The Trick to a Larger-Looking Christmas Tree

Right now I have a very small artificial tree that you can practically see through after setting it up.  It may have fit in our old home, but it looks a little lost in the new house.  Since my husband's allergies prevent us from having one of those wonderful North Carolina Fraser Firs, my job is to use the one we have and give it a little presence...

Instead of placing the tree on the floor, I set it up on an old wooden trunk from the garage and draped a ruffled blanket and other linens over it to soften the look and cover the metal tree base. 

I added a small side table, my antique rocking horse, and an antique laundry cart for a unique way to hold gifts and to help fill in the spaces around the trunk.

The trick is to add as many layers as you can using baskets, gifts and other decor.  Don't be afraid to pull things from around your house to fill in areas around the tree.  I pulled in my antique bird cage from the screened porch and a vintage suitcase from the living room to add a bit of height and balance the visual weight of the laundry cart on the opposite side.

  After you get the larger elements in place, fill in with gifts of all shapes and sizes!

I rarely buy wrapping paper from the store anymore.  It's so easy and fun to create your own.  I'll be sharing how I made the wrapping paper with you soon.

Since I've barely begun shopping, this area around the table will be piled high with gifts closer to Christmas. 

To fill in those large holes in an inexpensive tree, I simply added branches, picks, bird nests, keys, and other items that I have in and around the house.  Go foraging and see what you can find!  I didn't buy a single ornament for the tree this year.

 There's nothing better than a Christmas tree casting it's warm glow throughout the house... 

 and watching my three girls playing around the tree and wondering what is in each gift.





Linking up to:

2805 Potpourri Party Christmas Blogger Block Party
Common Ground Christmas Blogger Block Party
French Country Cottage Christmas Vignettes
The Charm of Home