Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONS decorating the tree, there are visions of a glorious, calm evening.
You’ll be sipping Bailey’s, adorned in Fair Isle knitwear, roaring laughing, placing baubles on a delightfully over-fluffed tree. You’ll top it off with an angel sliding perfectly onto the top branch, while everyone lets out a wholesome sigh.
In reality, there are smashed baubles, drooping branches, screams of frustration, blown bulbs, lots of tension, and an angel dangling precariously from the top of a slanting tree.
Decorating the Christmas tree is no mean feat.
Here are my top tips for reducing the stress and getting it right, and safe, the first time (so you’ll have more time for Bailey’s).
Before you start to decorate your Christmas, it is best to have everything you need to hand
Decorations – Take everything out of storage and have a good rummage through first. A new placement idea or the addition of a few new plain baubles can work just as well as a full new set.
A topper – You don’t have to go traditional, but one with a coiled end or clip will work best. Don’t be afraid to snip the top branch down a little to get it to stay on more securely.
A tree stand – Be aware of the height of your tree stand (more on this below) and have some wooden wedges handy if you’re securing a real tree. They can help to slot into the stand for extra hold.
A tree skirt – This is all up to personal preference. Skirts, faux snow, fur… I have even seen an elaborate vintage train track. These are all usually employed in a bid to hide the tree’s stand, which I personally don’t mind on show. You have a tree inside your house, seeing its base isn’t the weirdest part.
Scissors, twine, ribbon, wire: These will all be super handy for decorating.
Take time to fluff out the branches if you have a fake tree. The year in storage can mean they reappear looking limp and frail, so it is best to fluff out branch by branch. This can take longer than the decorating itself, but it is definitely worth it!
Always start at the back of the branch, closet to the stand/ trunk. This is what will make the tree look its fullest and realest. Many people will only spread the branches at the front, and it will look hollow at the back once it’s all done. You’ll never regret spending time on this part.
If your tree comes in stacks: Start spreading the branches on the bottom stack, place the next stack and keeping working upwards. It’ll be too tricky to spread once they are all stacked together.
If your tree comes as individual branches: start at the very bottom and go branch by branch. Make sure when you place the first branch in the stand, that you have another on the opposite side while you fluff, for balance. Keep this in mind throughout the fluffing, as the tree could topple otherwise.
Choose the right bulbs: Always use low energy bulbs, they last longer and are safer. Make sure your lights have the right approval marks and always replace blown bulbs right away.
The key with tree lights is to use them to light up the darkest parts of the tree. Make sure they sit behind the decorations, closer to the middle of the branch than the tip, so they light up the darkness in between branches and create illuminated pods for feature decorations.
Hang lights vertically or horizontally: If your tree is in a corner and you are only seeing the front, don’t waste lights on the back. Hang your strings of lights in vertical stripes, as this will spread them out evenly and ensure there are no bulbs that go unseen. It will also give you double the coverage than wrapping them horizontally.
If your tree will be seen from all angles, lay your lights horizontally, starting from the bottom and working your way up.
Organise your ornaments by type: If you don’t know where to begin, start by dividing your decorations by type. Laying out your decorations instead of hanging them straight out the box will help enormously. This will also show you the ornaments that are missing hangers or are damaged.
Start with the largest first: Begin by hanging the largest decorations and place the plainest ones first. Larger baubles should go on first, closer to the spine – not only for visual balance, but they will help with creating a fuller looking tree. This also prevents them from blocking other decorations, and lastly, the ornaments are less likely to fall and break because the branch is strongest there.
Then move on to medium baubles: Add medium sized decorations next, standing back to have a look as you go. You want to ensure there is balance, and starting this way will save you from having to redo it all at the end. It doesn’t need to be perfectly symmetrical, but having the weight spread evenly will do more than just appeal to the eye.
The smallest ones will be the finishing touches: Lastly, the smaller decorations can sit further out on branches. This will ensure balance and add to the appearance of depth.
When it comes to your most expensive or precious decorations, place them at eye level. This means so they are less likely to be knocked off and will be seen first and most.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Very few in the Dail would have any experience with Guns…..
The Healy-Raes would probably be the best bet…….
Jez tom theres a few shinners ta start with…….
Gerry Adams would be well able to shoot any attacker, it wouldn’t be fatal though as the shots wouldn’t reach above the knees
The dail has a fully armed compliment. They’ve been there about 18 months.
This poor man is now the number one target for IS in Canada. I hope he gets the protection he needs.
Ah they would. Shooting themselves in the foot.
Jarry wouldn’t know anything about guns.
18 months more like 45 years…!!! Was on tour in there few years ago and came across armed soldiers and was told they patrol there 24/7 365
A true hero
the bullet would bunce of noonans head and kill someone across the floor to the left but he might have a flak jacket on him
Me thinks a bullet fired at Enda would pass through as he has no substance . Gerry of the RA would deflect the bullet and waffle on about it not being there meanwhile preserving it for later use . Noonan is so thick it would bounce and Joan could grab it and put a passage tax as it went by. In fact with so many RA sympathisers in the dail,the bullet would start running scared and look for a way out .
Lads, are you seriously making jokes about parliamentary shootings in this thread of all places?
A Canadian soldier died and MPs were sharpening flagpoles into spears to defend themselves. Who knows how many might have been killed if it hadn’t been for Kevin Vickers. If you don’t like our politicians that’s fine but using a Canadian tragedy to joke about it is vile. Terrorism isn’t fecking funny.
Poor form.
I really like this man, and not just for discharging his duty, but for how the emotion that comes from helping others, and being publicly thanked for it, made his quiet bravery quiver his face, no matter how hard he tried to be still and decorous.
True hero. Saved a lot of lives not least that of the Prime Minister.
Well done. Did his duty and then some!
As long as there are people like Kevin Vickers there will be no Caliphate.
To quote yourself fognostical ” praise the Lord and pass the ammunition”
The man is a true hero.
He is Charles and right now the world needs more like him but the jihadis are playing on the fact that the west has gone soft after years of living on welfare and never knowing how to fend for themselves. Strange that these words were written by a Canadian and she did not mention the RoP.
“He’s five feet two and he’s six feet four
He fights with missiles and with spears
He’s all of thirty-one and he’s only seventeen
He’s been a soldier for a thousand years
He’s a catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jane
A Buddhist and a Baptist and Jew
And he knows he shouldn’t kill and he knows he always will kill
You’ll for me my friend and me for you”
Buffy Sainte-Marie
‘Remember this has nothing to do with Islam…’ Yeah right, this death cult should be banned in western society, practising and teaching it banned. Then there would be no ‘home grown’ terrorists – all this brainwashing is obtained in the Mosque ( the breeding ground for fanatics ) week in week out killings killings killings – it is not a religion its a Mental Illness.
Well said, bang on the money.
The Canadian soldier killed by running over with a truck had nothing to do with the RoP either, nor did the killing of Lee Rigby or the stoning of the girl by her own father as reported here in the journal. This has nothing to do with the RoP either “A Christian woman who was given the death penalty last year for drinking water from a well reserved for Muslims in Pakistan has had her appeal against the sentence rejected by the Lahore high court.”
Then there was that beheading of an 82 year old woman in her London garden, which had absolutely nothing to do with Islam. It was a total coincidence that the perpetrator was a Muslim “revert” who had received warnings from his employer for trying to convert his colleagues when he was supposed to be working. No link here. Nothing to see. Move along.
I’m just happy to learn what RoP means.
If you’re wondering: Religion of Peace.
I choose to believe that he used the House of Commons mace to take down the shooter.
If this happened in Ireland he would be suspended by now and his gun taken away. The GSOC would be having a field day investigating his actions while every service in the state would be at the disposal of the ‘victims’ family. He’d be lucky to escape jail,
He was armed and trained for a reason and he stepped up to the plate when necessary. What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense.
If it happened here it would be dealt with by the small contingent from the defense forces that’s stationed at the dail while the guards there would be waiting for support from armed detectives or the ERU. Secondly no guard has gone to jail for shooting some one in the line of duty, thirdly GSOC investigations result in less guards going to jail or being disciplined per year then when when complaints against guards where investigated by other guards.
Canada a very cosmopolitan place and a wonderful country to work and live in
Should have shot Harper instead as he is the biggest terrorist in Canada.
I see that as a direct threat, the Journal should hand this over to the police. Nothing more dangerous in society than a terrorist sympathiser.
By pointing out the truth that Prime Minister Harper is the biggest terrorist in Canada, u obviously know very little about the man u wannabe Nazi.
And you do, Islamic terrorist wannabe…. go to Syria…. live with them.
In what part of my comment did u decide that I supported the western trained and funded Islamic State….never mentioned nothing about them, just pointed Harper out as a terrorist….nice try, better luck next time.
Oh, sorry, I did not know that when you say no, it does not mean you did not say yes. You have made your opinion clear in one foul sentence. Canada does mostly peacekeeping missions, or acts of terror in your language. Many Afghans make Canada home, and supported Canadian troops there. Also many Syrians, who too ask for the help in there home country. If you consider Harper the terrorist, what do you consider those who behead journalists, just reporting a story(or staged beheadings in your language)???? Or those who point a barrel at your head, children too and tell you to renounce your beliefs and join the religion of suffering??? What do you consider them, if you class Harper as a terrorist????
fans of David Cameron are terrorist sympathsers Graham
I am talking about Harper, not Canada, so don’t try to turn what I said….Just because Bush and Blair are terrorists doesn’t make their whole nations ones too.
Oh sorry again, well, please present evidence of Harper being a terrorist. Thank you.
Derek, what’s your basis on calling Harper a terrorist?
Ha. Never mentioned nothing. Well done on your englishing Derek.
Derek, you said western trained. So you have painted all in the west as terrorists. Idiot.
Have they caught the other fella yet?
No saying he acted alone
I wonder who would take down an assailant in the dail ” boom boom “
Barrett !
But only if the assailant was improperly dressed…
Adams, but then he’d deny doing it
The Canadians are very patriotic and it shows they appreciate the sacrifice their hero made. If it was this country the smart Asses would make jokes about him for a week or two and then look to have him charged for murder so they could revel in his misfortune. A recent incident at the dail where a guard tackled someone wielding a sword resulted in the poor unfortunate psycho getting some community service. The guard was vilified on this site by the anti police brigade. We are officially a banana republic.
durkin how is mursheen keeping
Hes sick and tired of working
have your say