Skinny Christmas Tree Ideas: 14 Ways to Make a Slim Tree Look Full and Fancy

Skinny Christmas tree ideas are one of the fastest rising searches of the season. In the past week, Google Trends showed searches for skinny Christmas tree decorating ideas up 200 percent in the US, as more people bring home slim pencil trees for small living rooms, entryways and apartments. A slim tree saves floor space, but it can look a little bare if you decorate it like a big one. The good news is that a few clever tricks make a narrow tree look lush, rich and full of character. Below you will find 14 ideas, from vertical ribbon drops to a big basket base, plus spots around the house where a skinny tree shines. Grab your ornament box, because your slim tree is about to look like a showstopper..

Skinny Christmas Tree Ideas That Look Full and Fancy

A slim tree is a gift for small homes. It tucks into corners, leaves room for the couch and the coffee table, and still gives you that glowing Christmas feeling. The trick is to decorate for its shape. Think tall and vertical, fill the gaps, and add width at the bottom. When you do, a skinny tree can look just as lush as a big one, maybe even fancier. Pair two in one room, and your space looks like a holiday magazine page..

You will need: A slim or pencil tree, warm white LED lights, ribbon, floral picks, ornaments in three sizes and a basket or tree collar.

How to make it: 1. Fluff every branch up, out and down before you start. 2. Add lights first, working from the trunk out to the tips. 3. Layer ribbon, picks and ornaments, then finish the base.

Skinny Christmas Tree Ideas With Vertical Ribbon Drops

On a slim tree, ribbon looks best when it falls straight down instead of wrapping around. Tuck the end of a wide ribbon near the top and let it cascade to the bottom, pinching it into the branches every foot or so. Three or four drops spaced around the tree make it look taller and fuller at the same time. Velvet looks rich, while plaid feels cozy. Wired ribbon holds its shape best, so the drops stay neat all season long. Which ribbon would you choose this year?

You will need: Two or three rolls of wide wired ribbon, floral wire or twist ties and scissors.

How to make it: 1. Tuck the ribbon end into the top branches. 2. Let it fall straight down, pinching it into the tree every foot. 3. Repeat three or four times around the tree.

Skinny Christmas Tree Ideas to Fill the Gaps: Floral Picks

Slim trees often have small gaps where you can see the trunk. Floral picks are the fastest fix. Tuck berry stems, frosted pine sprigs, eucalyptus and faux flowers right into those holes, and the tree instantly looks thick and lush. It is the trick designers use on every store window tree. You can find picks in bundles for very little after the season and keep them for years. Which colors would match your ornaments?

You will need: A mix of floral picks, berry stems, frosted sprigs and faux greenery, plus wire cutters.

How to make it: 1. Stand back and spot the bare places. 2. Push the picks deep into each gap at an angle. 3. Spread them evenly so no one area looks crowded.

Small Ornaments Up Top, Bigger Ones Below

A skinny tree gets narrower toward the top, so big ornaments up there look heavy and crowded. Use your tiniest ornaments near the top, medium ones in the middle, and your biggest ones near the bottom. The size change pulls the eye down and makes the tree look wider and more balanced. It is a simple rule that makes everything look planned. Skinny Christmas tree ideas like this one cost nothing, since you are only moving what you already own. Do you have a box of tiny ornaments waiting for this?

You will need: Ornaments in three sizes, small, medium and large, in two or three matching colors.

How to make it: 1. Sort your ornaments into three piles by size. 2. Hang the small ones on the top third. 3. Hang the medium ones in the middle and the large ones at the bottom.

Tuck Ornaments Deep Inside for Depth

Most people hang every ornament on the very tips of the branches. On a slim tree, tuck some shiny ornaments deep inside near the trunk too. The lights bounce off them from within, and the tree seems to glow from the center out. It gives a full, layered look that makes people ask how you did it. Shatterproof balls are perfect for this. It also hides any thin spots near the trunk, which slim trees often have. Will you try it on your tree this year?

You will need: Shatterproof ball ornaments in two sizes and warm white LED string lights.

How to make it: 1. Hang a first layer of ornaments close to the trunk. 2. Add a second layer halfway out along the branches. 3. Finish with your favorite ornaments on the tips.

Skinny Christmas Tree Ideas for the Base: A Big Basket

A slim tree on a thin metal stand can look like it is on tiptoe. Set it inside a wide woven basket or a tree collar, and the base suddenly looks grounded and full. It hides the stand and adds warmth and texture. Pile a few wrapped gifts around it and the whole corner feels abundant. This one change makes a big difference for very little money. Would you choose a woven basket or a metal collar?

You will need: A wide woven basket or tree collar, a few bricks or books to raise the stand, and a tree skirt for filler.

How to make it: 1. Set the tree stand inside the basket, raising it if needed. 2. Tuck a tree skirt or blanket around the stand. 3. Add wrapped gifts around the basket.

A Slim Tree in a Narrow Entry Corner

Entryways are usually too tight for a Christmas tree, but a pencil tree fits right into that empty corner by the door. It welcomes guests the moment they walk in and makes even a small home feel festive from the first step. Keep the decorations simple, like plaid ribbon and white lights, so it does not crowd the space. Among skinny Christmas tree ideas, this is one of the most loved. A small tree skirt or round rug underneath catches stray needles from boots. Do you have an empty corner by your door?

