Trim Your Tree

Credit: Terry Guscott

The myriad of growth habits, shapes, scents and colours of trees available is reflected in the realm of decoration: dazzlingly diverse, full of possibility. Christmas trees symbolize life: how you deck those branches reflects your style, perchance the way you want to celebrate life – this year, anyway!

Blue baubles echo a turquoise container with a touch of rue, recalling lovely times spent traveling – an Italian ponte, the Eiffel Tower – in image and figurine. Those who eschew travel may display photos of children as babies or family ski vacations, everyone muffled in scarves and toques, rosy-cheeked. Rose fanatics can choose the promise of roses, now dormant: frame photos of your favourites, wire in dried roses, scatter the tree skirt with dried rose petals.

A spiraled juniper sports recycled treasures: corks represent convivial times spent with friends, pinecones gathered from the yard represent thrift. Find whimsical feathered birds at dollar stores and tuck in a few wise owls, reminding you to curb overspending this season.

Star of wonder, star of light – minimalists favour tiny white lights whose austerity allows a living tree’s natural beauty to shine. Sometimes a lily requires no gilding.

Not feeling sentimental? Choose purchased decorations, easily recycled (someone will be glad to have them next year) to suit your whim. Purple now, orange next year.

Living trees can only thrive indoors briefly. Remember, this noble fir is happy to bear mauve baubles and twinkly lights only for a time.

Laden with edibles, including oven-dried orange slices baked at 200ºF (93ºC) for two to three hours until stained glass-like, this is a tree kids love – and so do adults! Have a party and get everyone stringing popcorn.

STYLIST: Heather Cameron
SOURCES: Trees, containers and candy garland are supplied by GardenWorks; green stars decorations from Toscana (604-538-7270); Eiffel Tower on blue tree from Stella Bleu (604-542-9691); mat and wreath, tree topper red star, from Ambiente (604-541-9315). Oranges are made in a dehydrator, thinly sliced; pretzels on hooks and popcorn garland strung on fishing line. All other decorations from Zellers.