Do you have a themed tree or an 'anything goes' tree?

[TasteLikeCherryChapstick]

My tree is usually mismatched 'tat'. I have attempted themes in the past but then think 'oh I can't leave that off....or this' so I end up with our much loved and mismatched bits and bobs yet again. I always put on the decorations the children have made (and they've made a lot ) but some friends of mine won't put their children's makes on or put them on 'round the back'. Even when said children were only 3 or 4 and were very proud of their efforts.

Neither way is right or wrong, everybody has to please themselves in their own home. I'm really not judging (I am in fact jealous of the beautiful trees my friends have!) I was just wondering what is the norm.

[WatchingFromTheWings]

Mines a free for all! I'm like you....start with a theme then find things I can't leave off, add the things kids make and before I know it my tree is one big glittery jumble sale! Wouldn't have it any other way.

[MusterTheRohirim]

I like a random tree! I do like the idea of a themed coordinated tree, but I'm not sure it'd be right in my house.

I need more decorations this year as I have room for a bigger tree, but I think it will be multicoloured and random still.

If I was very wealthy though I would have a tree covered in the gorgeous liberty baubles they have in the garden centre. They are beautiful but very expensive. And fragile. Maybe when I don't have small children and cats...

[bloodymaria]

Definitely random! Coordinated trees really give me the creeps.

[SittingDrinkingTea]

Mine is random. I like to buy something for the tree when I'm on holiday and many of my baubles are memories of special times. I'm really looking forward to putting my new Statue of Liberty bauble on the tree this year.

[Laineylou]

Random all the way. Stuff we bought on holidays 20 years ago, tat made in primary school (DS is now 16), handmade stuff from MIL. I love it and it's part of my Christmas thing to reminisce a bit whilst chucking it all at the tree.

[mumonashoestring]

Anything goes - it was 'themed' for one year when all we could afford were some decs I made myself from red and gold fabric and some Poundland gold tinsel, but then we reverted to type and started adding in all sorts of bits and pieces in different colours and styles

The town we used to live in had one particular street of gorgeous big double bay front houses where everyone used to have a tree in one of the front windows every year, all in the same colours. They must have had some kind of residents meeting about it to agree a theme every year. Very nice effect I suppose but it looked a bit Stepford...

[tigerdriverII]

Oh no to the tat! Themed all the way for me: and I have two trees, one silver/white/glass and a smaller tree that's red/gold/green

I'm the least homemaker type you could imagine but I do a good tree!

[IfartInYourGeneralDirection]

Mismatched is the kindest way to describe my tree. We all go out on the first of December and each buy a new tree dec so theres all dorts if random stuff

Im secretly dissatisfied with a perfect matchy magazine shoot style tree.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

Ours has a theme. The theme is "Christmas decorations through the ages" . It's nice and colourful and every decoration brings back memories.

[Mner]

Random tat all the way. I love how different bits have their own stories and love all the bits DS brings home from school.

We don't really have baubles having had 3 cats, a bouncy DS (now 5) and now a puppy over the years, I could do without the added stress!

Although a friend did spoil that by buying DS a my first Xmas bauble. Not sure that'll make it on this yr with the puppy!

[Sierra259]

We have a matched basic theme (all our baubles are gold and red). But we're also starting to follow my Mum's tradition of getting one new decoration every year, from somewhere that will remind us of that year. Her tree is quite an impressive selection of randomness, with ornaments from many different countries/sources. Our DC have done hand painted ones for her and us this year. I love the memories associated with hers, so will be trying to replicate that

[BreatheDeep]

I really don't like themed trees. I personally don't think they look good.
Ours is just a collection of decorations bought or made over the years. We try to have at least one new one a year!

[Amithenormalone]

Ours is themed. Themed by the children. Tbh I am going for the build up the tree with expensive Christmas decorations that I buy even year in the January sale and turn it into a sort of family Christmas heirloom

[MyGastIsFlabbered]

Co-ordinated trees irrationally annoy me. I still remember the first Christmas at 'home' after my dad moved into his girlfriend's house. She asked us to decorate the tree which we did, we went out and when we came back she'd taken half the decorations off because the tree looked 'too busy'. Isn't that the point? I've got a 4 and 6 year old and every year we buy a couple more decorations for the tree and I give them free rein to do whatever they like.

[illegitimateMortificadospawn]

Random all the way. Stuff we bought on holidays 20 years ago, tat made in primary school

Same here. We have decs DH & I made the first year we rented together when we were skint, baubles from my grandparents' loft after they went into sheltered housing, decs bought on holiday, decs made by the kids in their nursery years, things that took any of our fancy. This year we'll be adding some really gaudy 'Christ the Redeemer' baubles from last year's Paperchase sale and I will be reminded of hooting with laughter as my friend & I both queued up to buy a set. Othr people would see our tree & think "random shite" but I see meaning and memories. The sparklier the better IMO.

[theconstantinoplegardener]

Our tree is eclectic in style too. I buy a couple of new things each year and pile everything on, including the kids' glittery salt dough creations. The more, the merrier!

[Kel1234]

I like a complete multicoloured tree. That's what we have. Loads of colour, no order at all. Best way for us

[Fitzsimmons]

Random ish. I tend to buy one new decoration a year but they do all fit a certain country chic style because that's the kind I like. That being said, DS is now 4 so quite a lot of his creations will probably make it on this year, and certainly not at the back.

[TheWoodlander]

Ours is random - the more random and the more loaded with decs the better. Every year we buy a few more, the dc get to choose one more each.

We buy a massive tree, 6 or 7 foot, and just hang as much stuff on as possible - it should look awful, but it doesn't. Most of the decs we choose are nice ones though. I veto true tat and I don't do tinsel, just lots of lights and baubles. And my lovely angel on top.

[TasteLikeCherryChapstick]

Well, thank goodness for that! I was beginning to think that I was a bit odd for not having a perfectly coordinated tree. This Christmas hols we'll be hosting a 'christmas craft' day for my nieces and nephews to allow their teacher parents to get themselves organised for the big day so I suspect my tree is going to her a whole lot busier!

[chanie44]

Our theme is 'anything goes'. We've built up our decorations over the years and I love seeing all those memories on the tree.

I like to buy a couple of decorations every year. This year, I found some baubles in pound land with my children's names on them.

[TasteLikeCherryChapstick]

get a whole lot busier! (Fat fingers)

[dementedma]

Mixed up here. All the decorations have their own story or place of origin and bring back good memories. Last year ds's boyfriend gave us the first decoration from one of the dcs significant others to join the collection - a Christmas pudding with a twirled moustache. It, and he, is part of the family now.

[ChilliMum]

Totally eclectic. Decorated by the children with things they have chosen or made over the years.
I love decorating the tree with them. We have Christmas music and hot chocolates and it's great fun. Although I do rearrange a little after they have gone to bed as otherwise 90% of the decorations are on the bottom half

[NotCitrus]

I grew up with the same decorations each year my parents had collected over the years, and now I've inherited half of them as my parents don't do a tree, and we have a lot of random ones. I let the kids do most of it, just putting some balls high up. The dove I always had on top has been demoted to just below, as its looking a bit tatty, and now a pound shop star goes on top because the kids love it.

When we had Christmas at ILs and would decorate the tree, we drew the line at some of MILs tat for the tree - Barbie dolls do not belong!

I don't allow tinsel on the tree either, but it takes over much of the rest of the house.