Creative Christmas Tree Topper Ideas
Wondering if you can hang anything on your tree top other than a star or an angel? Check out these 13 inexpensive and creative Christmas tree topper ideas!
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If you're like me, you're always trying to save a buck without sacrificing
style! I love decorating Christmas trees but every year I like to do something
a little bit different with them.
For years, I thought the only topper you could use on a Christmas tree was a
star or an angel! If you're the same way, maybe it's time to break some
Christmas tree rules and get creative with what you use on the top of your
tree! Of course, if you have a topper you love, then by all means use it,
there's absolutely nothing wrong with using an angel or star tree topper! But
you might enjoy seeing some other ideas you could try topping your Christmas
tree with!
It doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, and I hope you enjoy seeing all
the various toppers I've used on my own Christmas trees over the years!
14 Creative Christmas Tree Topper Ideas
Think of the topper to your tree as the crowning touch. It should be something that works with the Christmas tree decorations, rather than competes with them. That means the colors should be similar and it should have a similar feel or style.But don't let that thought intimidate you! Chances are that you already have the perfect DIY Christmas tree topper in your bins already, you just need to think outside the box a little and have some fun!
Let's take a look back at some of my Christmas trees over the years, and the
ways that I've topped them. I hope a few of these ideas inspire you!
Idea #1: Berries and Bells
I decorated this tree with lots of red and white, but if you look closely, there are also berries and mercury glass ornaments. For my topper, I stuck berries into the top of the tree so they stick out well above the tree (I was able to do this because of the 12-foot ceilings in our sunroom in our TX home). But if you look closely, you'll see that I also added a trio of mercury glass bell ornaments to the top of my tree.
Tips and tricks:
- use green pipe cleaners (chenille stems) to hold ornaments to the top of a tree, just wrap and twist them tightly around the ornament and then around 2-3 of the top branches
- when inserting berries into a tree top, make sure they fit snugly, otherwise they will fall out, long stemmed berries are easiest to tuck down into the tree
- use a ladder so you have full control
Idea #2: Ribbon Bow
Sometimes the best idea is the simplest! When I decorated this Santa tree, I
loaded it up with ornaments,
Santa mugs, garland and
horizontal striped ribbon
for a fun retro feel. It's a busy tree so I decided to keep the topper simple.
It's just a ribbon tied into a bow. The ribbon is white and red striped and
matches the style and theme of the Christmas tree so it complements the tree.
Idea #3: Wreath and Pearls
Yes, I really did. I hung a wreath as a tree topper! You can see that the
colors of this
DIY ribbon wreath
match the ribbons I used on the tree (
see similar here). I simply hung the wreath from its hanger onto the topmost branch of the
tree. I also tucked in a few
pearl stems
that I found in the wedding aisle of Hobby Lobby. Again, they match the style
of my tree and I stuck them into the top and sides of the topper area just
like the berry stems I used above. Using picks in this way draws the eye to
the top of the tree and adds so much interest!
Idea #4: Sign and Berries
You're going to find that I love using the long Christmas berry picks as tree
toppers, I think they add so much interest! I paired the berry stems with a
vintage style metal street sign. Unusual and creative? Yes! Easy? Yes! I used a sign I already had but
displayed it in a new way. That buffalo check tree collar is also a budget
friendly DIY.
Are you getting the idea? Decorating the top of your tree can be as fun,
colorful and creative as the tree itself! It's all about thinking outside of
the box. Let's take a look at some more Christmas tree topper ideas.
Idea #5: Velvet Ribbon
I haven't shared this tree in its entirety with you yet this year, this is the
tree I decorated for our main bedroom. I made
recycled ornaments using blue and white floral napkins. It's a soft and romantic tree, decorated to match the
blue toile linen curtains
hanging in the room.
All this tree needed as a topper was a simple
blue velvet ribbon. I didn't tie it in a bow, I simply tied it into a single knot. It's simple
and beautiful and adds a touch of romance to this
flocked Christmas tree!
