Festive Tabletop Christmas Trees For Every Room- The Ultimate Guide
A tabletop Christmas tree is a festive space-saving solution that brings holiday cheer to any room! They are easy to set up and take down as well as decorate. These charming compact trees pack lots of holiday cheer and Christmas spirit. This guide will help you choose and enjoy the perfect Christmas tree for your home.
There was a time when I was not pro tabletop Christmas tree! More than several years ago, I was offered a free tabletop Christmas tree by a large Christmas company and, not so excitedly, said yes. Who turns down a free tree, even if one is very lukewarm about it? This unnamed Christmas company also sent me beautiful ornaments, and that was really the reason I took the tree.
When the tree came, I set it up. Literally plugged it in and put it on a little table in our kitchen. Standing back looking at this little tree, my grinch heart softened, and at that moment, I started my ardent love affair with darling, versatile tabletop trees! I became unabashedly pro tabletop tree!
A tabletop tree is one of the most versatile and, oh, so pretty holiday decorations you can add to your home! This evergreen Christmas decoration in miniature creates the festive, Wow Factor focal point.
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Here is everything you need to know about a tabletop Christmas tree!
What Is A Tabletop Tree
A tabletop Christmas tree is a small tree that can easily be tucked into almost any room. It is often the top of a regular tree or a little evergreen tree not much bigger than a sapling. Its branches are beautifully proportionate to the trunk of the tree, and it is perfect for decorating! These trees come in a plethora of faux styles and range from 24-42 inches. However, some may be smaller and some taller.
These sweet little trees are full of Christmas cheer and make any room they are in so much more festive!
Why You Might Want To Get A Tabletop Tree
I think we love these trees for the same reason we love our regular-size trees. They are, ironically, Christmas and the centerpiece of our Christmas décor! They work in almost any room, adding the same beauty and wonder as their full-size counterparts, and can be tucked into places a regular-size tree would not fit.
Do I Need More Than One Tree In My Home?
If you have a small apartment or a home with small rooms, a tabletop tree is perfect for adding Christmas style and spirit to your home! Even if you do not live in a smaller space or have small rooms in your home, a second tree (or even a third) is such a pretty addition!
We have a tabletop tree in our sunroom. This room is small-ish, and a tabletop tree is just the right size for our space. Because we spend a lot of time in this room, I wanted a tree in here during the holidays. Because our home is very open, we can see our little decorated tree from our dining area and kitchen.
It’s become one of my most favorite Christmas decorations!
What Rooms Will A Tabletop Tree Look Nice In?
A tabletop tree will look nice in almost any room in your home! We have a couple guest rooms that will be filled with family over Christmas. I’m adding a real but tabletop size tree to each room!
We will add lights to the small trees and a topper. No other Christmas decorations are needed. And that is the only Christmas decor the guest rooms will need! So simple!
Real Or Faux
If you decide to add a tabletop tree to your home this Christmas, you might want to think about whether you want a real or faux tree. The pros and cons are just about the same as a full-size real or faux tree.
There is nothing quite like a real tree for organic beauty and aroma! But they are messy. A tabletop tree will just make a smaller mess than a big tree! You will still have to change the water and clean up the needles, but it will be a much easier task!
A faux tree is not quite as organically beautiful as a real tree (by only a smidge), and you will have to store it from year to year, but it has so many advantages!
Here are just a few…
- No water changing.
- Needles won’t fall, so there is no clean up.
- Easy to set up.
- Simple to take down.
- The branches can hold heavier ornaments.
- A faux tree may come lit and may even be battery-operated with timers.
I also think you can find tabletop trees in many sizes and shapes. Both real or faux trees will make a beautiful addition to a room in your home!
Lights Or No Lights
One question to ask yourself is whether you want to light up your tree. Lights or no lights? For me, there is magic in the lights of a Christmas tree, so I always light up our trees! Even if your tree is on the smaller side, you can always add fairy light with batteries to make it glow!
One of the advantages of a faux tree is pre-strung light! Our tabletop tree is pre-lit. It has a battery pack in the burlap base, and I can choose different settings for the lights. My favorite is the timer setting, so the little white lights go on and off automatically! So easy!
One tip: If you choose to string lights on a tree, make sure the wiring is the same color as the tree. Green for a green tree and white for a white one. Unless you are using fairy lights. Then choose a metallic color you like best.
What Is The Right Size Tabletop Tree
Small trees come in so many sizes… some only an inch tall! So, are all small trees considered tabletop trees. Great question…No. So let’s talk about what size tree is considered a tabletop tree.
What Is The Right Size For A Tabletop Tree
Not all small trees are true tabletop trees! True tabletop trees are somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4 feet tall. Give or take a few inches! What distinguishes a true tabletop tree from a small ornamental Christmas tree is tabletop trees look like the top of a real tree and can be decorated like a real tree.
Our tabletop tree is 42 inches tall. Such a manageable size!
Two important things to consider when looking for a tabletop tree are height and the widest part of the tree. If you want to put your tree on a low table, you might want a taller tree, and vice versa. It’s important to get a tree that is not too wide or skinny for a room. Get out the tape measurer to figure out what size tabletop tree will fit best in your space!
Where To Put A Tabletop Tree
Tabletop Christmas trees can fit into so many areas. They work well in small spaces as well as large ones! And a tabletop tree can sit on so many flat or sort of flat surfaces! You can put them on a side table, kitchen counters, coffee tables, sideboards, and almost any other flat-ish surface. And they are the perfect addition tucked into small spaces and corners!
In the past, we put our tabletop tree on a round table in our sunroom, and it also sat on a big hamper basket. Last year our tabletop tree sat on an upholstered bench!
