

Click to expand...

I agree...we always had variety trees growing up. It was all the ornaments we made as kids, mixed with Christmas balls and little red apples..with icicles (which you can't have with cats). Colourful lights..the whole bit!

I don't have a tree because Trout is a holy terror.

I prefer the multi-colored lights on the tree and I try to decorate it different each year. Last year I decorated it in red and purple, my two favorite colors. This year I'm thinking of pink and burgundy decorations to go with the color scheme in my new living room.

I have multi colored light, I have all kinds of ornaments on my tree, I have made most of them , every year I make different things, last years I made beaded angels, I haven't decided what I am going to make this year, maybe painted glass balls.

I prefer miniature white lights, a mix of twinkling and always on.
And old fashioned ornaments like strung cranberries, popcorn, and holly garlands.

Mine would probably come closer to looking like a Yule tree.