Here are more than a dozen ideas for decorating your Christmas tree and home for a nostalgic Christmas. In other words, many of these ideas are based on the original ways of decorating trees. And if you like things “natural” you’ll find plenty to match your interests too. Whether it’s from your own backyard; the local nursery; or a farmer’s market… nature provides for stunning decorations. Toss in a few store-bought touches and the combination is beautifully nostalgic. And speaking of nature let’s face it: People first decorated their tree with what they found in nature.

Sprigs of holly full of red berries can be placed throughout your tree. They add color and a different texture to your fir or spruce tree. And don’t forget pine cones! Do your best to gather different shapes and sizes for interesting variety. You can paint the tips white to look like snow, or use a metallic gold or silver paint. Sometimes using gold and silver on the same cones can really warm up the silver (it tends to look “cold”). One way is to use a dollop of glue applied to the bottom of the pine cone and add string for hanging the cone from the tree. Another option is using a very thin wire. For eco-friendly decorating, use strips of organic cotton fabric in holiday colors to hang the pine cone ornaments on the Christmas tree.