10 Christmas Tree Theme Ideas With Color Schemes

A Christmas tree theme is two or three colors and one kind of ornament repeated all over the tree, so it looks planned instead of piled on. Red and white with plaid ribbon is a theme. So is forest green and cream with pinecones and felt animals, or blush pink with pearls and velvet bows. The ten themes below each give you the colors, the ornaments, the garland or ribbon, the tree topper and the one thing that makes the tree read as that theme. Pick one and copy the whole tree, or borrow a single idea for the tree you already have.

Christmas tree themes at a glance

Theme	Colors	Tree and lights	Cost
1. Red and white farmhouse	red, white, natural wood	green tree, warm white	$
2. Woodland	forest green, brown, cream, cranberry	green tree, warm white	$$
3. Vintage colored bulbs	red, turquoise, pink, silver	green or white tree, multicolor	$$
4. White and silver	white, silver, clear glass	white, flocked or green tree, warm or cool white	$$
5. Dried orange and pinecone	orange, cream, cinnamon brown, evergreen	green tree, warm white	$
6. Blush pink	blush, cream, champagne, white	white or flocked tree, warm white	$$
7. Gold and cream	champagne gold, cream, ivory	flocked, white or green tree, warm white	$$
8. Blue and white	navy, delft blue, white, silver	green or flocked tree, cool or warm white	$$
9. Scandinavian straw and wood	straw, white, wood, a little red	green tree, warm white	$
10. Kids’ handmade	three paint colors the kids pick	any tree, warm white	$

One dollar sign means mostly things you own or make, plus a pack or two. Two means two or three packs of ornaments.

How do you choose a Christmas tree theme?

Start with a color that is already in the room, then pick the theme that uses it. Look at the rug, the sofa, the curtains and the throw on the armchair. A blue rug makes blue and white easy. A room that is mostly cream and wood is happy with a neutral tree like theme 9. Better Homes and Gardens suggests carrying the room’s colors and textures onto the tree so the whole room comes together. You can repeat the same colors on the mantel and the front door wreath too.

Then answer three small questions:

What do you already own? Look through your box of Christmas decorations before you buy anything. A handful of red ornaments and a roll of plaid ribbon is already theme 1, and any Christmas decoration you own counts.
Which tree do you have? An artificial Christmas tree in green, white or flocked shows color differently. There is a short section on that near the end.
How much do you want to make? Themes 5, 9 and 10 lean on things you make, which keeps the cost down.

10 Christmas tree theme ideas

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Each idea is written for a regular tree, about 6 to 7 feet. On a smaller tree, use fewer of everything and keep the colors the same.

1. Red and white farmhouse with plaid ribbon

The colors are red, white and natural wood, with the green of the tree showing through. Trim it with red baubles in matte and shiny finishes, white ceramic or enamel-look ornaments and a few wooden stars. The ribbon does most of the talking: red and white buffalo check, looped and tucked into the branches. This Ribbli red and white buffalo plaid wired ribbon (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has a burlap look, is 2.5 inches wide and comes as one 10 yard spool, which is 30 feet. For the topper, use a big plaid bow or a white wooden star.

What makes it farmhouse is that the plaid turns up more than once. Use it on the tree, then again on the tree skirt or a basket around the base, and wrap a few gifts in kraft paper tied with the same check. Better Homes and Gardens does this on its rustic tree, with plaid in both the ribbon and the wrapping paper. Use warm white lights. If you already own red ornaments, this is the cheapest theme on the list.

2. Woodland with pinecones and felt animals

The colors are forest green, brown, cream and a little cranberry red. It is the tree for a cabin feel in a small living room. Hang pinecones in a few sizes, wooden stars and felt animals, and tuck the animals back into the branches so they peek out instead of hanging at the tips. These 10 felt woodland animals (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. are about 3 inches long, and the set includes owls, a squirrel, a hedgehog, a raccoon and a deer. This bag of 20 natural pinecones (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is 3 to 4 inches tall and unscented.

For garland, a loose strand of wooden beads or a twist of twine looks right, and a few sprigs of cedar or pine help if the tree looks thin. The topper is a wooden star or a spray of red berries.

The animals plus the pinecones make the theme. Either one alone is just rustic. Together they tell a small story about a forest, which is how HGTV’s winter woodland tree works: tiny white owls tucked into a flocked tree with grapevine garland.

Green Christmas tree beside a window with pinecones, wooden stars and small felt owls, a squirrel and a hedgehog tucked into the branches, with a wooden bead garland and warm white lights — Styling idea: felt animals tucked deep in the branches among pinecones.

