What Are Christmas Tree Fillers? 7 Secrets to Decorate a Stunning Christmas Tree

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Thank you. Read our disclosure + terms here. 

Do the seemingly bare areas in your Christmas tree ever drive you nuts? You can find these gaps in both artificial and real Christmas trees, and sometimes, they’re all we can focus on. We fight to find the perfect decoration to place in that barren spot to fill out the tree just a little bit more.

Sometimes, the answer to our woes is to simply use Christmas tree fillers

What Are Christmas Tree Fillers?

Christmas tree fillers are items you can place in the gaps of a Christmas tree to give it a fuller look. Without them, a tree can look a bit scraggly. Plus, they are an absolute lifesaver if you wait until the last minute to buy a tree. As it gets closer to Christmas, most of the trees left are barren and sparse. However, with some creativity, you can dress them up to look full and festive.

Christmas tree fillers can be natural things, like twigs or strategically placed pinecones. Some people even use full branches. If you want to create a flocked tree, use a bit of polyfill to add a snowlike texture to the tree to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside.

Here are some suggestions for Christmas tree fillers:

• Tophouse artificial pine Christmas tree branches: There is no better cheat than adding additional pine tree branches to your tree. This method is probably best to fill in an artificial tree as it may stand out in a real tree a bit too much.
• Sea Team 24-pack artificial glitter berry stem ornaments: Champagne is a hot color this year for Christmas decorations. These ornaments are great at filling in large spaces on a Christmas tree, and they add a little bit more sparkle.
• 24-Pack Christmas Tree Fillers: With six different designs to choose from, you are sure to find your perfect match to fill in your tree. These fillers consist of a covered stick with two pinecones at the base and a sprig of evergreen jutting from the top. Mushrooms, bells, white balls, and an assortment of berry sizes make this arrangement delightful.
• Christmas Tree Picks: This 12-pack of Christmas tree filler branches comes in six different designs and is more natural-looking than the others.

Decorating Your Tree Like a Professional

 We would all like to have a perfect Christmas tree without having to hire a professional to decorate it for us. Everyone wants beautifully coordinated lights and ornaments to up the beauty of their tree. The tips for doing this aren’t as difficult as one may think.

1. Select a High-Quality Tree. When doing an artificial Christmas tree, select one made from premium materials. It will provide reliable and sturdy support for your decorations. Good quality trees last longer and can withstand repeated uses every year. Artificial trees that use high-quality materials tend to look more real, whereas cheap trees tend to look very obviously fake.

Choose a traditional-looking tree rather than a trendy one so it won’t be outdated in a few years. You will get more use out of it this way, and it provides a great base layer for decoration.

A pre lit tree is always a time-saver. They prevent you from having to detangle lights each year or test the whole strand because of one burned-out bulb. The only drawback to a pre lit Christmas tree is that you can’t choose or change your lights unless you add additional strands.

In terms of size, seven-foot trees are popular, but one that fits your space should be your first consideration. For locations that are tight in terms of space, choose a slim Christmas tree. It will have a pencil design and might be a better fit for your area.

To prevent annual wear and tear, select a tree with an easy setup and storage capabilities.

If you love the smell of a real Christmas tree, there are various types of trees available. You can get them at markets, tree farms, or DIY stores.

2. Shape and Fluff Branches. By fluffing the branches, you create a fuller appearance for your tree. It also helps an artificial tree appear to be more natural. While it can be time-consuming to get this just right, it is worth it in the end.

To do this, separate each branch, fanning them out to cover as much area in the tree as possible and not leave any gaps. Stop every so often and step back, taking a good look at the tree from across the room so you can identify any areas that still need some work.

If you still don’t like the look of your tree, you can buy individual branches to make the tree look fuller and hide obvious gaps in your tree. A tree with a proper shape is more appealing.

3. Create a Theme. Professionally done Christmas trees always have a predetermined look or something that ties everything all together. Having a theme in mind before you start decorating sets the tone. There are endless possibilities for themes. Try stringing popcorn garland and making cinnamon dough ornaments for a food-themed tree, hanging colorful large ornaments from top to bottom in the order of a rainbow, or use only ornaments shaped like snowflakes.

If you are stuck, you can find places on the internet that provide many great ideas. Bluish hued trees are in this year, as are more vintage, traditional looks, but there’s nothing wrong with traditional either.

