The best Christmas tree decorations

We've gathered up an array of Christmas tree decorations to make your home festive for the holidays.
Whether it's an 8-foot ceiling duster, a tiny tabletop tree, or any size in between, an unadorned conifer is merely a houseplant, not a Christmas tree. It's what you put on the tree that transforms it into a celebration of the holidays. That's why we've rounded up the best ornaments, toppers, lights, and tree skirts below.

Whether you prefer to cut your own tree, choose one from the local tree lot, or retrieve your faux tree from storage, it's just not Christmas without a decorated tree gracing the living room. For many families, trimming the tree is a treasured holiday tradition, with all family members participating. In other households, one person prefers to do the decorating alone. Either way, it's always fun to get reacquainted with your holiday decor as you pull each piece from storage containers.

Of course, there are times you need, or just want, to add some more holiday decor to your collection. Or maybe this is your first year living on your own or setting up a holiday tree. Either way, you're on the hunt for Christmas tree decorations, which generally include ornaments, lights, some sort of topper, and a tree skirt to cover up the typically unattractive tree stand and provide visual balance to the tree's height.

And while there are a lot of places to buy tree decorations, it can be rather overwhelming choosing your favorites from the nearly endless options available online and in brick-and-mortar stores. That's where we come in.

Life can get a bit hectic as the holidays approach, so to make it easier for you to cross a few things off your must-do list, we've selected a wide selection of our favorite Christmas tree decorations to turn that plain conifer into a holiday star.

Though we admit there really is no "best" Christmas tree decoration and it mostly comes down to personal preference, we do stand by our assertion that you really can't go wrong with any of the following options. So whether you prefer traditional, whimsical, or something in between, get ready to trim your holiday tree.

Here are our favorite Christmas tree decorations:

Best clear traditional tree lights: Prextex 100-count Christmas Lights
Best colored tree lights: Brizled LED Mini String Lights
Best bubble lights for the tree: Novelty Lights Bubble Set
Best animated tree topper: Mr. Christmas Santa Sleigh Animated Tree Topper
Best snowflake tree topper: Layered Wood Snowflake Tree Topper
Best tree topper for kids: Hugging Snowman Tree Topper
Best angel tree topper: Silk Waldorf Angel Tree Topper
Best personalized ornament: Winter Family Ornament
Best blown-glass ornament: Christmas Sloth
Best felted-wool ornaments: Christmas Mice
Best ball ornaments: Knit Ball Ornaments
Best wooden ornaments: Wooden Heart Ornaments
Best faux-fur tree skirt: Snowy White Faux Fur Christmas Tree Skirt
Best traditional tree skirt: Holiday Plaid Christmas Tree Skirt
Best knit tree skirt: Reversible Fair Isle Christmas Tree Skirt
Best elegant tree skirt: Valery Madelyn Gold Christmas Tree Skirt

Updated 12/05/2019 by Lisa Sabatini: Updated prices, links, and formatting. Removed out-of-stock items.

Christmas Tree Lights

When it's time to trim your holiday tree, start with the lights. As a rough rule of thumb, you'll want 100 mini lights for every foot of Christmas tree height. So for example, if your tree is 6 feet tall, you'll want a total of 600 lights. While you can connect strings of different colored lights, you do need to stick with the same size and type of bulb, so keep that in mind when choosing holiday string lights.

The best clear traditional tree lights

If you like traditional clear lights with a steady glow, you'll love the Prextex 100-count Christmas Lights. The green wire blends in with your tree, and the lights are bright and dependable. The string of lights is approximately 18 feet long, and you can connect up to five strings to cover your entire tree.

The best colored tree lights

One 66-foot strand of Brizled LED Mini String Lights features 200 LEDs and should provide enough colorful bulbs to decorate an entire tree. They're rated to last for 25,000 hours, so you probably won't have to replace the strand. Ever. With just one strand of these bright, colorful LED lights, you should be able to decorate even an 8- or 9-foot tree.

The best bubble lights for the tree

If you have fond childhood memories of these vintage bubbling candle-shaped lights adorning your Christmas tree, you'll be thrilled with the Novelty Lights Bubble Set. You're not going to decorate your entire tree with bubble lights (probably), but tucking one or two strings of these old-fashioned fun bubblers along the tree branches adds an instant dose of nostalgic fun and color. Each string is 7 feet long and has seven bubblers with small clips to keep them in place and steady.