3. Vintage colored bulbs

Think of a tree on an old Christmas card. The colors are red, turquoise, pink and silver, with multicolor lights. Use glass ornaments in assorted colors and shapes, silver tinsel, and a string of the larger bulbs, the C7 or C9 size, instead of tiny mini lights. This set of 25 retro glass ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes in assorted shapes and colors, 1 to 1.5 inches, so they work as fillers between bigger baubles. Better Homes and Gardens suggests mercury glass, globes and faux candles in baby blue, pink and silver on a flocked white tree for a retro style look.

Drape silver tinsel garland loosely and finish with a glass spire or a silver star. The lights carry this theme. Multicolor bulbs are what many people remember from the trees of their childhood, and the ornaments only repeat the same four colors. If you like this one, our vintage Christmas decor ideas for a small home have a ceramic tabletop tree, a paper chain and more from the same era.

Green Christmas tree with large multicolor bulb lights lit, assorted red, turquoise, pink and silver glass ornaments, silver tinsel garland and a silver star on top, beside a sofa with a pink knit throw — Styling idea: large multicolor bulbs, glass ornaments in four colors and silver tinsel.

4. White and silver

The colors are white, silver and clear glass, on a green, white or flocked tree. Use white ornaments in matte and shiny finishes, silver balls, snowflakes, icicles and mercury glass. For garland, a silver bead strand or white felt pom-poms. The topper is a silver snowflake or a white star. This 99 piece white and silver set (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has snowflake shapes, icicles and balls in mixed sizes, plus a glitter star for the top.

The risk with an all-white tree is that it goes flat, because a monochromatic tree has no color to break it up. Fix that with finish instead of more color. Mix matte, shiny, frosted and glitter pieces so the light catches each one differently, and the sparkle comes from the variety. Warm white lights keep it cozy. Cool white makes it crisp and icy, a wintry winter wonderland. Better Homes and Gardens also lays rolled cotton along the branches and sprinkles crystal snow on it, like frost on a window, for a blanket-of-snow effect.

Flocked white Christmas tree with white and silver ball ornaments, glass icicles, white snowflakes and a silver star on top, in front of a gray linen sofa with a white wool throw — Styling idea: white and silver in four finishes: matte, shiny, frosted and glitter.

5. Dried orange and pinecone

Nothing on this tree is shiny. The colors are orange, cream, cinnamon brown and evergreen. Hang dried orange slices, pinecones and cinnamon sticks tied with twine, with a few wooden beads between them. This pack of 50 dried orange slices (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes with 50 pieces of hemp rope, so they are ready to hang. You can also dry your own, and the slice thickness and oven times are in our dried orange garland guide. A strand of slices works as the garland, and a jute or raffia bow or a wooden star works as the topper.

The smell and the glow make this one. Orange slices light up when a bulb sits behind them, so push a few toward the inside of the tree. HGTV shows a similar tree with dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks and a popcorn garland. Keep the slices off the very tips of the branches, where they get bumped, and store them dry after Christmas so they come out again next year. Warm white lights suit all those natural textures.

Green Christmas tree trimmed with dried orange slices, pinecones, cinnamon sticks tied with twine and wooden beads, with warm white lights lit and a jute bow on top — Styling idea: dried orange slices and pinecones, with the lights shining through the fruit.

6. Blush pink

The colors are blush pink, cream, champagne and white, with pearls. It works best on a white or flocked tree, where the pink shows. Eddie Zaratsian describes a pink tree built on macaron-pink tones, pearl finishes and white accents, and that is a good recipe. Use matte and shiny blush baubles, a pearl bead strand for garland, velvet bows for the ribbon, and a big pale pink velvet bow or a pearl star on top.

This pack of 24 pink ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is shatterproof balls in glossy, matte, glitter and textured finishes, but they are small, 1.57 inches. Small ones are fillers, so add some bigger ones. The 3.15 inch champagne balls in theme 7 sit well with blush.

Keep the pinks close together, from pale blush to a soft rose. One hot pink ball breaks the spell. With warm white lights the tree looks soft instead of sugary.

Flocked white Christmas tree with blush pink and cream ball ornaments, pearl bead garland and pale pink velvet bows, in a bedroom corner with blush pink curtains and a cream wool rug — Styling idea: pale blush, cream and pearls, nothing brighter than rose.

