Holding a Tree Decorating Party

Christmas is near, and for those of us who celebrate it, that generally means enjoying all the adornments that come with it. The first step is heading to a tree lot and picking a beautiful pine tree for your living room. The second is taking out your collection of ornaments and decorations and bringing merriment to your home.

Let this article guide you through the process, from unpacking those boxes of Christmas cheer to packing everything away after the holidays have come to a close.

Start the Party

Invite family members and friends to help decorate the tree! Then, retrieve your ornament boxes and set them aside in your living room.

Shortly before the party, head down to a Christmas tree lot and pick your favorite pine. Take out your boxes of ornaments and decorations, either from a closet or your self storage unit, and set them aside. Once you have the tree set up—a task beyond the scope of this article—it’s time for your guests to come over.

Done right, this sort of party can feel like an early Christmas and can get everyone in the holiday spirit. Make the event a potluck where each guest brings a dish, cook dinner yourself, or order food. It’s not Christmas yet, so pizza is perfectly acceptable! Don’t forget to set out snacks like nuts and a vegetable plate.

Further set the mood by putting on some Christmas music just before your guests arrive.

Decorating the Tree

Now, comes the most fun part. When guests have arrived, open the first box. The children will be eager to put up ornaments. Show them how to hang an ornament on a branch, then let them each pick one to put up. Then, the adults can all chip in and soon, everyone will be putting an ornament at a time on the tree.

It’s up to you and your guests to decide how you want your tree to look. You could let them put ornaments wherever, or you may want to make sure that, for the most part, the decorations are evenly spaced.

Many of the ornaments are sure to spark conversations. You may have one your daughter made in preschool with her picture on it, and another that you bought on vacation in New York or Paris. If someone asks where you got a particular one, share the story. They may have stories of their own, so over all, you’ll get to know your friends better.

After most of the ornaments are on the tree, carefully put on the lights, making sure not to tangle the cord.

We recommend saving the tree topper for last. For many, this is an angel figure. You may have something different though. Stars, snowmen, and Santa hats are also popular. The youngest child may want to put the topper on the tree, and an adult can lift him or her to do so. Or, perhaps you have a tradition that dictates who gets to add this finishing touch.

Enjoy Your Tree

With the tree decorated, put any packing materials back in the boxes, and put the boxes in a closet. It’s time to eat! You and your guests can now enjoy the pizza or potluck, dim the living room lights, and turn on the tree lights.

Finally, offer to help any of them decorate their trees as well. Who knows? This could turn into three or four parties. The winter holidays are about coming together, and what better way to do that than to help each other.

When the season is over, pack up your ornaments and store them away for next year. While it’s always a bit sad putting out the tree and packing away the holiday decorations, Christmas will roll around again before you know it. Your ornaments, and your friends, will be waiting.