Keeping it Festive, All Year Long

Why having a year-round Christmas tree makes every season something to celebrate and how you can get yours started.

As a child, I never looked forward to New Year’s Day. Though no school meant time to play with the toys I’d received from Santa, it also meant the inevitable was just days away – the taking down of the Christmas tree and a return to “normal”.

The large, holly-print boxes my mom used to store ornaments made another appearance, and little by little decorations I was so excited to see just a few weeks earlier disappeared, never to be seen again (at least it felt that way as a six-year-old).

Though even now, there are years I feel the same way.

In the handful of weeks the Christmas tree is up, it becomes a vital part of the home. It’s the centerpiece of the holiday season and when taken down, the room feels empty; the magic gone.

What if that same tree was not only a symbol of the Christmas season, but of every season? A place to showcase adorable pastel bunnies in the spring, navy and white nautical decor in the summer, and bright leaves in autumn?

Meet the year-round tree – a way to celebrate every season.

Reasons to consider a year-round tree

My favorite reason for a year-round tree is that it's an acknowledgement of the passing months, which often seem to fly by. The process of decorating the tree is a tangible reminder of the current season, a way to focus on the present.

Holiday trees are also a unique, festive centerpiece that showcases your creativity and style. It's a way to give a room a fun focal point all year long. Plus, they're something friends and family alike can look forward to seeing each time they visit.

From a practical standpoint, I have a lot of seasonal decor I don’t use. When decorating at Christmas it’s always sad when ornaments are left in their boxes as there isn’t a place to display them all. This is a perfect opportunity to repurpose and enjoy some of those ornaments throughout the year.

Finally, if you already have an artificial tree you know some can be an investment. Why not maximize that investment and use it 12 months instead of one or two? If you’ve considered buying an artificial tree, using it year-round could be a good reason to purchase one.

Taking the first steps

The idea of decorating a tree multiple times a year may seem like a big undertaking. One way to make it more manageable is to see what decorations you already have. I’m always amazed what a search around the house can uncover: there're the items I’ve packed away to use "someday" along with ribbon, fabric, or faux floral, just waiting for a purpose. These materials can become ornaments or garlands, which (bonus!) make for fun craft projects.

Based on the decor available, consider which themes or seasons you want to decorate for. If you don’t have enough for everything on your list right now, look for ornaments and garlands to add to your collection every year.

In the meantime, consider starting with a couple of themes that span multiple seasons. For example, use floral, fruit, and garden decorations for a tree that celebrates both spring and summer.

Decorating your tree throughout the year

There are an unlimited number of ways to theme your tree, which makes this both fun and a little daunting. While I love a good seasonal theme, I also love being practical by finding ornaments and other items that can be used across multiple seasons. Fortunately, there are a number of opportunities to do just that throughout the year.

Below are some ideas to help kick off your own brainstorming, including ways to transition pieces of one season's decor into the following season. Good luck!