7. Gold and cream

The colors are champagne gold, cream and ivory. The trick is one metal in several finishes. This set of 47 champagne gold ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes in 1.57, 2.36 and 3.15 inch sizes, with matte, pearl, glitter and shiny finishes, so the tree has depth even though everything is the same color. LoveToKnow’s advice for a gold tree says the same: vary the type and size of the gold ornaments, large and small, delicate and chunky, so it does not get boring.

For ribbon, use cream velvet, wide champagne satin or gold ribbon, and add a pearl strand if you like. Better Homes and Gardens tops its gold tree with a Moravian star, and an oversized gold star works too. Use warm white lights. A flocked or white tree makes the gold stand out. On a green tree it still looks rich if you use enough of it, and enough means plenty of the big 3.15 inch balls near the trunk.

Christmas tree with champagne gold ornaments in matte, pearl and shiny finishes, cream velvet ribbon and a large gold star on top, next to a cream bouclé armchair and a window with ivory linen curtains — Styling idea: champagne gold in three sizes and four finishes, with cream velvet ribbon.

8. Blue and white

Think of blue and white porcelain, because the patterned ornaments are the point. The colors are navy, Delft blue and white, with a little silver. This set of 64 blue and white chinoiserie ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes in 1.57, 1.97 and 2.36 inch sizes. Mix in plain navy balls, white balls and a few silver ones. Eddie Zaratsian shows a blue and white tree with Delft-inspired ornaments and sapphire blue gems, which gives you an idea of how far the theme can go.

For garland and ribbon, use blue velvet or white satin. The topper is a white star or a navy velvet bow. Shiplap and Shells points out that cool white lights make blue and white look crisp, while warm white softens it toward coastal. If you own blue and white dishes, hold a plate next to the ornaments before you buy. The blues should be the same hue, or the tree looks like two sets mixed together. Worthing Court Blog sets its chinoiserie tree in a blue and white planter, which is a nice touch if you own one.

Green Christmas tree with blue and white patterned porcelain-style ornaments, plain navy and white balls, navy velvet ribbon and a white star on top, beside a shelf of blue and white plates — Styling idea: patterned blue and white ornaments with plain navy and white balls.

9. Scandinavian straw and wood

The colors are natural straw, white and plain wood, with a little red. Better Homes and Gardens calls red and white the classic Scandinavian Christmas colors, but here red is only an accent and straw is the main thing. This set of 27 straw ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is hand woven in 9 styles, including goats, snowflakes, stars, angels and small wreaths. For garland, this 12 foot natural wood bead garland (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has beads about half an inch across, plus tassels. A plain wooden or straw star goes on top.

Add woven paper hearts in red and white. They are a Danish tree tradition and an easy craft: cut the same heart shape from red paper and from white paper, fold each in half, cut two slits from the fold up to where the curve begins, and weave the strips over and under each other.

Restraint makes this theme. Nothing shiny, fewer ornaments, and plenty of green branch showing between them. It is also the lightest tree on the list, so it suits a small tree or a rented living room that already has a lot going on.

Green Christmas tree with woven straw stars, straw snowflakes, red and white paper hearts and a wood bead garland, with a straw star on top, beside a white wall and a natural wood bench with a gray wool blanket — Styling idea: straw stars, paper hearts and wood beads, with space between the ornaments.

10. Kids’ handmade

The colors are whatever the kids paint, so limit them to three. Hand over red, green and white paint and every ornament will go together, even the messy ones. This pack of 50 unfinished wood ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes in 5 shapes (tree, snowman, star, angel and round), each about 3 inches, with 50 strings. Paint a few at the table one evening, let them dry, and hang them. For garland, make a paper chain in the same three colors.

Put the painted ones on the lower branches where small hands can reach, and keep the glass ones up high. For the topper, use a paper star the kids fold or a cardboard star covered in foil.

The story is what makes it a theme. Write the year and the name on the back of each ornament. Better Homes and Gardens does a family tree of children’s silhouettes and handprint ornaments, with the rest of the tree kept simple in white and gray so the handmade pieces stand out. Keep a few each year in a shoebox with the date on the lid.

Green Christmas tree hung with painted wooden ornaments in red, green and white, a red, green and white paper chain and a foil-covered cardboard star on top, with a child's red knit hat on a chair beside it — Styling idea: painted wood ornaments in three colors and a paper chain.

Is there a rule for decorating a Christmas tree?

There is no official rule, but three expert tips from designers and magazines hold up on any theme.

Designer Bria Hammel told ELLE Decor she uses 15 to 20 ornaments per foot of tree for a balanced look, and more with a light color palette. On a 6 foot tree that is 90 to 120 ornaments, which is why packs of 24 to 99 add up fast.

