It’s one of our favourite traditions, decorating the Christmas tree. As a centrepiece for the festive season, it’s important to get it right, but the fun part is almost anything goes!

Your tree can be lit up, toned down, matchy matchy, or multicoloured – the world really is your oyster. To help you get started, we’ve gathered some Christmas tree decorating ideas for both real trees and faux alternatives to help your seasonal display stand out from the crowd. Click or scroll on for the latest trends...

After the huge success of 2023's Barbie movie, we're sure more than a few trees will be turning various shades of pink this festive season. Whether you go fuchsia or rose, dusky or bubblegum, celebrate your inner Barbie and bring some Kenergy to your Mojo Dojo Casa House with a tree Margot Robbie would be proud of.

Primary colours add simple style that is warm, welcoming and patriotic too. Go for a less is more look with blue and red honeycomb baubles, felt ornaments and wooden stars. A white pom-pom garland makes the perfect, wintery, finishing touch for this classic Christmas look. 

Florals for Christmas? Groundbreaking! This year, our favourite blooms are no longer confined to a vase on the mantelpiece – they're taking on a starring role in our Christmas tree schemes.

This joyful display features blush-pink roses, hydrangeas and white peonies woven in between the branches, while pampas grass adds a playful feather-like texture. For longevity, opt for faux buds and dried foliage to keep your tree in bloom throughout the holiday season. 

Remember the controversial red trees that former First Lady Melania Trump decorated the White House with in 2018? It seems the tide has turned, as festive red foliage is still relevant this Christmas.

In a bold break with tradition, many of us are seeing red and embracing unconventional shades, from tall flocked designs to vintage tinsel models. If this fiery trend feels a little overwhelming, a tabletop version is a great way to experiment with your holiday display without turning your back on the classics completely.

Christmas is a holiday steeped in nostalgia. This year, revive fond memories of celebrations past by adorning your tree with retro figurines. Antique metal ornaments depicting familiar festive characters were a staple of yesteryear and are bound to bring a smile to all ages.

For the authentic look, scour thrift shops and second-hand online marketplaces like eBay for well-preserved designs. Alternatively, there are some fabulous modern iterations out there that evoke the same vintage spirit.

Multicoloured trees aren't exactly breaking news, however, there's an altogether more creative way to inject a little vibrancy into your Christmas display. Rather than relying on tinsel or a dyed artificial tree, opt for carefully arranged strings of lights in jewel-toned hues.

Artfully arranged, you can create unique illuminated designs that you might not otherwise find on the market. Best of all, you can change up the colour scheme every year without having to invest in a new tree!

Create an explosion of luxury by decorating your Christmas tree full of modern metallics. Tie the branches with oversized silver bows and add contrast with large-scale gold baubles. Finish the glitter bomb with streams of silver and gold beads. Perfection!

For fairytale home style embrace pretty pastel ornaments, fluffy textures and iridescent finishes for a magical look that is full of sugar and spice. Add in a sprinkling of shimmer with novelty ornaments and baubles dipped in glitter for the ultimate sparkly tree.

Bring the outside in with a snow-covered faux tree with bushy branches, then decorate it with grown-up celebrity style. Mix in bright white and iridescent glass baubles, feathers and mirrored details for a chic finish.

We don't always have the space for a six-foot fir in our homes. But a Christmas tree is not just for living rooms; they make fabulous hallway showstoppers or interesting additions in bedrooms too, just add festive bedding to match.

This eye-catching iron tree makes a space-saving change that will showcase a coordinated bauble display in contemporary style.  

Combine white and teal for a sparkling Arctic Christmas look. A white Christmas tree creates a winter wonderland snowscape that can be filled with glacier shades. Complete the snowscape with frosted twigs, white wreaths and sparkling crowns. Don't forget to invite a friendly polar bear or two.

Scandi decor is one of our favourite trends year-round and it works at the festive season perfectly. Give your Christmas tree a cool yule vibe by using plenty of playful colours on your tree and set it against a white backdrop.

There is no need for glitter with this simple Scandi look, instead choose bright paper, wool or felt pom-poms and matt finishes that lean towards nature.

This tree is everything we love about the festive season. Live like a king with a traditional Christmas tree embellished with charming and luxurious ornaments that nod to the Victorian era.

Choose decorative baubles, classic Santas and dress the tree to the max. Place a crown on the top for the perfect royal finish. 

Add warmth to a snow-dusted faux tree with a rose gold colour theme that brings out the glamour of the Art Deco era. Indulge with plush surfaces and patterns such as humbug stripes, multi-spotted glass and mercury finishes. 

