Christmas is fast approaching, ushering in a season filled with sheer Yuletide joy and cheer! When it comes to Christmas decor, trees are a staple of the holiday season, but the conventional options in India can be expensive and often obtrusive. If you are looking for Christmas decor for the holiday season, but don’t want to purchase a store bought Christmas tree, we've got you covered. We spoke to some of India’s leading interior designers and home decor enthusiasts to learn some simple hacks to decorate your home for Christmas without a conventional tree. Transform your home into a festive wonderland this Christmas season with these 9 simple home decor hacks that marry traditional charm with a touch of unique flair.
Book Trees
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If you are an avid reader and have an extensive collection of books, you can use them to make your own book tree. Stack hardcover books in the shape of a tree and decorate them with ornaments and lights. “Make your own Christmas ‘book’ tree using hardback books in descending sizes. Start with a good thick sturdy base as your trunk and then split the books down the middle to build a tower. The bigger ones on the bottom and the smaller ones towards the top. Once it’s sturdy, enjoy decorating it with fairy lights, pinecones and ornaments!” mentions Rohina Anand Khira, owner at AA Living.
Bookshelf Tree
You could also use wooden pallets or a wooden bookshelf as your unorthodox Christmas tree. “What if you can’t decorate a real Christmas tree, and don’t quite like the idea of the artificial ones in the market? A pinewood tree will come to your rescue with its avant-garde design and unique aesthetic. The fact that it’s originally a bookshelf adds to its allure even as you imagine filling its arms with stacks of books as soon as possible. To make it replicate a Christmas tree, adorn its shelves with stars, Christmas toys, and more,” remark Ajay Arya and Sweta Arya, Co-founders and Designers of Ochre at Home.
Cushions Christmas
Soft furnishings such as cushions offer a distinctive and whimsical way to create a Christmas tree that's both festive and cosy. “One should start by laying down a base of large cushions, building upward with smaller ones to mimic the traditional tree shape and then wrap it all in vibrant fabrics, creating a visual spectacle. One can crown the masterpiece with a special cushion, which can be the chosen tree topper. Optionally, one can weave fairy lights through the layers for a warm glow,” says Sarita Handa, Founder and Creative Director of Sarita Handa.
Rustic Ladder Display
A basic ladder can be an unexpected and chic foundation for a unique Christmas tree. A ladder Christmas tree is perfect for those who want to add a rustic touch to their holiday decor, or craft a statement piece that reflects their personality. “Crafting a faux Christmas tree is a delightful opportunity to infuse festive charm into your space. For a playful and unconventional approach, the rustic ladder display turns a simple wooden ladder into a visually striking Christmas tree. Each step serves as a delightful shelf for ornaments, lights, and festive accents, creating a captivating holiday focal point. These creative ideas transform the absence of a traditional tree into an opportunity for unique, personalised, and visually stunning holiday decor,” adds Rohini Bagla, Founder and Principal Designer, Studio Rohini Bagla.
Wall Trees
Finally, wall Christmas trees provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to celebrate the holidays in style, especially in homes with compact spaces. They are a playful alternative to traditional trees and can be personalised with fairy lights, ornaments, and other decorations. “Make wall trees with photographs, pages of old books, dried fruits or even greetings cards. Add a string of fairy lights over, and voila!” concludes Rukmini Ray Kadam, founder of Trumatter Living.
Balloon Trees
A balloon Christmas tree is a fun alternative to a conventional Christmas tree. To make your own balloon Christmas tree, inflate different sized balloons and attach them to a wire frame or cardboard box in a cone shape, starting from the bottom with the biggest balloons. Adorn the balloon tree with lights, ornaments, and a star on top for a festive touch.
Also read: 6 holiday tablescaping ideas for each type of host
Festive Greenery
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Another simple Christmas decor hack is to collect branches from your garden or a neighbourhood park and arrange them in the form of a Christmas tree. Thereafter, bind the branches with wire or twine, and adorn them with lights, ornaments, and ribbons. “If you do not have a Christmas tree, just a bunch of plain green foliage—real or faux, and preferably of pine or spruce can bring in just as much holiday cheer into your home. Mini green arrangements throughout the house bring in the same fresh cosiness to a space as a Christmas tree would. If you are lucky enough to stay within the vicinity of a fir, pine or spruce tree, grab a few branches, cut the stem at an angle and add it to a vase. Add baubles and battery operated lights,” says Rukmini Ray Kadam, founder of Trumatter Living.
“Collect some tall bare branches, spray paint them gold and then hang your favourite ornaments from each little branch shoot. Make sure the branches are placed inside a sturdy container (I used a wrought iron umbrella stand). This hack is environmentally sustainable and minimalistic. It’s quite a refreshing change from the plastic Christmas trees available everywhere,” adds Rohina Anand Khira, Owner at AA Living.
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