I have always wanted a white Christmas tree for both the blank slate and snow white look (because let’s be honest, this is the closest I will get to a white Christmas here in Austin), and I am so excited to be able to decorate one this year. Every year I tend to decorate my Christmas trees differently, so when Treetopia asked about my family’s traditions, it took me a bit to figure out what those were and how to decorate a tree around that idea. But then it occurred to me, a tradition doesn’t need to be a long lived one, all traditions start somewhere and even new ones are worth celebrating. So, while it started recently, our family now has a tradition of going to
the ballet each Christmas season. I first took my daughter to see the
Nutcracker when she turned 5, and she loved it. The Nutcracker ballet
with the sugar plum fairy, and snow flakes, and red ribbons, and touches
of gold make me feel the magic that is Christmas. So this year I
decided to decorate my Christmas tree with touches from the ballet and
that Christmas magic. While it may be more of a traditional tree than
one would expect from me, I love the merry feeling it brings to my home.

To decorate my tree I began with a white, pre-lit tree from Treetopia and added gold ornaments with a red ribbon tied in a bow instead of the traditional ornament hook to play on the red stage curtain of the ballet. Then I added in a few fuzzy faux sage looking leaves, touches of gold and red ornaments of various shapes and sizes for color and variety. My DIY swan ornaments from last week worked well with the ballet theme (although not specifically with the Nutcracker), but I liked them, so I added those in there too.

I also used a bit of light pink spray paint to create DIY blendo ornaments to represent the sugar plum fairy and her tutu in the Nutcracker.

DIY Blendo Ornament Supplies:

• Matte Spray paint in an assortment of colors
• Clear glass ornaments or clear iridescent glass ornaments

To begin making your own blendo ornaments, remove the metal cap on the top of the ornament and tip them upside down on a piece of scrap cardboard. Then use your spray paint to paint just the bottoms of the ornaments letting the over-spray gently fade towards the top of the ornament. Once dry, replace the cap and they are ready to hang on your tree.

The finishing touches were a few pink faux flowers (to represent the waltz of flowers in Act II of the  Nutcracker) and a pink painted wooden snowflake tree topper (representing the land of snow in the Nutcracker).

 

Have you all ever seen the Nutcracker ballet? Does it make you feel the magic of Christmas too? What holiday traditions does your family have and do you pull from these traditions to decorate your tree each year or have a go to decorating style year after year?

To help you celebrate the holiday season this year, Treetopia is kind enough to be giving away a $150 gift card so you to can celebrate the holidays with your family traditions. Just comment below with your favorite holiday tradition to enter and I will randomly select one winner next Monday to receive the gift card.

Be sure to check out the rest of the amazing 2016 Treetopia Design Council and their decorated trees here.