Better Homes and Gardens says to use one to two 100-light strands per foot on a full-size tree, and 50-light strands on a small or tabletop one. Warm white twinkling lights suit most of these themes. Multicolor suits theme 3, and cool white suits themes 4 and 8.

Decorating expert Julian Thomas, quoted by Martha Stewart, puts larger ornaments and ribbon closer to the trunk and lighter pieces toward the tips. That gives the tree depth and balance.

How do you keep a themed tree from looking busy?

A decorated Christmas tree looks planned when you can say the theme in one sentence, such as “red and white with plaid.” Anything that does not fit stays in the box. Julian Thomas, quoted by Martha Stewart, says to pick one common thread, a color, a metallic finish or a style, and to edit as you go. It is fine if a favorite Christmas ornament skips a holiday.

Inside the palette, vary the finish and the size. Matte, shiny, glitter and textured pieces in one color look richer than a single finish repeated. Before you decorate your tree, fluff and shape the branches so there are no big gaps.

What Christmas tree themes and colors are popular this year?

Three directions show up again and again in the guides we read. The first is soft pastels, especially pink. The Marks and Spencer tree guide, published in September 2026, suggests pastel pink, green, yellow and blue with metallic touches and plenty of tinsel. The second is cozy neutral colors with rustic natural textures, the felt, wood, straw and dried fruit in themes 2, 5 and 9. The third is deep, moody color, with burgundy, navy and emerald and velvet ribbon, which Shiplap and Shells lists as its moody tree.

Traditional Christmas colors have not gone anywhere. Red and green with gold is still the classic look and the safe pick, and a green tree with the red ornaments and plaid ribbon from theme 1 covers it. Marks and Spencer sorts its trees the same way, into bright, cosy and classic.

What do you do with ornaments that do not match the theme?

Keep the ones that fit the colors and move the rest. Sentimental ornaments can go on a small second tree, a tabletop tree or a wreath. HGTV shows a second tree like this, with handmade ornaments and a wooden bead garland beside a more polished main tree. Our guide to small space Christmas trees has tabletop and half-tree options for that second tree. If there is no room for another tree, hang the odd ones on the back half of the tree, where they still count but do not break up the front.

Does the theme work on a green, white or flocked tree?

Yes. A real tree or a lifelike artificial tree takes any theme, but the colors show up differently. A green tree works for themes 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10. White or flocked trees make pink, gold, silver and blue and white stand out more. Better Homes and Gardens recommends a flocked or white base for a gold tree, and a flocked tree for a floral one so the flower colors stand out. On a green tree, pale pinks and golds get lost, so use more of them or pick pieces with a shimmer finish.

What are some unusual Christmas tree theme ideas?

HGTV’s list of Christmas tree decorating ideas has a few that need only a handful of items: a music tree with small retro radios and a pom-pom garland, a Christmas village tucked into the branches of a white tree, a driftwood tree for a beach house, a bird tree with small stick nests, and a bubble-gum pink tree with ice cream ornaments. Most of them work on a tabletop tree too.

How do you do a themed Christmas tree on a budget?

Use what you have, buy one pack in your main color, and make the rest. Dried orange slices, paper chains and painted wood ornaments (themes 5 and 10) cost the least, and pinecones and branches from your own yard cost nothing. If a full-size tree is out of the budget, Thistlewood Farms grouped three small white dollar-store trees, with the biggest raised on a box, to get the effect of one large tree for much less. When you shop, buy ornaments by color rather than by set, in packs with mixed sizes, so one pack covers a lot of the tree.

If your tree needs lights too, see our guide to glowing Christmas trees for lighted birch trees, and pencil Christmas trees for a slim tree that fits a corner.

What to buy

One item per theme, in one place. Check sizes and colors on each listing before you order.

Theme 1: red and white buffalo plaid wired ribbon, 2.5 inch, 10 yard spool (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 2: 10 felt woodland animal ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. and 20 natural pinecones, 3 to 4 inches (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 3: 25 retro glass ornaments, assorted shapes and colors (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 4: 99 piece white and silver ornament set with star topper (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 5: 50 dried orange slices with hemp rope (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 6: 24 small pink shatterproof ornaments, 1.57 inch (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 7: 47 champagne gold ornaments in three sizes (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 8: 64 blue and white chinoiserie ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 9: 27 Scandinavian straw ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. and a 12 foot natural wood bead garland (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Theme 10: 50 unfinished wood ornaments to paint (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.