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Finding the perfect tree for your apartment seems like it would be an easy task.
Choosing a Christmas tree is not always so simple and straightforward — there are a lot of factors that can impact your decision to get a tree and which type of tree you want for your space.
You may run into a few issues when considering which Christmas tree to get for your apartment. Your apartment may be too small for a full-sized tree. You might not be too thrilled at the thought of having to maintain a tree in your living room and cleaning up dried pine needles for weeks on end. Or you simply may have a hard time wanting a tree because it feels too generic or mainstream and you want something a little different.
Whatever your situation, if you’re looking for alternative Christmas tree ideas, here are some that may spark your interest as you decorate for the holidays.
1. Balloon tree
Source: SoNice
For a tree that you’ll probably never see anywhere else, tie various balloons together! Blow up some green balloons, then attach a paper clip to the tie of each balloon. Hook the paper clips together and keep adding green balloons until it’s your desired width and height.
To add some extra decorations to your tree, use a star-shaped balloon to top off your tree and add smaller balloons in different colors to look like ornaments. Grab some ribbon and tie it into bows, then use double-sided tape to attach the bows to your tree.
Keep in mind that balloons won’t stay inflated forever, so you may want to use this type of tree for more temporary settings, like parties, or if you’re a Scrooge that thinks Christmas trees should only be left up for a week.
2. Stacked books
Source: Pinterest
For those that love to read more than anything and have a collection of books, you can put your personal library to good use! Place books face-up in a circle on the floor to set the base for how big you want your book tree to be. Stack more books in a circle on top of the existing circle you have, only make the second circle just slightly smaller. Repeat the process until you have room for only one book at the top.
Wrap Christmas lights around your tree of books and add a star to the top! You can even add long strings to ornaments and close the string inside of books to hang ornaments from the tree without damaging any book pages or covers.
3. Garland wall hanging
Source: Centsational Style
Save yourself the floor space by hanging a tree on the wall! Cut a few sections of garland, starting with a large section for the bottom, then gradually smaller pieces that will go towards the top. Secure the garland pieces to the wall using command hooks, starting with the longest piece closest to the floor.
Leave a bit of space (a few inches), then attach the next piece to the wall just above the first one — which should be just a little shorter than the first piece. Repeat this process until your tree has reached your desired size. Then decorate it however you want! Hang some ornaments and lights and start collecting presents underneath.
4. Wood pallet tree
Source: Meatloaf and Melodrama
Reduce, reuse and recycle with this pallet tree! It has a farmhouse-style feel, so if you’re looking for a more rustic Christmas tree idea, get out your saw and start building your tree.
Disassemble an old pallet — remove the nails and separate each of the boards from the base. Then saw the boards into 8-10 pieces, with the first piece being the longest, followed by a series of pieces that get progressively smaller, with the smallest being cut into a triangle shape.
Get another plank of wood from the pallet and attach the cut pieces of wood, with the triangle (smallest piece) at the top and the longest piece at the bottom. Use a nail gun to get the pieces really secure, but if you don’t have a nail gun, you can use a hammer and nails or wood glue to keep the pieces together.
You can paint the tree, if you’d like, then add some decorations to give it more holiday cheer.
5. A-frame ladder tree
Source: Pinterest
Who knew an a-frame ladder could serve a dual purpose? This one is a really easy, quick fix for when you want a tree in a pinch.
Start by setting up a normal a-frame ladder. Then, run a strand or two of Christmas lights between the two sides of the ladder, from the top of the ladder all the way to the bottom. Hang some ornaments from the lights and add a tree topper to the highest point of the ladder.
Wrap a few gifts in holiday-themed wrapping paper (if you don’t have any ready yet, you can wrap some empty boxes to look like gifts) and place them under the ladder frame for additional decoration.
6. Photo tree
Source: Pinterest
Share your favorite photo memories in the form of a Christmas tree! Place photos on the wall using a renter-friendly method (command strips, poster tack, etc.), starting with a long line of photos at the bottom, then making the next row of photos shorter by removing one photo from the line. Continue adding new lines of pictures until you reach the top with only one photo.
You can outline the tree with lights, hang up a few ornaments here and there and place a glowing star at the top to make it even more recognizable as a Christmas tree.
Which Christmas tree alternative is best for you?
Since it’s your apartment, you’ll have to be the one to determine which of these ideas is best for your personality and your apartment space. And there’s the chance that none of these are going to reflect your style — so don’t be afraid to get creative!
You can come up with your own fun alternative to a Christmas tree. Try using things like garlands, lights and ornaments to see what you can come up with that will represent your apartment’s style.
Source: rent.com