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5 Chic Christmas tree decor themes

With new designs coming out each holiday season, chances are your stash of Christmas decorations is overflowing with random ornaments. Hanging all those treasured keepsakes on the tree at once may feel heartwarming and homey, but it probably looks a little hodgepodge. For tree decor that’s less quaint and more chic, streamlining your ornament stash to fit a theme is key — or leave your current collection tucked away this year and start fresh with one of these chic-themed Christmas trees.

Mod holiday

If you’re planning on giving the gift of technology this year in the form of gaming systems, iPods and tablets, you may just want a tree with a look to match that streamlined look. A tree bedecked only in mod-style decorations has a sleek, clean look that’s more urban than old-fashioned. We love these ornaments from Crate & Barrel especially for their color — which is less evergreen and more extraterrestrial. Offset the cost of specialty ornaments by filling most of the tree with less-expensive ornaments that mimic the fancier ornaments’ style.

  • Glitter stripe ball ornaments, set of four (Crate & Barrel, $14)
  • Seen here: (Crate & Barrel, $6)
  • (Crate & Barrel, $6)

Shabby chic

A chic theme doesn’t have to mean your tree needs to be cold and artificial-looking. If you want a chic look, but still want that homespun Christmas vibe, you can pull it off by decorating with natural, country-style ornaments that all fall within a monochromatic color palette. Don’t go over the top with various ornament styles though, or you’ll just end up with a cluttered mess. Stick with a dozen each of three different ornament types. For our shabby chic tree, we’d pair these three rustic-looking ornaments.

  • “Tuscan Artichoke” holiday ornament (Neiman Marcus, $65)
  • Seen here: Antique gold acorn Christmas ornament, set of four (Balsam Hill, $50)
  • Metallic pinecone ornaments, set of three (Crate & Barrel, $18)

Silver and gold

Keep a little Christmas tradition alive in your chic tree decor by pulling inspiration from the Burl Ives classic Christmas carol Silver and Gold. While limited to just these two metallic colors, this chic theme is anything but plain. Go crazy with ornament shapes and sizes as long as they fit within the color scheme. But be sure to pick your specific silver and gold color swatches before buying any ornaments, as silvers can range from platinum to pewter, while gold tints can range from burnished browns to sunshiny bright. While some variety in shades adds depth, too many hues will take your tree from chic to tacky. We’d use this trio of ornaments on our silver and gold themed tree.

  • Balsam Hill: Glittered gold Christmas ornaments, set of four (Balsam Hill, $69)
  • Seen here: (Crate & Barrel, $6)
  • Macy’s: Silver Burst balls, set of 18 (Macy’s, $14)

The gift of bling

For many, ’tis the season of shopping, so why not have a chic tree that reflects your holiday passion? Trim your tree with shopping-themed ornaments in all sorts of colors and styles, from shopping bags to packages. Finish the look with a big bow on top, with ribbons hanging down so that the tree itself looks like one giant gift. You might even include a few ornaments that resemble the gifts you’d most like to get this Christmas. We’ll be hanging diamond ring and stilettos on our blinged-out tree this year.

  • Seen here:At home diamond ring ornament (Nordstrom, $24)
  • Sex & the City pink stiletto ornament (Amazon, $13)
  • Kurt Adler 5-inch silver glitter-drenched high-heel shoe ornament (Sears, $4)
  • St. Nicholas Square Christmas present ornament (Kohl’s, $8)

Sacred and chic

A tree that proclaims the sacred “reason for the season” can still achieve a sleek, chic look. While many ornaments depicting the nativity and other religious iconography are often very ornate, there are a number of options that streamlined. Keep to simple designs and a basic color palette to achieve a trimmed tree that’s both sacred and chic. We’d opt for a crystal, silver and white theme with ornaments with angel, star, cross and nativity motifs.

  • Holy family nativity with arch, set of five (Amazon, $65)
  • Waterford Crystal 2011 annual snow star ornament  (Bloomingdale’s, $65)
  • Michael Aram tendril cross ornament (Saks Fifth Avenue, $40)
  • Seen here:Angel with bells, set of four (Crate & Barrel, $12)

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Festive holiday table settings
An old-fashioned Christmas

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