You will need: A slim tree about six feet tall, warm white LED lights, plaid ribbon and a few ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Measure the corner to pick the right width. 2. Set up the tree and add lights and ribbon. 3. Keep the bottom clear so coats and bags do not bump it.

A Pair of Slim Trees at the Front Door

Two matching slim trees on each side of the front door make your home look like a holiday postcard. They frame the door, glow at night, and greet every visitor. Use outdoor rated battery LED lights on timers, and add a big red bow to each one. Weigh the planters down with bricks or sand so the wind does not tip them. Of all the skinny Christmas tree ideas, this one may win the most smiles from neighbors. Would your porch fit a pair?

You will need: Two slim artificial trees, two heavy planters, bricks or sand, outdoor battery LED lights with timers and red bows.

How to make it: 1. Set each tree in a planter and weigh it down. 2. Wrap with outdoor LED lights and set the timers. 3. Tie a big bow near the top of each.

A Slim Kitchen Tree With Cookie Cutter Ornaments

A skinny tree fits beautifully in a kitchen corner, and it is the perfect spot for a sweet, homey theme. Hang metal cookie cutters, wooden spoons and little gingham bows, and the whole room smells like holiday baking even before you turn on the oven. It is cheap, cheerful and full of memories, especially if you use grandma’s old cutters. Tie on a few small bundles of cinnamon sticks for a cozy scent that needs no flame at all. What would you hang on yours?

You will need: A slim tree, metal cookie cutters, small wooden spoons, gingham ribbon and LED lights.

How to make it: 1. Tie a ribbon loop through each cookie cutter. 2. Hang the cutters and spoons evenly. 3. Add short gingham bows between them.

An All White Slim Tree With Frosted Picks

For a calm, snowy look, keep it simple. A slim tree with only warm white LED lights and frosted white picks looks elegant and peaceful, like a tree in a snowy forest. It works in any room and with any decor. Add a few clear or silver ornaments if you like, but less is more here. This is one of the easiest skinny Christmas tree ideas to pull off. Add a soft white faux fur throw at the base to finish the snowy look. Do you love a white Christmas?

You will need: A slim tree, warm white LED lights, frosted white picks and a few clear or silver ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the lights deep into the branches. 2. Tuck frosted picks all over. 3. Add a few clear ornaments for sparkle.

Spiral a Garland Around for Fullness

A garland wrapped in a gentle spiral from top to bottom adds movement and fills out a narrow tree. Beads, tinsel or a soft fabric garland all work. Start at the top and let each loop get a little wider as you go down, which also makes the tree look fuller at the base. Gold beads look classic, while wooden beads feel farmhouse. Skinny Christmas tree ideas like a garland spiral also make the tree look a little taller. Which garland is in your holiday box?

You will need: One or two long garlands, such as gold beads, wooden beads or tinsel.

How to make it: 1. Tuck the garland end near the top. 2. Wrap it around in a loose spiral, getting wider as you go down. 3. Tuck the end into the branches near the bottom.

A Plaid Pencil Tree in the Bedroom

Why should the living room have all the fun? A pencil tree in a bedroom corner makes waking up in December feel magical. Red and green plaid ornaments and ribbon look so cozy next to a plaid blanket. Kids love having their own little tree too. For more cozy tricks, see our small space Christmas decor ideas. Put the lights on a timer so they glow softly at bedtime. Skinny Christmas tree ideas like this make the whole house feel festive. Whose room would you surprise with one?

You will need: A slim tree about five feet tall, plaid ribbon, plaid and red ornaments and LED lights with a timer.

How to make it: 1. Set the tree in a corner away from heaters. 2. Add lights and set the timer. 3. Hang ribbon and plaid ornaments.

Skinny Christmas Tree Ideas for a Staircase

The space beside a staircase is often awkward and empty, but a tall slim tree fills it perfectly. It reaches up toward the landing without blocking the steps, and it ties in beautifully with garland on the banister. Gold and white ornaments look grand here, like a little hotel lobby. Make sure the stand is steady and away from the walkway. Battery LED lights on a timer mean you never have to reach behind it to plug anything in. Do you have a staircase that needs some holiday glow?

You will need: A tall slim tree, a sturdy stand, gold and white ornaments, LED lights and matching banister garland.

How to make it: 1. Place the tree beside the stairs, not in the walkway. 2. Decorate with gold and white ornaments. 3. Add matching garland along the banister.

Top It With One Big Bow

A slim tree does not need a heavy topper. One oversized velvet bow with long tails trailing down the tree is chic, light and easy. The tails act like ribbon drops, so you get two looks in one. Red is classic, but deep green, gold or blush look beautiful too. It is the perfect finishing touch for all your skinny Christmas tree ideas. What color bow would crown your tree?

You will need: Wide wired velvet ribbon, floral wire and scissors.

How to make it: 1. Make a big bow with four loops and two very long tails. 2. Wire it to the top of the tree. 3. Let the tails fall down the front and tuck them into the branches.