Every year each department at my hospital decorates a Christmas tree, which is then donated to a needy family in our area. I’m in charge of our tree this year, and I’m looking for a fun theme for our tree (there’s a contest for best tree). Some of the ideas I’ve already found:
Let It Snow!-- a variety of snowflake ornaments
CandyLand – ornaments shaped like candy and gingerbread men. I confess this isn’t my original idea, but I really like it
Angels Among Us – a variety of gold and silver angel ornaments
Whatever I use needs to be fairly inexpensive, because I’m taking donations from coworkers and I won’t ask for much; there’s just too many things to donate for at this time of year. Something that could incorporate handmade decorations would be especially nice. So hit me with your best ideas, guys; I could seriously use the help!
I saw a tree somewhere–can’t remember where–they had taken cookies of all sorts and put them in different colors of plastic baggies with pretty ties then hung them on the tree. It was a cookie tree, and it was wonderfully homey.
I’ve always wanted to do an origami tree, with all the ornaments folded out of paper. You could also make paper chains as garland.
Another idea I’ve had is to take old Christmas cards and make them into ornaments. I have about 10 years of cards saved. You can see I have more ideas than time.
This may be too weird to donate to a needy family, but at my place of work we generally trim the tree with suitably hand-decorated medical supplies-- tongue depressors gussied up with crafting felt to look like reindeer, etc. Whoever makes the most distinctive ornament wins a prize.
Reminds me of a college I worked for that still had one women’s dorm. The tradition in that dorm was to decorate the tree with ornaments made from feminine hygiene products. :eek:
The “lodge” motif seems to have been pretty popular for a while. You could do a “Northwoods Christmas” and decorate the tree with bear and moose ornaments, etc. The theme would lend itself well to cranberry and popcorn garlands.
Well, I’m not sure about donating it, but my Christmas tree (a fake one, for a variety of reasons) is slowly making it’s way to becoming the “Christmas Ugly” tree. It started with one Christmas Ugly - an ugly-ass ornament given to my mother when she bought something at Eaton’s back in 1994. I found it so amazingly hideous that she gave it to me, and I always put it on the best spot on her tree until I got my own. Now the Original Christmas Ugly still gets the best spot on my fake tree, but it has competition from three other Ugly ornaments acquired over the past few years, and it is becoming a small tradition! Whenever I see a truly ugly ornament, or if someone receives one that they hate, I get it!
We think the original Chrismas Ugly is a pine cone. But we also think it has eyes. And it’s cloth tag is larger than it is. It’s really a sight to behold!
My tree is Mouse Themed. I can see where that wouldn’t appeal to everyone.
You could pick a main color as a theme, or one type of ornament such as Santas, or Angels, or Eggs…whatever.
North Pole - Santa as a tree topper and lots and lots of elf ornaments and miniature toy ornaments.
Sports - all kinds of ways to go with this one.
I like the Cookie Tree idea. Maybe trim it out with candy canes and other sweets.
Tropical Paradise - get some leis from a party supply store for garland, some paper drink umbrellas and palm tree lights. Grass skirt for a tree skirt.
I LOVE angels among us. My Mom is a phenomenal harp player and has a CD called “Angels Among Us.” I would love to donate this CD for your project (even if you choose a different theme.) PM or e-mail or whatever your address and I’d be happy to send you one.
Some small nutcracker ornaments of course.
Nuts with yarn or ribbon loops glued on for hanging.
Some nice shinny ornaments because who wants all nut crackers.
I would like to do our Christmas tree this year with barbed wire (spray painted silver or ‘chrome’), rather than garland. I would also like to use silver balls, of different sizes, to go along with it.
Usually, our trees are country style trees, with wooden ornaments. No balls. I dislike balls. Although the barbed wire thing with balls might work for me.
