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10 Minimal Christmas Tree Ideas

The holidays can sometimes be overwhelming, over-decorated, and overall too much! Less really can be more over the Christmas season! For years, Scandinavian design has stayed true to a simpler, natural way of decorating and we can learn so much from this style during the busy holiday season. Decorating a minimal Christmas tree for the holidays is a great way to simplify your home and Christmas decorations. Let’s get inspired with these 10 minimal Christmas tree ideas!

The Minimal Christmas Tree

In a world that is constantly pushing that more is more, sometimes it feels good to keep things simple. A minimalist tree is not only a wonderful way to simplify your holiday decor, but it can also save you time and money when decorating. Adding minimalist Christmas decorations is wonderful if you live in a small space too.

The key to decorating a minimalist-style Christmas tree is to highlight the tree in a way that it is the biggest design element! Make the tree have a big impact, rather than featuring all the added decorations or “stuff” on it. Simplify the decor and let the tree be the star of the show!

How To Decorate a Minimal Christmas Tree

There are a few simple steps to follow when adding Christmas tree decor to in a minimalist style: 

Decide On The Type Of Christmas Tree You Want To Have.

 Will you go with a fresh evergreen tree or will you have a faux Christmas tree? Will it be pre-lit or will you need to add everything to it yourself?

Determine The Base Of Your Tree

Will your tree stand be a traditional stand with a tree skirt or will you go with an interesting container instead? The base of your tree can really change the look of your minimal Christmas tree.

Choose A Color Scheme

Adding your favorite things in minimal ways with a simple color scheme is the perfect way to decorate your tree.

Add Decorations If Desired 

Once you have the tree in place, it is time to decide if you want to add any decorative pieces or if you will keep it sparse or naked.

Now that you have the steps in mind, here are a few ways to decorate your minimal tree.

Natural Christmas Tree Decorations

Natural materials and elements are one of the oldest and most traditional ways to decorate a Christmas tree. Try using simple items such as cinnamon sticks, pine cones, dried orange slices, mountain ash berries and more. 

A classic but beautiful popcorn garland is another option that can be added on its own or with other natural elements to give a nostalgic feel to your minimal tree. If you are wanting to take on a wonderful Christmas craft, try this DIY tutorial on how to make dried orange slices. These can be made into a garland or hung individually on the tree with twine or ribbon. 

There are so many natural accents to decorate your tree, simply go for a walk outdoors and let your imagination do the work for you.

Style A Small Christmas Tree 

Simplicity can sometimes come in small things. A tiny, natural Christmas tree is a wonderful way to bring Christmas to your home in a minimal way. 

If you are lucky enough to be able to gather your own natural trees, try using a few different varieties. I love to use both pine and spruce trees which can be found in my local area. Add a few twinkle lights and let the mini Christmas tree sparkle!

A small tree will also give you more opportunities to feature it in different unique containers. This brings me to the next type of minimal Christmas tree idea.

Decorating A Minimal Tree with Antiques

There is something so nostalgic and delicate about antique mercury ornaments used for decorations. These shiny ornaments usually come in bold colors and seem to have a bit more twinkle than new holiday decorations. 

Try collecting these beautiful colorful ornaments in different styles or colors and then decide if you want to stick to one color for your tree or a variety for a pop of color.

You can also use different antique containers as the base for your minimal Christmas trees. Try an antique champagne trug from France for a larger tree or perhaps you go with a vintage Hungarian bucket for a smaller minimal tree.

Shop antiques and more in the B Vintage Style Shop

The Minimalist Christmas Tree Skirt

A tree skirt can really give your minimal Christmas tree personality! Try using a chunky throw or plaid festive blanket wrapped around the tree stand for a soft but beautiful look. 

Think outside of the box a bit for your tree skirt and change it up each season to keep things interesting. A vintage wire basket full of Christmas ornaments or a large woven basket for another beautiful option.