Christmas Tree Toppers

Once your lights are in place, it's time for the topper. Typically, these slip over the top of the tree's trunk, and generally take a little bit of wiggling or adjusting before they sit steadily. While stars and angels are very popular options, there are plenty of other choices as well.

The best animated tree topper

Your kids will love watching Santa flying around the Christmas tree in his reindeer-drawn sleigh with a "Believe" banner trailing behind. The Mr. Christmas Santa Sleigh Animated Tree Topper has a brightly lit yellow star that attaches easily to your tree's top, and with a flick of the on/off switch, Santa begins his journey. This topper is AC powered with adapter included.

The best snowflake tree topper

Snowflakes are a popular Christmas-tree theme, but this handcrafted, laser-cut beauty from Cost Plus World Market isn't the run-of-the-mill cheap plastic design. Instead, the Layered Wood Snowflake Tree Topper has three overlapping wooden pieces with just a hint of glitter for extra pizzazz. The wire-coiled base holds the star securely on the top of your tree.

The best tree topper for kids

The Hugging Snowman Tree Topper will absolutely thrill your kids, but let's admit it: It's adorable enough to thrill adults as well. It's easy to position too. Just slip Mr. Snowman's head over the top of the tree, and then bend his wired arms to grip the branches and keep him in place. His long red scarf adds even more fun to the tree.

The best angel tree topper

Hand-crafted in silk and wool, this Silk Waldorf Angel Tree Topper from Etsy can be custom-made according to the size and hair color you desire. Each angel is made with a wool body handcrafted from the fleece of New Mexico sheep and then topped with woolen and silk needle-felted fibers.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Your tree is up, it's strung with lights, and your topper is firmly in place. Now it's time for the best part: trimming it with your favorite ornaments.

While everyone has their own preference when it comes to ornaments, it generally makes the most sense from a budget and convenience perspective to decorate the bulk of the tree with inexpensive, easily found shatterproof or glass balls in your favorite holiday colors. You'll find every color of the rainbow at Target or Walmart. Then add your own personality with individual ornaments or small sets reflecting a hobby, color, interest, or something whimsical that strikes your fancy.

The best personalized ornament

The holidays are all about family, so celebrate yours with a personalized ornament that includes everyone's name. The Winter Family Ornament from Bed, Bath & Beyond includes your family name in the center, surrounded by up to 12 first names. It's made of porcelain with a glossy finish and is nearly 3 inches in diameter.

The best blown-glass ornament

What do you get when you combine traditional blown-glass with an of-the-moment and absolutely adorable craze? This super-cute sloth ornament from Old World Christmas, that's what. The Christmas Sloth is hand-blown from glass, then hand-painted and sprinkled with a bit of glitter. The kids are going to argue over who gets to put this on the tree, but don't feel bad if you have the urge to step in and do it yourself.

The best felted-wool ornaments

While Cost Plus World Market has a large selection of wonderfully unique felted-wool Christmas ornaments, you can't go wrong with this adorable set of two Christmas Mice. Mr. and Mrs. Mouse are all dressed up and ready to celebrate the holiday with their very own tree and gifts. The mice are made of handcrafted of wool and 5.5 inches tall.

The best ball ornaments

You already have your shiny glass or shatterproof ball ornaments, so add some warm texture, pattern, and color with two sets of 12 Knit Ball Ornaments from WEWILL. Each ornament measures around 3 inches in diameter and is completely covered with knitted wool in a colorful winter sweater design. Each set contains multiple patterns.

The best wooden ornaments

While the majority of Christmas ornaments are made of glass, plastic, or wool, it's nice to mix it up a bit with a variety of textures, which is why we love these Wooden Heart Ornaments. You get two sets for 24 ornaments in all. Measuring 2.7 inches across, each ornament is delicately laser-cut by hand into a reindeer-and-bird design and finished with a red satin ribbon for hanging.