Reds, greens and golds are traditional colours that can be adapted to a theme of your choice. For a homely feel add in folklore prints and Christmas icons such as nutcrackers, Santas, candy canes and winter robins.  

Keep your home décor on trend with a magical unicorn tree. If you enjoy seasonal crafting, try transforming your own or buy in a white or pink tree then scour the shops for the coolest unicorn-inspired decs (don't forget the horn!). The fluttery lashes are simple to make out of some black card, then pin them on your tree to complete the unicorn look. Crafty Morning shared a great tutorial which you check out here.

Yay, space! Head out of this world with a colour palette of blue, black and silver fit for space cadets. Add sparkle with space-themed ornaments with astronauts, planets, shooting stars and flying saucers. The iridescent colours look seriously cool against a quirky black faux Christmas tree. 

Take a traditional Scottish Highland scheme to another level by embellishing the traditional check pattern with a touch of glamour. Dust sprigs of a fir tree in glitter, give deer ornaments gold antlers and enrich the tartan with jewel tones. Finish with a luxurious gold star tree topper. 

If Christmas feels a bit of a whirlwind, transform your room into a restful winter wonderland with pastel colours and graceful shimmer. Go for a thickly frosted tree and adorn with delicate yet intricate decorations such as butterflies, glass bells and seashells.

Shop for anything iridescent to add a dreamy quality and keep it from looking too busy by sticking to a single-colour palette.

If you love vintage homeware, this playful scheme brings a contemporary twist to Christmas past. This time of year is all about treats so why not adorn a retro white Christmas tree with bright and sweet confectionary-shaped decorations?

Then go for vintage-inspired baubles in a cool clash of red, turquoise and pink.

Channel your inner dark side with your own unique black Christmas tree which could also double as spooky Halloween décor.

This eye-catching tree will certainly attract attention, decorating yours with classic white, gold and silver ornaments will give your tree the perfect festive finish. Top it off with some pretty tinsel and fairy lights for extra Christmas style.

Draw inspiration from the Dickensian era with a Christmas tree that looks to the past. Antique gold, deep berry reds and forest greens warm up the room with cosy Victorian touches.

Embellish the colour with novelty ornaments such a velvet ice-skates, classic candy canes and encapsulated holly baubles. Bah Humbug? We don't think so!

For a unique display, how about an upside-down tree? Despite the odd appearance, these quirky trees are as traditional as it gets, as the trend may date back to the 7th century. According to legend, a British monk, St. Boniface used a flipped fir tree to explain the Holy Trinity and convince Pagans to try a new faith.

The novelty tree is a great way to save on space and leaves plenty of room for even more gifts than the regular kind. To be part of the upside-down phenomenon get your own from Wayfair here.

Want a hassle-free Christmas? This pretty parasol tree is great for smaller spaces and an elegant alternative to a full tree. It’s simple to assemble and will keep your Christmas tree décor out of the reach of small children or pets, with plenty of room for presents underneath.

The best part? Just simply pack it back up into your box, ready for next year’s Christmas season to begin. You can get your hands on your own from Argos here.

Cultivate an earthy woodland home look with natural shapes and autumn hues. Choose green and copper baubles and then layer the look with gold woodland motifs such as forest leaves and acorns. Friendly forest animal decorations will enhance the enchantment. 

Take Christmas treats to the next level with your own candy cane tree. This sugary Willy Wonka-esque scheme will certainly wow any visitors during the festive season.

Start with an ice-white faux Christmas tree and add red and white baubles. More is more with this tree, so add as many sugary decorations as you can, then dress with red ribbons and real candy canes until you can't fit any more on.

Another versatile, statement tree perfect for both the spooky and festive seasons, this orange design with built-in fairy lights will really brighten up your décor.

Try decorating with darker ornaments and scary décor for a unique Halloween tree and simply ditch the spiderwebs and throw on some baubles for a quirky festive one. You can get a similar one here.

If you are looking for something less traditional yet still dramatic, think pink with a Christmas tree influenced by the classical ballet Swan Lake. This theme is decorative and exquisitely feminine.

Wrap the tree in a glamorous feather garland and fill in the gaps with shimmering pinks, feather baubles and glass swan ornaments. 

How about ditching your classic green tree for a gorgeous gold one, guaranteed to give your house a bit of Hollywood sparkle. Adorn your glittering tree with some elegant dark coloured baubles in plum, navy and black and illuminate with gold fairy lights for the perfect festive glow that’s sure to dazzle friends and family. 

