How to Decorate an Upside Down Christmas Tree

I took a family poll.

What is your favorite Christmas decor tradition?

Hands down…the Christmas tree won!

Oh, how we love a Christmas tree!

Today, I am so happy to be part of a Christmas tree blog hop! Thank you to Wendy at WM Design House for getting us all together!

If you have arrived here from At Home with Kristy, welcome to Sonata Home Design! Thank you, Kristy, for a gorgeous French country Christmas tree!

For my part, I am sharing our family’s upside-down Christmas tree.

This traditional tree with a twist is my personal Christmas guilty pleasure.

It is the tree that gets filled with all the colorful glitz, sparkle, shimmer, and jingle-jangle that I can load onto it.

The color scheme? EVERY color!

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What is the Meaning of an Upside Down Tree?

Ornamental innovation is alive and well this holiday season!

Drawing inspiration from the Middle Ages, the benedictine monk, Saint Boniface revolutionized home decor with an unexpected twist. Hanging fir trees upside-down in households was seen as a representation of the Holy Trinity and soon became popular all across Europe – especially among working and lower-class citizens who didn’t have much room to spare.

This concept has now extended beyond Europe and grown in popularity worldwide for those looking for something unique but still festive.

Today this unique style has made its way into our homes for a truly eye-catching design statement!

The Benefits of an Inverted Christmas Tree

This type of tree is the ultimate safety measure for small children and pets alike!

Decorations peek down from above instead of hovering around below, keeping all those fancy trinkets off wobbly toddler hands and away from curious paws.

Owners of smaller homes and those who rent know the benefit of this tree’s small footprint. It hardly takes any floor space at all!

It adds a stunning visual but leaves lots of open space for any holiday gathering!

Upside Down Christmas Tree Ideas

Artificial trees come in all shapes and sizes.

Our upside-down tree is engineered as just that…an upside-down tree.

Complete with a stand, collapsible branches, and strings of lights, it sets up just like a regular tree.

Except it is upside down!

Setting Up the Upside Down Tree

Set the tree on a solid table whose height elevates the tree to the ceiling.

Our tree sits on an old end table that sits beside our dining room table. This end table, at one time, was in our donation pile. Turns out it is the perfect height for the inverted tree!

Since the focus is on the tree, I keep the base very simple by just draping the base with some red fabric. Some adhesive strips added to the top of the table keep the tree stand from slipping and are hidden from view by the fabric.

Ideally, there should be a couple of inches between the tree and the ceiling to allow for additional Christmas decorations.

I also like to display this tree in the corner of the room so it is not exposed to heavy traffic. Safety first! (This type of tree can be stunningly displayed in the corner of a living room!)

I’ll be honest. It takes both my husband and me to lift and set the tree on the designated table.

But with a loud “1,2,3” count-off and a big lift…it is a quick set-up!

***If you want to turn a real tree into an upside-down tree, you will need to drill through the base of the tree trunk and thread heavy-duty wire, rope, or chain that will support the weight of the tree. After securely screwing a strong hook into the ceiling, hang the tree tip down from the ceiling. Know your home and know your ceilings to make sure the weight can be supported.

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Upside Down Tree Decorations

Twinkle your way to festive perfection by wrapping your tree in sparkling Christmas tree lights and adding ornaments that range from traditional red and green to classic golds and whites to any bold hues of color.

An inverted tree is an unusual shape so this is the perfect time to decorate using a unique or quirky theme or color combination!

• Use a solid ladder so you can easily reach higher branches.
• If the tree is not pre-lit, use LED lights for the tree to avoid hot lights that could be a fire hazard.
• Shatterproof ornaments are probably best if you are nervous about breakage. In all honesty, I use a lot of glass ornaments on our tree and just make sure they are attached very securely.
• Start to decorate with your larger ornaments. Tuck them between each evergreen branch and secure them tightly with a heavy-duty hook or wire.
• As you add medium or small size ornaments, step back periodically to ensure that all your decorations are evenly distributed.
• Longer ornaments that dangle will look especially lovely hanging from the upper branches of the tree.
• Include white ornaments, clear drop ornaments and sparkling crystal balls to amp up the light reflection.
• Lightweight decorations such as tinsel and floral picks will give the tree added dimension and sparkle.

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Top of the Bottom Ideas for Your Upside Down Christmas Tree

Even though the tree is elevated to the ceiling height, it is a good idea to add a different element to fill in the space gap.

Whatever you add, it is a good idea to keep it on the light side as heavy items can weigh down the top branches.

Decorative picks are a unique way to fill this area!

I used a combination of shiny red metallic picks and whimsical red and white striped “twisty picks” for the top of the tree.

Now the tree looks like it is magically suspended from the ceiling!

Other ideas you might try for the “Top of the Bottom”:

• Gift packages (the light, faux, empty kind)
• Tinsel Garland
• White faux snow blanket
• Patterned fabric
• Large, loopy bows

Topsy-Turvy Tree Success

Now, stand back and admire your handiwork!

You now have a unique and festive upside-down Christmas tree that is sure to impress your friends and family!

If you’re looking for a different way to spruce up your holiday decor, why not give this unique tradition a try?

With all the benefits it offers, there’s no downside to giving an upside-down tree a shot.

There are more beautiful Christmas trees to see! Hop on over to see Kim’s fantastic post on How to Decorate a Traditional Christmas Tree over at Cottage in the Mitten. Kim always has such inspiring ideas!

Now go out there and have yourself a merry little Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Missy