Traditional Ornaments On a Minimal Christmas Tree

Don’t underestimate the beauty of traditional ornaments or a traditional Christmas tree. The key to not overdoing it with this type of decor is to stick to a monochrome palette or one type of decoration. Choose a color of Christmas balls and add a variety of different-sized balls, ALL in that same color! 

 Keep It Simple even if you are using items that in the past can be too much. Perhaps instead of using any ornaments at all, simply wrap the tree in a beautiful ribbon that is bright colors. The options are truly endless, just be sure to not overdo it.

Shop simple decor in the B Vintage Style Shop

Decorating a Sparse Christmas Tree

Sometimes leaving a tree sparse or naked is the biggest feature of all. We all know and love a classic Charlie Brown Christmas tree, don’t we?! If you are lucky enough to find a natural tree in the forest, look for one with beautiful foliage and shape. The beauty of the tree in a beautiful container on its own is enough to give a festive minimal feel.

There are some amazing faux trees nowadays too. Just make sure to look for an artificial Christmas tree that has realistic foliage and tree branches. Consider the tree shape of the faux tree you are wanting and the fullness of the tree too.

 Whichever type of Christmas tree you decide, leaving it undecorated is still a beautiful holiday statement and will leave your home feeling festive. 

Handmade Is Best

Adding simple, handmade decorations is a wonderful way to keep your tree looking minimal, while still looking festive. These easy DIY clay stars are easy to make and can give the perfect touch to a simple Christmas tree. If you’re not into making your own decorations, you can always purchase clay ornaments instead!

Homemade gingerbread ornaments are another wonderful way to decorate your minimal tree and make your home smell amazing!

Make Your Minimal Christmas Tree Twinkle

Minimal Christmas trees don’t need a ton of decor, but what feels more like the holidays than a beautiful glow? Twinkle lights come in so many different sizes, colors and lengths nowadays and are the perfect addition when adding only lights to your simple Christmas tree. 

Choose your metal wire tone and be sure to order the soft white color of LED lights. Some of the long strands of twinkle lights even come with a plug-in to the wall which is perfect for adding them to your Christmas tree. Most also come with remotes and timers so that you can schedule when your lights turn on every day. 

Candles are also a wonderful way to add some twinkle and glow to your minimal Christmas tree. Like twinkle lights, there are so many amazing options for candles now. You can get real wax LED candles that are battery-operated with remotes and timers too. These are a safe option to add to any Christmas tree and are beautiful holiday décor.

Find all the best Twinkle Lights and Candles in the B Vintage Style Shop

Scandinavian Christmas Tree

Scandinavian Christmas decor has a very classic holiday feel and is a beautiful type of decor to consider when decorating a minimal Christmas tree. A Scandinavian Christmas tree will have simple ornaments and little or no lights. The tree is given warmth by the addition of handmade straw Christmas ornaments, pieces of wood and wooden bead garland. 

Use a neutral color palette with gold, silver and white ornaments when decorating a Scandinavian Christmas tree. Less is definitely more for this style of tree.

Shop Scandinavian Christmas decor and ornaments in my Shop

Minimal Holiday Gift Wrapping 

Sometimes, it is a great option to let the gifts be the bling! Let the tree stay minimal and instead, pick a color palette of wrapping paper, ribbons or gift tags that have a big personality, but remember to not go overboard! Adding natural elements like dried orange slices or gingerbread cookies as gift tags also adds an extra element of coziness. 

There you have it. 10 minimal Christmas tree ideas to get you through the holiday season! I hope you are inspired and ready to put your own twist on this classic look for the Christmas season. Please let me know if you try any of these at home this year or if there is one that I missed. As always, you can find me on one of my social accounts. Don’t forget to add this post to your Pinterest so that you can come back to it year after year for inspiration. For another amazing minimal Christmas decoration idea, be sure to check out these 25 winter decorations. Merry Christmas my friends.

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