Christmas Trees and Decorations

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Some of your best Christmas memories might involve decorating the Christmas tree with brothers and sisters, hanging Christmas lights around your home and making your own Christmas tree decorations. Did you know that Christmas decorations go all the way back to sixteenth century Germany, where stalls at the annual Christmas market were decorated with candy canes, honey cakes and other Christmas sweet treats? Today, many Kiwi homes take on a festive atmosphere during the Christmas holiday season - with a Christmas tree, ornaments, table decorations, wreaths and lights.

Christmas trees
Real or artificial? The choice is yours when it comes to buying a Christmas tree. A real pine tree will give you a fresh smell in your home, while an artificial tree is ideal for those wanting a no-fuss tree which can be re-used year after year. In New Zealand, Christmas trees are easy to come by – real trees can be bought at roadside stalls and ‘fake’ trees can be found at Christmas stores nationwide.

• Christmas tree ornaments – decorate your tree simply or elaborately with baubles, bells, ribbons and hanging decorations, such as angels and Christmas figurines.
• Christmas tree lights – sitting around the tree on Christmas Eve will be magical with white fairy lights or coloured Christmas lights. Complement the lights on your tree with candles on your tabletop.
• Christmas tree skirts – these can be made using crepe paper, ribbon or old Christmas cards, or bought from a Christmas store. Together with Christmas presents around the tree, skirting will make a colourful and eyecatching addition to your home.

Remember, if you choose to have a live Christmas tree, you’ll need to keep it fresh and green. Cut the stump when you first bring your tree home, then place it in water immediately. Water your tree several times a day for the first week, then reduce watering after the first week.

Making homemade Christmas tree decorations

Kids (and creative adults) will have a blast shopping for craft supplies and making their own Christmas tree decorations. Try...

• Christmas pine cones can be sprayed with silver, covered in glitter or left au naturel and hung from the tree.
• Coloured felt can be used to make shapes for the Christmas tree. Use felt with ribbons, sequins and textiles to make angels, santas, bells and other Christmas shapes.
• Silver foil can be used with a cardboard base to make easy Christmas decorations in the shape of bells or stars.
• Bake gingerbread cookies and cut them into stars to be hung on the tree and munched throughout Christmas Day.
• Use bright beads to make beaded decorations and garlands for a festive tree.

Pohutukawa, the New Zealand Christmas tree
The Pohutukawa is one of our most recognisable trees, with distinctive red flowers in full bloom around Christmas time and during the summer months. Widely known as our very own native Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa grows throughout New Zealand. Its blooms are an important source of nectar for bees, bellbird and tui.

The tree also holds an important place in Maori mythology: legends tell of Tawhaki, a young Maori warrior, who went to heaven in order to avenge his father’s death. Falling to earth, his spilt blood took on the form of the crimson flowers seen on both Pohutukawa and Rata trees. An 800-year-old Pohutukawa tree can be seen on a cliff face near Cape Reinga, in the far north of New Zealand, reputed to mark the entrance to a sacred cave through which spirits pass on their way to the next world.

For a Kiwi-style Christmas, buy a Pohutukawa sapling and have your very own New Zealand Christmas tree.

Christmas ornament and decoration ideas
Decorating your table at Christmas time will give your home a celebratory, welcoming and warm atmosphere. Shop for Christmas ornaments and decorations, and try these festive decorating ideas:

• Go with a colour theme – there’s nothing wrong with the traditional Christmas ornaments in the colours of red, green, white, gold and silver, but you can add some alternative colours or unusual colour combinations. For decorations with a difference, try teal blue and silver, dark green and gold, or purple and green.
• Give your tabletop a seasonal look – you can get a classic white winter look from the Northern Hemisphere with white tablecloth, candles and snowflake decorations. For a Kiwi Christmas look that’s summery and warm, pick seasonal flowers from the garden or move your Christmas table outside for a Christmas picnic meal.
• Mix and match your tableware – a Christmas meal is a special occasion, so it’s a great chance to bring out serving plates, ornaments and dinnerware that you don’t often use. An unusual serving dish or set of wine glasses that you’ve found in an antique store or at a fleamarket can create an excellent point of focus.
• Make a Christmas wreath – placed in the centre of your front door or on your table, a Christmas wreath can be a showstopper or a subtle addition to your Christmas decorations. For a classic look, use ribbons, bows and greenery. For a wreath with a summery feel, use New Zealand native plants, ferns and flowers.
• Brighten the mood with Christmas lights – strands of Christmas lights or fairy lights can create a magical atmosphere in any room (you can also buy outdoor lights for your patio or garden area). On the table, you may want to place a row of hurricane lanterns or glass vases filled with berries, nuts, glass marbles or interesting riverbed stones, and decorated with bells, candles and ribbons.
• Set up a nativity scene – you don’t have to be Christian to make or buy a nativity scene for your home at Christmas time. These can be beautifully made at home or by a craftsperson, and can be both a reminder of the meaning of Christmas and a starting point for children to learn the Christmas story.
• Hang Christmas stockings – these are great for kids to make (or buy) to hang by the fireplace or at the end of their beds. A few small, inexpensive stocking-filler gifts will keep your children happy first thing on Christmas morning.

Looking for more decoration options? We’ve got Christmas trees and Christmas decorations covered.

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Seasons and Celebrations images from Flickr: Christmas Tree Ornament, Chickees and Chocolate Bunnies.