Disco divas will love this retro decorating theme that's neon bright. Start with a daring navy blue tree. Wrap the tree with lights that glow to a groove and then prepare to party with decorative disco balls, glitter rainbow hearts and teeny cassette tapes. The more glitz the merrier. Continue the lightshow with an outdoor lights display.

Love gardening? Create a restful Christmas decorating scene that's reminiscent of relaxing days spent pottering in the garden.

Combine natural materials with a palette of mossy greens and shimmering golds and then add in gardener-appropriate ornaments like china wellingtons, allotment vegetables and a shimmering snail or two.

Decorate your Christmas tree in a warm and comforting seasonal scheme that has nature at its heart. Choose earthy colours, natural textures and then lift with shimmering amber hues. Bring the tree to life with fluffy and fun woodland creatures such as owls, squirrels and bunnies.

If you love the holidays as much as we do, why settle for one decorative Christmas tree when you can create double the impact with two? Be inspired by the Northern Lights and decorate them both with beautiful blue and iridescent silver for a reflective appearance. Perhaps add an Arctic animal or too for fun. 

Can’t decide on a tree colour? You can have it all with this fabulous rainbow tree. Light up any living room with the most vibrant tree ever, with décor or even without, it’s sure to be the ultimate symbol of joy this Christmas. The vivid colours make it the perfect décor for other celebrations from carnivals to birthdays, so you won’t be short of use for this unusual tree.

Monogrammed decorations using stylish typography make your Christmas tree on-trend and unique. Perfect for a dark living room, the selection of monochrome and silver decorations look especially smart in a dark Nordic decorating scheme such as this. 

As long as you don't have small children or animals, a Christmas tree filled with glass decorations exudes elegance and sophistication. Antique inspired droplets will reflect delicate fairylights and glass pine cones dipped in gold glitter shimmer and shine. 

Artificial frosted trees seem to be a big hit this year. The snowy branches of this faux Christmas tree make a fresh backdrop for vibrant carnival coloured decorations and fun Mexican-inspired hanging motifs. 

Pre-lit Christmas trees make great additions to children's rooms. Little ones will love to help you decorate their own tree with plenty of colourful toy and candy-themed Christmas tree decorations, thus leaving yours alone if you want them to!

Christmas trees decorated with wax candles date back to the Victorian era but this tradition is, of course, extremely dangerous. Evoke charming nostalgia without the fire risk by using realistic artificial candles. The striking look needs little else to turn a traditional tree into a contemporary, illuminated showstopper.

Flocked Christmas trees are such a hit this year and here's a more elegant decorating idea to suit them. Cool mint and forest green baubles etched with nature motifs make for a crisp and calming look that's perfect for paler room schemes. 

Love fresh white schemes? This year's biggest style statement, a snow-white Christmas tree is not for the nervous decorator but handled properly it can look truly spectacular. These striking trees are best decorated with just one colour or even left bare – this one has just a few heart-shaped silver bells.

Wreaths aren't just for walls. Symbolising growth and everlasting life they look just as elegant and sophisticated in miniature form. Whether they are made of feathers, sparkly glitter, bells or jewels, their circular shape looks super sophisticated as statement decorations hung in repeat amongst twinkling lights.  

This snow-flecked faux fir is a classic way to start your living room Christmas decorating and would work with almost any style of bauble, but we have a soft spot for a London-themed ornament, particularly the post boxes. Don't forget to dress the Christmas table to match.

Wouldn't you just love to spend the holidays up in the mountains? Go for the next best thing with a homely selection of natural wood, forest animals and a touch of green arranged on a real fir tree for a chalet chic vibe. 

This atmospheric winter wonderland tree is another perfect choice for grey living room schemes. Cascading teardrop glitter and diamante baubles, white stars and elegant icicles give the feeling of sparkling morning dew.

Take a break from tradition and decorate your Christmas tree with a touch of humour. Everyone wants to know where Santa goes on vacation, so why not pay homage to all his hard work with a holiday-inspired Christmas tree?

Bauble highlights include Santa on a speedboat, a flamingo in a Christmas hat and the laughing/crying emoji.

Your Christmas tree will never be boring with these eye-catching large ombre baubles. The rainbow colours are fun, uplifting and so on-trend. Plus, they'll go with plenty of novelty decorations too, from glittering sprouts to unicorns.

We love how they sparkle against this full, frosted faux tree. 

Loved this? Browse more seasonal decorating ideas to get your home in the holiday spirit