Idea #6: Berries and Decor
This Christmas tree is one of my very favorites to date. The topper is berry stems as well as a large white wood snowflake and a jingle bell wreath. The idea here is to look through your Christmas decor and pick out something large that could be used as a tree topper. When you're using multiple large decor pieces in your tree, you might need to offset them a little bit so the tree doesn't look off balance. The takeaway is to purchase Christmas items you love, that can be used in a variety of ways throughout the years!
Idea #7: Sign and Large Jingle Bells
I find that when I'm hanging a sign as a tree topper, it needs a little
something extra or it looks weird. For this tree, I also hung a trio of
large red jingle bells
right underneath the sign so they fill in that empty space. The berry stems
help to soften the edges of the sign.
Idea #8: Farmhouse Sign
Okay, so I didn't realize how many times I've used a sign as a tree topper!
This one says "This House Believes" and I thought it worked perfectly with the
DIY book page garland I made for the tree that says "O Holy Night". It's an
emphasis on believing in Christ who was born so long ago in a stable.
If you like to decorate your Christmas trees with a theme, then a sign that
works with the decor is a perfect tree topper!
Sometimes it's all about the budget. These next few ideas demonstrate some
very inexpensive tree topper ideas that you can do this year!
Idea #9: Dollar Store Snowflake
This wood snowflake was plain cardboard brown when I purchased it. I made it
suit my tree's handmade theme by painting it with chalk paint. Because it's
large and bold, it can work on its own as a creative tree topper! I've seen
some large snowflakes this year at Dollar Tree!
Idea #10: Pom Pom Snowballs
When I purchased these
pom pom snowball picks, I knew they'd be great as a tree topper. It's always a good idea to use an
odd number of stems at the top of your tree. The white snowballs match the
heavy number of white ornament balls and ironstone plates that I used on this
dining room tree.
Idea #11: Large Bow
I found this jumbo bow on clearance after the holidays and purchased it with
its function as a tree topper in the back of my mind. It really worked on this
smaller tree and this might actually be the simplest tree topper idea yet! If
you're handy with making bows, you could do this yourself with ribbon!
Idea #12: Gold Greenery Picks
I think you can tell that I love to match my tree topper to the ornaments that
I'm using. I purchased a few gold pine leaf picks from Hobby Lobby for my
green and gold elegant tree
in our dining room last year. The
gold picks
were inexpensive and the perfect finishing touch for the tree that is filled
with handmade ornaments.
Idea #13: Jumbo Candy Cane and Hoop
These jumbo candy canes are a brand new DIY this year that I'll be sharing
soon! I wrapped them in
red ticking fabric
and hung one as a tree topper on the Christmas tree in my office and it has
such a sweet vintage feel! This tree was the perfect place to hang some of my
other DIY ornaments, like the
faux grain sack numbered advent bags
and the
cozy felt mitten ornaments. The colors and style all work together on this vintage inspired tree.
I also wove some leftover ribbon on some small embroidery hoops that I had. A little hot glue keeps the ends in place. This adds a homespun touch to the top of a tree!
Brand new for 2024, I created the cutest
star ornaments from dollar store bottle brush trees! I used the larger trees to make a tree topper! I am loving this vintage
inspired cutie that I've hung from my
magical vintage Christmas tree!
I hope I've inspired you to see beyond the traditional star or angel topper
for your Christmas tree, although those are wonderful to use as well! You can
be creative with almost anything and have it work as a unique tree topper that
will be different from everyone else's!
I'd love to hear about any unique or unusual items that you've used to
decorate the top of your tree!
Pin to Save
bringing beauty to the ordinary,
Love all of the different tree toppers! Great ideas
ReplyDeleteI love all of your beautiful Christmas trees, Cindy, and their fabulous tree toppers! Every one is so different and unique!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Kristy!
DeleteI love all of your Christmas trees and toppers! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteAll of your Christmas Trees look beautiful. You are so creative and everything you do is such a great inspiration that I have now begun to use a mixture of old and new in my home. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete