Houzz Readers Share Their Christmas Trees
Check out 25 trees and the memories and inspirations behind them
The response to the Houzz Call asking Houzz readers to share their Christmas trees brought so much joy to the Houzz community. Keeping up with new photos and comments every day has been a bright spot! Readers shared themed trees, ornament arranging strategies, memories that pulling out the tree trimmings evoke and more. Take a look here to see 25 special trees from Houzz readers. And please keep sharing your own trees in the Comments. Your photo may be used in a future Houzz story.
“We have a very Victorian tree, complete with beaded garlands and icicles,” says Houzz reader Veronica Boritz.
Houzz reader MMR Interiors likes the tree to complement the casual feeling of their cottage, but also adds pearls and other delicate ornaments to capture their personality.
Some readers shared their no-fail systems for organizing the ornaments on the tree.
“I can never choose a theme because all of our ornaments are sentimental and only get to come out once a year. But I do have a system: white lights and garland toward the center, by the trunk; then solid colored ball ornaments in the middle as background; then kids’ pictures and antique ornaments on the tips of the branches,” Houzz reader reddjacks says. “Several ornaments that my mom made me are at eye-level, and cartoon figures, etc. go lower where the kids can appreciate them. I would decorate even before Thanksgiving if my daughter and husband would let me. The more teenage eye rolls I get, the more fun it is!”
“I can never choose a theme because all of our ornaments are sentimental and only get to come out once a year. But I do have a system: white lights and garland toward the center, by the trunk; then solid colored ball ornaments in the middle as background; then kids’ pictures and antique ornaments on the tips of the branches,” Houzz reader reddjacks says. “Several ornaments that my mom made me are at eye-level, and cartoon figures, etc. go lower where the kids can appreciate them. I would decorate even before Thanksgiving if my daughter and husband would let me. The more teenage eye rolls I get, the more fun it is!”
Sometimes working with the architecture means meeting the scale of high ceilings. And putting up a tall tree is no easy feat.
“We get a live Frazier fir every year, usually the weekend after Thanksgiving. It is at least 12 feet tall and placed in the family room where we can enjoy it while watching TV and having our morning coffee, and it’s the first thing you see when you walk in the front door,” Houzz reader jonilibertin says. “It usually takes four to five hours to put the lights on, weaving them from top to bottom, trunk to branch tip, using white lights but in two different bulb shapes for a little variety and dimension. I think the white lights illuminate the tree nicely and enhance the reflective qualities of the glass ornaments.”
While the family’s ornament collection includes glass, cloth, papier-mâché birds and clip-on flowers, the one on top perhaps has the most meaning. “The topper is a cheap plastic star purchased from a discount store during grad school in 1985. We were so broke! But it remains the ‘star’ of the tree every year and is a wonderful reminder of where we started,” jonilibertin says.
Browse holiday lighting in the Houzz Shop
“We get a live Frazier fir every year, usually the weekend after Thanksgiving. It is at least 12 feet tall and placed in the family room where we can enjoy it while watching TV and having our morning coffee, and it’s the first thing you see when you walk in the front door,” Houzz reader jonilibertin says. “It usually takes four to five hours to put the lights on, weaving them from top to bottom, trunk to branch tip, using white lights but in two different bulb shapes for a little variety and dimension. I think the white lights illuminate the tree nicely and enhance the reflective qualities of the glass ornaments.”
While the family’s ornament collection includes glass, cloth, papier-mâché birds and clip-on flowers, the one on top perhaps has the most meaning. “The topper is a cheap plastic star purchased from a discount store during grad school in 1985. We were so broke! But it remains the ‘star’ of the tree every year and is a wonderful reminder of where we started,” jonilibertin says.
Browse holiday lighting in the Houzz Shop
Speaking of tree toppers, securing a special one at a discount for this tall tree required a mad dash.
“The angel topper was purchased 38 years ago during a December 26th sale. We waited outside in the cold for the store to open. I literally made a dash to the display, purchasing the angel I admired all season — the only one left,” Houzz reader christmaswreaths says. “She’s had a few mishaps through the years — notice the head tilt.”
“The angel topper was purchased 38 years ago during a December 26th sale. We waited outside in the cold for the store to open. I literally made a dash to the display, purchasing the angel I admired all season — the only one left,” Houzz reader christmaswreaths says. “She’s had a few mishaps through the years — notice the head tilt.”
Some Houzz readers were torn between a designer look and a beautiful hodgepodge of sentimental ornaments. So they decided to have the best of both worlds and put up two trees.
“I finally put my keepsake ornaments on a smaller tree and decorated a 10-foot flocked tree that I could design for my great room with 12-foot ceilings,” Houzz user Davidson Design says.
“I finally put my keepsake ornaments on a smaller tree and decorated a 10-foot flocked tree that I could design for my great room with 12-foot ceilings,” Houzz user Davidson Design says.
Some members of the Houzz community were thinking more about pink than Christmas red. For example, Miraya Young made a childhood wish come true with her tree this year.
“I always wanted my family to get a pink or white Christmas tree as a kid, but they never did. One Christmas in the late ’90s, my mom gifted me a collectible ballerina ornament and said, ‘It’s for when you one day get that pink tree you always wanted.’ I started collecting ballerinas and dance shoe ornaments through the years until at last I had enough to fill a tree,” she says. “Christmas 2022 I finally have my PINK ballet-themed Christmas tree and it’s everything I imagined it would be. The very first ornament is the ballerina from my mom that started it all.”
Shop for a Christmas tree
“I always wanted my family to get a pink or white Christmas tree as a kid, but they never did. One Christmas in the late ’90s, my mom gifted me a collectible ballerina ornament and said, ‘It’s for when you one day get that pink tree you always wanted.’ I started collecting ballerinas and dance shoe ornaments through the years until at last I had enough to fill a tree,” she says. “Christmas 2022 I finally have my PINK ballet-themed Christmas tree and it’s everything I imagined it would be. The very first ornament is the ballerina from my mom that started it all.”
Shop for a Christmas tree
Houzz reader Leana was also in a pink mood this year. The infusion of color looks smashing against the white walls.
Pink walls inspired this Houzz reader’s first artificial tree choice. “We always had live trees til a few years ago; I saw this white one and decided to go fake — no more watering or needles all over the floor — but I do have a bit of glitter scattered about now,” says tpbond. “My fave part of this room is the gallery wall. During the year it holds my photography, but at Christmas, it becomes a family art gallery of Christmas trees, painted over the years.”
Other members of the Houzz community went with different themes for their trees. This one is a fun ocean-inspired example. “Here’s our Mermaid Christmas tree celebration,” Houzz reader Regina Kirshbaum says.
Houzz reader marilynmccoy1 went with a bird theme this year.
Perhaps the most wonderful things to read about were the special memories that unpacking and hanging ornaments can evoke.
“Just as she treated Christmas cookies as an art form, so did my mom treat the entire tree trimming process — meticulously and with an eye for perfection,” Houzz reader kc10 says. “And the philosophy of the more ornaments the better and incorporating those handed down from generation to generation was just one more way to keep special memories alive. My own tree is a mix of old and new.”
“Just as she treated Christmas cookies as an art form, so did my mom treat the entire tree trimming process — meticulously and with an eye for perfection,” Houzz reader kc10 says. “And the philosophy of the more ornaments the better and incorporating those handed down from generation to generation was just one more way to keep special memories alive. My own tree is a mix of old and new.”
Houzz reader janie combines Christmas with her birthday. “The tradition has been to put up our tree on December 6th, which is my birthday. Our tree is a mixture of things our children made and ornaments collected through the years,” she says. “I started collecting Glass Eye Studios glass ornaments a few years ago. A store in Old Town Florence, Oregon, sells them and we almost always visited the coast on my birthday, so that was my treat.”
Some ornaments have deep meaning to the family. “The angel wings represent our sons who passed away and now reside in Heaven,” janie says. “Christmas is filled with such lovely traditions. I love the stories behind the trees!”
Some ornaments have deep meaning to the family. “The angel wings represent our sons who passed away and now reside in Heaven,” janie says. “Christmas is filled with such lovely traditions. I love the stories behind the trees!”
Most of her tree is adorned with Christopher Radko ornaments and a pickup truck ornament collection. But Houzz reader barbweinstock also had to find a prime spot for this little elf, which has perched on her Christmas tree branches for over 60 years.
There was about a 50-50 split among Houzz users between live and artificial trees. While most in the latter group love live trees, they admit that switching to artificial has made life easier and free of dropped needles.
Houzz reader Eliza Cross put a lot of admirable sweat equity into preserving her artificial tree. “The artificial tree is 22 years old. Originally it was pre-lit with 1,200 incandescent bulbs, but over the years they all burned out. I removed the tightly wrapped, zip-tied light strands with needle-nosed pliers, which was a surprisingly long and tedious job requiring many pitchers of eggnog,” she says. “The positive is that we kept a tree out of the landfill, and now we can easily change up the lights.”
After giving the tree new life, she covered it in meaningful ornaments. “The two red cardinals near the top of the tree remind me of my late grandparents, both avid birdwatchers,” she says.
Houzz reader Eliza Cross put a lot of admirable sweat equity into preserving her artificial tree. “The artificial tree is 22 years old. Originally it was pre-lit with 1,200 incandescent bulbs, but over the years they all burned out. I removed the tightly wrapped, zip-tied light strands with needle-nosed pliers, which was a surprisingly long and tedious job requiring many pitchers of eggnog,” she says. “The positive is that we kept a tree out of the landfill, and now we can easily change up the lights.”