4. Begin With the Lights. If you don’t want a pre-lit tree or just want to experience the joy of customizing it yourself, then you will require Christmas tree lights. Experts advise five meters of Christmas lights or 100 bulbs for every 2 ft of tree. For example, a tree that is 6 feet will need 300 bulbs/15 meters of lights.

Adding Christmas lights first is easier than trying to fit them around ornaments and garlands. It provides a basis for decorating the tree, and the soft, warm glow of the lights always puts everyone in a festive mood.

Professionals say to use the plug as your starting point. Then, wrap the lights around the trunk, working up from the center of the base. Continue wrapping the lights at even intervals around branches closest to the trunk. Weave it up from the middle of the tree’s crown.

Once you reach the crown, weave the lights down while arranging them outwards on the branch. Keep doing this until you get to the tip. Weaving involves positioning the bulb under a branch, then going over the next and continuing until you cover the tree.

5. Find the Best Holiday Decorations (For Your Tree and Space). Accents that suit your home or space will help you find the right theme for your Christmas tree. It will look cohesive with its surroundings. Choose decorations that will compliment your type of tree, as well.

Many ornaments come in a variety of different shapes, finishes, sizes, and designs. By matching them with traditional balls, you may have a bit more flexibility in generating a theme.

6. Balance the Look with Christmas Fillers. Once you decorate the tree with ornaments and lights, make sure your tree looks balanced. There should be no obvious gaps or spaces within the tree. Arrange the décor beginning from the top working to the bottom.

If there are gaps or spaces, use Christmas tree fillers to add volume to your tree. Christmas tree fillers may involve adding more branches to the tree, adding larger ornaments, pinecones, or anything else imaginable.

The goal is to produce a fuller-looking, lusher Christmas tree. You want it to look as natural as possible, and this is the best way to achieve that look.

7. Cluster Ornaments. Professional Christmas tree designers recommend clustering no more than three different-sized ornaments together on a tree to generate a creative flair and make the tree look appealing. You can put the same ornament together, or you can select ones that are contrasting.

To create a balanced appearance, buy them in sets of threes, sixes, or twelves. First, add these in a Z-shape on the tree. Hang the larger balls close to the center to provide more depth and smaller ones to the end of the branches.

Delicate balls made of glass need to be at the top of the tree to eliminate breakage. Put meaningful balls on last to make sure they are perfectly placed. The amount of balls required is 80 for a tree that is 7 ½ feet tall.

Added Tips

To generate a snowy appearance, you can purchase a product called Sno-Flock Be sure when you use it, you place a tarp down on your floor as it can get a bit messy.

Put the Sno-Flock in a strainer, then mist the tree with a spray bottle filled with water. Sift and spray while the product falls as if it were snowing. It is a very easy look and will make your tree look like it has real snow on it.

Stop when it looks like there is a light coating on the tree. To create a more natural look, make thicker places with the snow. Once completed, pray the tree over again with water to seal in the SnoFlock.

You can fill other empty spaces with bright red bows strategically placed for a fuller look. Use the same method for placing balls, beginning with larger bows to the center and smaller at the tips. Be sure to alternate the sizes as well.

Decorating your Christmas tree isn’t a difficult thing to achieve. You often don’t need the help of a professional with these seven easy decorating tips.

There is a method to decorating your tree, and it begins with finding the perfect tree for your space. High ceilings have the luxury of having a seven-foot tree. Meanwhile, if you are short on space or don’t have much of it, a slender tree will look very elegant.

The Christmas tree is the canvas on which you will decorate.

The second step is finding a theme and the decorations that will complement it. Decorations that don’t match will make your tree look like a disaster. Make sure the ornaments play off each other and have a central color theme in mind as well.

Next come the lights (assuming yours is not a pre-lit tree). They are the most time-consuming part of decorating your Christmas tree, and yet most people are unsure about their proper placement. Weaving the lights will add depth and interest to the tree and make decorating it appear more natural.

Strategically place the ornaments with the larger ones in the center and the smaller ones at the tips. This approach not only creates depth but also helps with gaps found in the tree itself.

If there are noticeable gaps, you can purchase Christmas tree fillers to fill out the tree to make it look fuller. You can use many products to do this, ranging from extra tree branches to glittery fillers. Make sure that they match your tree closely in color, or they will begin to look unnatural. You always want them to blend extremely well.

We hope you’ve been inspired by these 7 secrets to decorating a stunning Christmas tree! For more Christmas cheer, check out our mini Christmas tree decorations guide!