Best Tree Skirts

Most Christmas tree stands are not very attractive, so a Christmas tree skirt serves two purposes: It covers up the stand, and it provides a horizontal counterbalance to the upright shape of the tree. Smooth your tree skirt in place once the tree is fully decorated, and then arrange the wrapped gifts on top of it. Now you're ready for Santa's visit!

The best faux-fur tree skirt

The Snowy White Faux Fur Christmas Tree Skirt is hard to resist. It's almost like a wintry drift of snow beneath your tree, except this snowdrift is warm, plush, and fuzzy. At 48 inches in diameter, it's large enough to work with just about any tree and has hooks and loops along the slit edge to fasten it around the tree's trunk. The only downside is that your cat or dog might decide this is the best sleeping spot ever, but never fear: The skirt is hand-washable in cold water if necessary.

The best traditional tree skirt

The Holiday Plaid Christmas Tree Skirt is decorated with a red and green plaid print with a thick border of green velvet for a traditional finish to your Christmas tree decorations. Best of all, it comes personalized with your family name or any word up to 20 characters. The skirt is 47.5 inches in diameter and can be spot-cleaned.

The best knit tree skirt

The Reversible Fair Isle Christmas Tree Skirt is softly knit like your favorite sweater, and sports a cheerful red-and-white Fair Isle reindeer pattern on one side. Flip it over, and it's white with red stripes. Whichever side you choose to display, the tree skirt is a traditional design that adds lot of holiday cheer. The tree skirt is 48 inches in diameter and can be spot-cleaned.

The best elegant tree skirt

If your holiday decor leans more toward classic elegance than cutesy designs, you'll love the beautiful Valery Madelyn Gold Christmas Tree Skirt. This 48-inch velvet and satin stunner has gold sequins throughout the central star as well as along the satin border. The cream and gold color scheme complements a collection of metallic gold and clear glass ornaments.

For more Christmas decorating inspiration, check out our other great guides

The best Christmas decorations you can buy

A beautifully decorated home is part of the wonder of the holiday season. We've rounded up the best decorating essentials for your home to make it easier for you.

That's why we've gathered up the top suggestions for a wide range of Christmas décor. Whether you go all-out decorating for the holidays, or just stick with a tree covered with a few glass balls, we've got the best of the best for your holiday home.

Here are the best Christmas decorations you can buy:

Best tree stand: Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand
Best ornaments: Shop all ornaments at Target
Best tree topper: Christmas Snowman Tree Hugger
Best tree skirt: Primode Holiday Images 50-Inch Tree Skirt
Best wreath for your front door: Woodland Eucalyptus Wreath
Best stockings: Needlepoint Stockings from L.L. Bean
Best garland: Home Accents Holiday Pre-Lit Plaza Garland
Best advent calendar: Byer's Choice Christmas Tree Advent Calendar

The best Christmas lights you can buy

Holiday decorations bring feelings of warmth and cheer even in the darkest and coldest days of the year. Testing, setting up, and connecting Christmas lights can be anything but a joyful experience, though.

To that end, this year I've worked to assemble a buying guide filled primarily with holiday lights that not only look great, but that also make your life easier.

Here are the best Christmas lights you can buy:

Best Christmas lights overall: KooPower Waterproof Battery Fairy Lights
Best Christmas lights: Good Tidings Light Ceramic Multi-Colored Holiday Lights
Best solar Christmas lights: VMANOO Solar Powered String Lights
Best mini Christmas lights: Brizled LED Mini String Christmas Lights
Best permanent Christmas lights: Everlights Starter Kit

The best tree skirts you can buy

Tree skirts add a dash of color and style to your holiday decor while hiding away that unsightly tree stand and all the Christmas light cords.

Here are the best tree skirts you can buy:

Best tree skirt overall: Primode Holiday Images 50-Inch Tree Skirt
Best traditional tree skirt: Valery Madelyn 48-Inch Tree Skirt
Best mini tree skirt: VHC Brands Burlap Mini Tree Skirt
Best affordable tree skirt: Ivenf Christmas Tree Skirt
Best large tree skirt: Kurt Adler Embroidered and Pleated 60-Inch Tree Skirt

The best Christmas tree stands you can buy

The best Christmas tree stands are designed to last for many decades, have a stable base that holds plenty of water, are easy to set up, and store easily after the holidays are over.