After giving the tree new life, she covered it in meaningful ornaments. “The two red cardinals near the top of the tree remind me of my late grandparents, both avid birdwatchers,” she says.
We’ve loved seeing readers’ pets getting into the Christmas spirit. Here’s one of the stars of the Houzz Call’s Comments section — Rex! He really provides a sense of scale for this small tree.
“We were late getting a tree and with all the shortages, this was the only one left,” says Rex’s owner czmccarthy. “But we love our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree! It is so small that Rex can easily get around it!”
How to care for a freshly cut Christmas tree
“We were late getting a tree and with all the shortages, this was the only one left,” says Rex’s owner czmccarthy. “But we love our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree! It is so small that Rex can easily get around it!”
How to care for a freshly cut Christmas tree
As beloved as they are, these critters can cause some tree trouble that homeowners had to consider. “We have to put all the fuzzy ornaments above ‘terrier height,’ ” says Houzz reader wairedale.
“We cut our own tree each year. We don’t light the lowest branches so the rabbits can enjoy a nibble,” says Houzz reader Arrow Coyote. “The tree is covered in ornaments that I have collected over my lifetime.”
The family also likes to remember its travels with ornaments. And this year it topped the tree with a cardinal ornament.
The family also likes to remember its travels with ornaments. And this year it topped the tree with a cardinal ornament.
Grace Lockwood of Garden Graces Plantscapes didn’t want another faux plastic tree, and her cat kept her from getting a real one. “So I found this antique-style metal tree and decorated with LED candles and favorite ornaments,” she says. As you can see, the cat was so uninterested in this tree that it took a nap instead of messing with it. Mission accomplished!
“Here’s our live noble fir, finally decorated this year! We have an eclectic mix of ornaments, with many from my childhood! Every year we buy a few new ornaments to love and have to send several to Santa’s Workshop for repairs,” Houzz reader annieschwab says. She always uses white lights and large artificial magnolias to fill in the gaps. “The only thing missing this year is the tree skirt, which the new kitten refuses to leave in place,” she says.
Some Houzz readers found themselves having to adapt to new circumstances and pivoted accordingly. For example, Joan Vorderbruggen of Studio Birke went outdoors organic this year.
“We have a small house without much space for a tree inside. Instead we place a tree directly outside of our living room windows in a private garden area, then decorate it simply with white lights and materials collected from the garden,” she says. “It’s great habitat for wildlife and doesn’t require watering. When it gets covered in snow, it is absolutely stunning!”
“We have a small house without much space for a tree inside. Instead we place a tree directly outside of our living room windows in a private garden area, then decorate it simply with white lights and materials collected from the garden,” she says. “It’s great habitat for wildlife and doesn’t require watering. When it gets covered in snow, it is absolutely stunning!”
Several readers mentioned that picking up ornaments on their travels and enjoying them every year is a great way to remember their favorite trips. Houzz reader motownmom decided to dedicate one of her two trees to these memories this year.
“I get ornaments from our vacation travels, and have since our honeymoon 11 years ago. I have enough that, except for a few fillers, they make up the majority on our living room tree. This May we spent a week going through all the Western State National Parks. Bought an ornament at every one,” she says.
This section has ornaments from iconic American sites, including the Statue of Liberty, the Appomattox Court House and the Lincoln Memorial. “Every time I hang these, I remember the great vacations we’ve had around the country,” motownmom says.
“I get ornaments from our vacation travels, and have since our honeymoon 11 years ago. I have enough that, except for a few fillers, they make up the majority on our living room tree. This May we spent a week going through all the Western State National Parks. Bought an ornament at every one,” she says.
This section has ornaments from iconic American sites, including the Statue of Liberty, the Appomattox Court House and the Lincoln Memorial. “Every time I hang these, I remember the great vacations we’ve had around the country,” motownmom says.
“My tree is made up of ornaments from years of travel around the world, my daughters’ designs and our family’s favorite things. This has allowed it to be a memory tree,” Houzz reader sbr1105 says. “We put it up on Thanksgiving weekend to Christmas music and spiked eggnog so we can enjoy it all December.”
“Last year I was remodeling so I didn’t put up a tree. To celebrate my return to traveling in 2023, I decorated with travel-themed ornaments,” Houzz reader Donna Wies says.
For more fabulous Houzz readers’ trees, hop over to the Comments in the original Houzz Call to see them all. And keep them coming in the Comments of either story. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their photos and stories. Happy holidays!
More on Houzz
Read more Christmas decorating stories
Hire a local design pro
Shop for holiday decor
For more fabulous Houzz readers’ trees, hop over to the Comments in the original Houzz Call to see them all. And keep them coming in the Comments of either story. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their photos and stories. Happy holidays!
More on Houzz
Read more Christmas decorating stories
Hire a local design pro
Shop for holiday decor
Find an interior designer near you