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.

We have lots of random stuff. Mostly lovely wooden decorations that belonged to both our grandparents. I love getting them out each year because I remember Christmases at my Nanny and Grandad's. The children also get to chose a new decoration each year.

We have two. One is all red and white, one is random tat and too much tinsel.

We have various trees.

Just asked DH and he agreed that the theme would appear to be "unicorn vomit"

Decorating the tree is one of my favourite things about christmas. We usually put a christmas film on, DH takes 1 or 2 of the DC to collect the tree, and then we just all pile in and decorate. Then after a while the kids wander off, and I do the finishing touches. I love it. DH usually makes some mulled wine Heaven.

My tree normally looks like someone has emptied a box of decorations over the top of it - it's more bauble than tree!

Anything goes, on a real tree. We've had most of our decorations for ages - a few go back to when I was a kid. Those aren't anything special, but I still remember the excitement at getting them out each year. For many years the angel on top was one made by dd1 at nursery when she was 3. I was quite upset when it somehow went missing.

Despite the style police, I still like coloured lights, too, but we don't have them any more since the modern ones are harsh, not like the old fashioned ones that gave a much softer, twinkly light.

Mine is sort of Scandinavian/ whimsical 'theme' with lots wooden and felt decs, so naturally mismatched in that way, which allows for addition of random ones from school etc without them looking totally out of place.

If you have lots and lots of white lights, it sort of masks the randomness at night and just glows and catches the sparkles. Seems to work!

I suppose op when you say themed tree you mean one type of baubles and colors, eg purple and gold, baubles all same?

Our tree is themed but not like that. My theme is enchanted wood with nutcracker theme. So nothing matches in a way but it does have a story. So I have a few ballerinas, two mouse kings, lots of wooden soldiers, forest animals, and so on. I love it. There is so much to look at.

We have a theme. It's called 'decorations we love'. None of them match of course.

Ours is definitely a bit of both.

We have quite a classical colour theme (reds, greens, gold and silver) and some beautiful decorations. But all of our memories are on there too - things DD has made, baubles we've collected on various trips, decorations we've bought at Christmas markets, etc. Fortunately it all ties in with the colour theme!

Like several other posters, mine has lots of home-made decorations and the 'theme' is a sort of hand-made/natural look. So white lights, a few red and gold sparkly baubles, felt animals, gingerbread hearts and stars or gingerbread men (which gradually get eaten by Twelfth Night) red ribbons, candy canes, things the children have made, an embroidered archbishop...

So mismatched, but in a tastefully rustic way, and I feel dirty for even writing that

Mish mash of things we've collected over the years, bought from Christmas markets etc. Every year we get a pewter tree decoration with the year on - and we've also 'back ordered' ones from the year we got married and the year DS was born.

Anything goes!!! Every decoration tells a story, I can remember where each one came from. The children pile them on and that is part of the joy.

Themed ones are so dull; they just look corporate and soulless.

Random, bright, colourful, and eclectic are the words I'd use to describe our tree! We have a little tradition where we go in to a specific shop every year and let the DCs choose a decoration each to go on the tree. We also buy them a decoration each at our local Christmas market every year. I love our tree and I love the fact that we have decorations from years ago and that the decorations hold certain memories.

Total free for all here and I wouldn't have it any other way :o

I have some decorations from when I was little, which are very important to me. So they always go on.

I've bought a few regular decorations over the years, as well as usually getting the DCs one each every year.

I've got some cheap decorations a few times as well, sets of baubles etc, but in various colours so we have quite a mish mash.

I also often get a decoration from the gift shop when we visit somewhere interesting as a family - e.g. an embroidered ankh when we saw an Egypt exhibition etc. I really like doing this as when we decorate the tree each year we can reminisce over the fun places we've been to.

OP, what a great thing to do for teacher parents, especially as term finishes so late this year. (I'm a teacher.)
I have to keep to a narrow colour palette (gold/glass/natural/no tinsel) but decorations are a big mix. Children pretty well grown up now though so I'm allowed a calm tree. My older dds are the ones who'll re-arrange once I've gone to bed!

Random here, but I give in to my inner control freak by having a couple of subtle themes no one else would particularly notice among the rest. So I have lots of bird decorations (a very literal interpretation of what goes in trees!), and lots of bells. Beyond that anything goes.

Mine is quite themed - this year red, gold and some white decorations. My DC are 1 and 3, I can't wait til they make stuff to put on the tree, we will be decorating a bauble each next week and I will embrace the mismatched stuff!

No dc in our house but our tree is 'eclectic'

It started as a warm lights with gold and red decorations (bought on a very tight budget when we first lived together).
We then bought a few nicer decoration within the theme for a few years. Then DM treated me to a personalised bauble to celebrate mine and DHs wedding, and MIL bought baubles for our pets.
Since then, we have added decorations from places we've visited, I inherited some multicoloured baubles from my nan and DNephew made me a green 'turtles' bauble.
Last year I gave in and switched to multicoloured lights so it's a mad Christmas shambles but I love it.
Oh and this year DNewphew has made an avengers bauble to add!

DMs trees are perfectly co-ordinated. I love them when I'm there but wouldn't want it at home

I have a theme: traditional red and gold with lots of angels and stars. The DC like to add to this, DD1 can make anything with Hema beads. Then my mum, who thinks I'm too anal, deliberately subverts it. In what universe does a glittery electric blue budda belong on a Xmas tree?

Mine is red, gold and green. I travel a lot for work and buy decorations in different countries, so the style doesn't match but the colours do. I have some hand painted traditional ones with camels from the middle East, glittery koalas and kangaroos from Australia, hand carved monkey and dragon (Chinese birth signs for me and DP) with silk tassels from Hong Kong, blown glass from Oman, a beautiful pirate ship from Bahamas, traditional painted wooden ones from Russia amongst many others. I pile them all on the biggest tree I can squeeze in the room and enjoy the memories.

Anything goes

Sounds beautiful weeds

mine is themed ..I only have one Dd and she never made anything for my tree at Primary..before she was born I had only silvers ..I introduced reds when she started school.so.we could gradually start veerung away from the silver winter wonderland theme but nothing was ever made and now I have red and silver ..all my baubles are glass except for the pine cones and I might do velvet ribbon vows too. My favourite baubles are from the paperchase just off Trafalgar square in London I.bought them on my way back from work in 1999 for our first ever Christmas tree

Mine is..ahem..eclectic
Lots of random tatt made my the four kids over the years
Countless handmade knitted and felt baubles from Christmas fairs
Candy canes
Gold bead garlands
Gingerbread biscuits (if we get round to it)
Actually the overall effect is quite pleasing.