The beauty of having a Christmas tree is in the time spent with the family to set it up. It need not be expensive or grand to create an impression. Think outside the box, express your individuality through your Christmas tree and bond with your family during this special season.

Aren’t you bored of the traditional round ornaments, tinsel stars and  angel toppers? It’s time to get rid of the old ornaments recycled year after year. Let’s spice up this year’s Christmas tree with a unique theme.

To get started, here are a few things you might want to consider in your quest for a brand new look!

stripes & polka dot ornaments from Tang's

Why do we give in to the traditional style when our personal space spells funky chic or uber-modern?

While it is not necessary to decorate your Christmas tree to match the interior of your house, you may want your tree to look like it belongs in your home and not an object that looks entirely out of place. So, if you are an out-going fun-loving party girl, bring it on with a tree that’s ‘loud’ and stylish.

Once you have defined the look and style you want for your tree, it’s time to decide on a theme. Do you have a special interest you are very passionate about? Or a hobby you enjoy doing with your loved ones? Choices are abundant at shops and departmental stores but if you can’t find what you are looking for, there is always the alternative DIY.

Westin Hotel's Wild Wild West Xmas Tree Using Cutleries & Cowboy Hats

Idea 1: Kitchen Goddess

Are you a Kitchen Goddess? Do you love spending time baking or cooking, and coming up with creative dishes for your friends and family? Then, let’s take your interest one step further and put your cooking flair (and ingredients) onto the tree.

Instead of the living room, you can place a mini tree on your kitchen counter top and organise a pre-Christmas baking party with friends of similar interest.

Decorate the tree with:

• Colourful Recipe Cards
• Mini wreaths made from crushed cinnamon sticks glazed with stardust glue
• Cookie Cutters in various shapes and sizes
• Anise dipped in stardust and tied with velvet ribbons
• Sugar dough in pretty colours and shapes
• Starbuck’s cute little coffee cup ornaments

Idea 2: Model Collectors

This is the easiest yet! No worries about spending that extra Ringgit on those silly ornaments. Just tie your collectibles with ribbons or fish rods and hang them onto your trees. Finish off with fairy lights.

Idea 3: Child-Friendly

If you have young children, the decorations have to be non-choking hazards. Do away with tiny ornaments and decorate the tree with soft toys and polaroid pictures of your children. If they are old enough to write, get them to write for mommy and daddy little Christmas love notes with crayons and colour pencils, then hang them onto the tree.

Idea 4: Fashionistas

Play with soft fabrics and blings. Decorate the trees with:

• Polka dot ribbons or lace
• Baroque-themed fabrics
• Miniature shoes
• Gold, silver beaded strings
• Mini mirror balls
• DIY embellishments

Pretty ornaments from Parkson

Sometimes, colour scheme comes before deciding on the theme. Sometimes, it’s the other way around depending on the options there are in the market,  since most shops often carry common colours that are popular and in-demand such as white, gold, bronze, silver and red. It is also important to co-ordinate the colour scheme of your tree to either complement your space or stand out from a monotoned room.

Candy-colour-themed tree ornaments available at Tang's, KL Pavillion

Finally, it’s time to take to the streets for your Christmas tree shopping. Be wary of your total budget and keep in mind that larger trees will require larger ornaments and more decorations. The size of your tree should also complement the size of the space where you want to place your tree. A small tree will look oddly ‘retarded’ in a large living room with high ceilings.

Before purchasing a tree, it is also best to plan your storage space and decide on where you will keep your tree and the decorations after Christmas. The best storage space is one that will not interfere with your daily house chores because the tree and the boxes of ornaments will take up one full year until the next Christmas.

For the best place and value for last minute artificial Christmas tree shopping, head over to Petaling Street.

The beauty of having a Christmas tree is in the time spent with the family to set it up. It need not be expensive or grand to create an impression.  More importantly, let us not forget the true spirit of Christmas.

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!