Nothing says outrageous holiday waste of money like just about any Christmas tree, but especially one decked out in better jewelry than you’ve ever gotten. But if you’re looking at a way to splurge like no way else, here you go. And it’s fat- and gluten-free.
The Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi is home to an $11 million, 43-foot high Christmas tree. No, the tree isn’t made of 24-karat gold. That hefty total comes from the $11-million worth of jewelry that bedecks its branches.
That’s right, 181 pieces of diamond jewelery sets, pearls, emeralds and rubies.
And while you probably don’t have the financial resources to go that far with your holiday decorating, at the very least it might be worth thinking outside of the twinkle lights, blow-up Santa, wreath-on-the-door box this year.
Here are some holiday decorating ideas that will spruce up that Charlie Brown tree.
‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ decor
Disney’s Haunted Mansion recently received a Gothic makeover inspired by Tim Burton’s 1993 stop-motion classic that mixes the dark stop-motion delights of Halloween Town’s Pumpkin King Jack Skellington with classic “Who-ville” Seussian Christmas fare. You, too, can dip your toe in that deliciously dark holiday water by dotting your tree with Disney’s Nightmare Before Christmas Sketchbook Ball Ornament Set, replete with velvet ribbon bows for hanging, and all conveniently for sale in many department stores and online on sites such as Amazon. Dive further into the Gothic mindset by also including an ornament of Krampus, Europe’s half-goat/half-demon answer to that overly jolly, Americanized St. Nick. Whether it’s a skull skirt for your tree or a black-and-white raven wreath adorning your door, it never hurts to add a little “memento-mori” to your holidays.
Tree topper: A black-and-white striped bowtie to match Jack Skellington’s suit.
Decorating in the Old Salem Moravian Tradition
This decorating style also hearkens to days of yore, specifically that of 18th- and 19th-century Salem Moravians, a German religious group who migrated and documented their first year in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Today, the town is a living-history museum with 107 historic buildings, many telling the story of early Moravians in the U.S.
In capturing the Moravian spirit, start by making or buying paper Moravian Stars. These stars, which have 25 or 26 points, are often found illuminating windows or perched above porches during the holidays. They date back to the 1700s when Moravian students in Germany constructed the stars to aid math lessons. The luminescent stars were seen as early as 1747, lighted in windows of buildings in the Moravian community of Herrnhaag, Germany, according to historians. Today, they are sold as lit or unlit, come in a variety of colors and can be purchased online through several retailers, like Target. The Origami Resource Center also offers patterns if you’re feeling crafty and have some paper — and probably no small amount of time — you don’t mind lending to your holiday decorations.
Another rather unique Old Salem tradition carried over from Germany is the conical-shaped, open pyramids that hold nativity scenes and are said to be the precursor to the Christmas tree. Writers from “This Old House” suggest building a simple three- or four-sided pyramid with shelves to hold whatever holiday memorabilia you find fitting, whether that’s candles or your cherished Christmas ornaments.
Tree topper: None needed — you’re going old-school this year.
The 25 Days of Christmas
OK, this one is if you really, really have a lot of the holiday spirit, and also if you have kids who want something to be excited about for like, say, the entire month of December. Family blogger Lisa Marsh of “What Lisa Cooks” has a fun holiday decoration idea to get things going. She suggests creating a 25-days-of-Christmas activity calendar to hang in your home. The construction is simple: line a ribbon along a window and clothespin little envelopes marking each day and containing a holiday-themed activity. Making a 25-day activity out of ornament hanging is also a possibility, say the writers at “House & Home.” One writer described putting each ornament in a small burlap bag and numbering the bag so a child can open an ornament a day to hang on the tree. Organize the bags by either piling them in a decorative basket or stringing them across a window-ledge or mantel.
Tree topper: Five-pointed stars, neatly arranged at the top.
Experts say there are few tried-and-true rules that come with decorating the interior of your home during the holidays. While thinking outside the box, these rules can give you some framework to make the holiday look in your home come together.
• For any living room space, keep the focus on the tree. Decorating experts suggest using coffee tables and mantels for holiday trinkets so people are not maneuvering around them to admire your green centerpiece.
• For the tree itself, keep it minimal by picking two to three colors. Keeping it at two colors keeps things elegant and simple, says designer-du-jour Jonathan Adler, in a post for the company Birchbox. He says to “make it (the tree) maximal by packing on the ornaments.” Jane Hansen, a Denver-area decorator with Expressions of the Home, says she generally suggests three colors for her clients. “A lot of people like the burnt reds, some form of brown and maybe platinum or gold.”
• Forget the tinsel, go natural. That can be as simple decorating with berried holly and ivy. Really whatever you can purchase at that fancy grocery store or garden nursery you live nearby will do the trick. “I’ve seen a lot of shabby chic this year,” says Hansen. She adds that wintry themes are also popular this year. “We’re doing a tree with a lot of mint green with silver and white, and lots of icy branches,” she added.