Christmas Tree Decoration Ideas: From Scandi to Storybook
Three Christmas tree decoration ideas with wooden baubles, from natural Scandi to winter woodland and a nostalgic family tree. Find colour palettes, placement tips and personalised ornaments for each look.
In this guide
Some years, the tree starts with a box of mismatched baubles and the ribbon left over from last Christmas. Pick a few pieces you want to see from across the room. The rest of the look can grow around them.
These three Christmas tree decoration ideas use the same starting point: warm lights, one main accent and a few ornaments with a story. Choose the palette that feels right in your room, then try the branch-by-branch tips with whatever you already have.
A natural Scandi tree
Start with a warm-white light string, cream paper stars and natural wood. Leave a little branch showing between pieces. The gaps let you see the shape of the tree and give engraved names enough room to be read.
- Repeat one quiet colour. Tie a few linen bows in the same cream as your paper stars. The sage ribbon on the wooden characters gives you a second accent without making you replace the ribbon on every ornament.
- Choose an open branch for flat shapes. Turn the wooden pieces towards the room. If a bauble falls sideways, move the loop further along the branch or hang it from a nearby twig.
- Give one ornament a place of its own. Hang your special decoration close to eye level. Move any large paper stars out of the space immediately around it so the engraving is easy to see.
Styling illustration. The shop’s baubles are shown below.
The folded hat and long beard give a simple birch-and-paper tree one playful detail.
A flat first-Christmas star with baby’s name and year. Hang it in an open gap where the outline is easy to see.
The key shape looks lovely next to a linen bow. Choose names, a surname or an address for your first Christmas there.
A winter woodland tree
Use a few pieces of dusty-blue ribbon with white baubles and warm lights. The pale birch gives a little warmth to the cooler palette. Build small groups of two or three decorations, then repeat them loosely around the tree.
- Mix round and flat ornaments. Nestle a few white spheres in nearer the trunk. Keep the flat wooden characters near the branch tips, with their faces turned out.
- Stagger the characters. Put the penguin, bear and snowman on different sides and at different heights. Each has a little scene of its own, and children can try to find all three.
- Light the wood from the side. A warm fairy light just behind the next twig will catch the pale grain. Stand where you usually sit and check that the light lands on the ornament without hiding its name.
Styling illustration. The shop’s baubles are shown below.
The engraved scarf works well beside white felt or a small paper snowflake.
Give those raised paws an open spot. The name is engraved below the snowflake.
The patterned hat adds texture beside plain white or frosted baubles.
A nostalgic family tree
Let the decorations with a story decide what goes on first. Place them near the front, then repeat a little red ribbon and a handful of existing baubles around them. A paper chain can fill a gap or bring together ornaments collected in different years.
- Give each person a place on the tree. Hang named decorations at a height the family can enjoy looking at together. Leave a little space so children can find their names without needing to turn the branches.
- Repeat the ribbon in small amounts. Try red bows near the top, halfway down and towards the base. Leave the sage ribbons on the wooden characters and let the red bows connect the rest of the tree.
- Add the year’s keepsake last. Leave one front-facing branch for a new baby, a first home or the first year you are celebrating together. Take a quick photograph once it is in place.
Styling illustration. The shop’s baubles are shown below.
A familiar Christmas character with a striped scarf and one engraved name.
The icing-style engraving sits nicely alongside a cream paper chain or a red bow.
Include the people and pets you want to remember, with your chosen names or family roles and year.
Lights, ribbon, baubles
- Lights first. Switch them on as you work. Walk around the tree and fill any obvious dark gaps before adding ribbon.
- Ribbon in short sections. Try three or four bows or tucks before committing to a long sweep. Check from the doorway to see if they feel evenly spaced.
- Place your favourite baubles. Pick open branches for the names and details you want to see. Add plain baubles and paper shapes around those first choices.
- Step back. If all the pale shapes land in one patch, move one higher and another towards the side. Give the branches some breathing room.
How to put ribbon on a Christmas tree
Try one length at the front before cutting the rest. For the soft folds in the winter look, tuck one end of wired ribbon a little way into the branches, let it curve out, then tuck the other end back in lower down. Repeat on another side, starting at a different height. The branch tips should still show between the folds.
For the family tree, tie separate velvet bows so you can move them after the baubles go up. Look for a strong twig that points towards the room and let the tails fall either side of it. If one tail crosses a personalised name, move the bow a branch higher. On the Scandi tree, narrower linen ribbon keeps the gaps between ornaments visible.
Make the look fit your space
Pick one side to decorate first. Standing in the doorway will tell you more about what needs filling than looking straight down at the branches.
A slim tree in a corner
Work down the visible sides in a loose zigzag. Pick a few small bows so they sit inside the outline of the tree and leave its shape visible. Set one wooden bauble slightly off-centre at eye level, then echo its colour on the opposite side.
A tabletop tree
Put one favourite ornament on a front branch with enough clearance above the pot. A few small paper stars and a short light string will carry the theme up to the top. Tie a ribbon around the pot if you want more colour without filling the branches.
A broad tree with open branches
Use the depth you have. Tuck plain baubles closer to the trunk to draw the eye in, then hang engraved pieces further out. Leave one wider gap for the ornament you most want to see in the Christmas photos.
Make room for a first Christmas
Choose one ornament to mark the year and put it somewhere it will show in the family photograph. A first Christmas bauble with a raised name is easy to spot from a little further back. For a quieter look, compare the engraved and raised options in our first Christmas bauble guide.
A first Christmas in a different house can be just as memorable. If you’re choosing an ornament for someone else’s tree, there are more new home gift ideas for making a present feel specific to their move.
Pack the special ornament with a small note about who chose it and why. If you decorate together every year, our Christmas traditions guide has simple ways to make that moment part of the day.
Browse the full range of wooden Christmas decorations to compare characters, name styles and first-Christmas keepsakes.
Christmas tree decoration questions
What colours go with wooden Christmas decorations?
Warm white, sage and linen make a soft natural palette. Try dusty blue and white for a winter look, or cranberry and dark green for a traditional tree. Repeat one accent colour in a few places so the branches feel connected.
Can you mix wooden and glass baubles?
Yes. Glass can sit a little deeper in the tree, where it reflects the lights. Hang the flat wooden pieces further forward and turn their faces towards the room. Keep heavier or fragile decorations on sturdy branches away from busy areas.
Where should personalised baubles go on the tree?
Pick an outward-facing branch at a height where the name is easy to read. Leave space around the outline and avoid covering the engraving with a wide ribbon or another decoration.
How many wooden baubles do I need?
Start with three visible pieces and see how they look alongside what you already have. Try one high, one in the middle and one lower down. On a small or slim tree, you may only need one or two to make the material stand out.
Can I use the same look on an artificial tree?
Yes. Shape and separate the branches before decorating so you have clear places for the ornaments. Move a tip slightly to turn a flat bauble towards the room. The same ribbon and colour combinations work on a real tree too.
How do I store wooden Christmas baubles after Christmas?
Store them dry and flat in a box, with a layer of plain tissue between the engraved faces. Keep the ribbons loose so they stay smooth. Put heavy glass ornaments in a separate compartment.
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