What To Put A Tabletop Tree In
These darling little trees look so pretty and finished if their trunks and bases are put in something that works with your decor. If you are using a real tree, you will need to put a real tree in something that holds water and is waterproof, but a faux tree can go right into so many different containers or even be wrapped in something pretty like a faux throw.
I usually put our little tree in a big basket, big enough to hide the burlap base. Another favorite thing to put the little tree in is a white beverage bucket. I fill the space around the base of the tree with Christmas balls. What a fun and festive look!
Here are some things you can put a tabletop tree in…
- a decorative bucket
- basket
- wrapped in a chunky-knit throw
- a gilded or painted pot
- perched in a decorative urn
- wrapped in burlap
- put inside a box wrapped like a Christmas present
- dropped in a champagne bucket
- put inside a big bowl
Decorating A Tabletop Tree
Now, this is the fun part! I love to decorate my little tree. It is so much less of a commitment than our big trees, and it takes me only about an hour or two to decorate it from start to finish. I put on my favorite Christmas music and get busy! This is such a fun Christmas project! Just like a full-size Christmas tree, there are a few things that you should consider using when decorating a tabletop tree!
How To Decorate A Tabletop Christmas Tree will give you creative ideas and lots of tips for decorating the most festive tree.
Adding Ornaments
Tabletop trees should be full of pretty ornaments! Use shiny ornaments and other balls and such that work with the Christmas decor in your room. One thing to remember is a tabletop tree is small, so big ornaments may look out of proportion and weigh down the branches on a small tree. Think about adding medium and small ornaments to your sweet tree!
One year I used two or three little ornaments grouped together, and they looked so festive!
Other Items To Use
Just like a large Christmas tree, a tabletop tree looks so pretty when more than just one type of ornament is used to decorate it.
Here are things you might like to decorate your tree with…
- Pinecones or a group of the tiniest pinecones grouped together- see How To Decorate With Pinecones.
- Berries- they are trending this year.
- Brambles- grapevine and other wild-looking organics.
- Sticks, twigs, and fluff (see HOW TO DECORATE A TABLETOP TREE LIKE A DESIGNER to get the explanation)
- Ribbon and garlands.
- Flowers real or faux.
- Paper ornaments, garlands, and cut-outs.
- Snowflakes and stars.
- Icicles and tinsel.
- Anything organic.
Choosing A Topper
Every tree needs something for its top! And choosing a pretty tree topper for your tabletop Christmas tree is easy with just a little know-how!
Your tree topper should be in proportion to your tree! You want your tree and the topper to look balanced and fit nicely together. If your tree is wider, choose a wider tree topper, like a big loopy bow or an angel. If your tree is slimmer, try an elongated star or something slimmer too!
Choose a tree topper that fits the style, theme, and color story of your tree. A topper should look like it belongs to the tree.
Click The Video For More Christmas Inspiration
It’s never too late to add a beautiful tabletop Christmas tree to any room in your home!
As self-proclaimed president of the Tabletop Christmas Tree Lovers Fan Club, I hope you will join! If you are already a fan, please let me know how you decorate your little tree.
FAQs About Tabletop Christmas Trees
Beautiful Tabletop Trees
You might also like to read…
HOW TO DECORATE A TABLETOP TREE LIKE A DESIGNER
HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE FOR YOUR HOME
THE MAGIC OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS TREE
Good morning! We have a table top tree too. I put our brass we have colleted from many places we have visited over the years. It’s a favorite of ours.
Your Christmas home is absolutely beautiful!
Where did you find your great tree if you don’t mind??
My tree came from Ballard Designs.
You have a beautiful home and I enjoy your blog. You always have great decorating ideas.
I love full-size Christmas trees but I have to take a table out of the living room if I want to put the tree in the “best” spot. Remodeling my master bedroom and bath has turned my entire house into a warehouse of miscellaneous furniture and boxes of plumbing fixtures. I just couldn’t cope with the idea of trying to find a spot in another room for my antique pedestal side table so I decided to buy a small tree to put on it. I was getting discouraged because all the trees I’d seen seemed overpriced for the quality. I wandered down a décor aisle at Hobby Lobby and found a 3′ flocked tree with all PVC needles. It was smaller than I was thinking but the branches were moveable and I could visualize ornaments on it. Best of all, it was on sale and was only $15! I bought a metal decorative bin to hide the burlap sack it came in. I also had to buy lights but everything I bought cost much less than the 4′ trees I was looking at. It’s simple but very cute. Moving a lamp was so much easier than moving a table! I’ve decided to go with a tabletop tree from now on so I gave my 7 1/2 foot tree to my newly married granddaughter.
Where can I find the basket that the table tree is in?
I found the basket at Pottery Barn years ago. Sorry I don’t see it on their site anymore.
Can I use a table top tree as main tree now that I’m in a small condo ?
Hi Yvonne
We have been using two table top trees in our home for the past few years. Since we are snowbirds the task of putting away so many decorations before heading south not to mention the hassle of storing the big tree convinced me to give our 7 ft tree to our son. Now the 3 ft and 4 ft pre-lit trees get some silver pinecone ornaments, ribbon and one tree is decorated with photo ornaments from each year of our grandchildren’s Christmases. I, like you, thought small trees were not for me but they are adorable and so much easier to decorate and handle. We just gave all our glass ornaments away, too. I am a big fan of these little evergreens. Love your blog.
Thanks so much Kathy!
Your tabletop trees are so pretty. Would you share which tree it is from Ballard Designs?
I don’t see it anymore. Sorry I can’t help more. Just a tip: you get what you pay for.
Yvonne,
I started using 3 tabletop trees a couple of years ago because of you and your blog! The only challenge is I haven’t been able to find toppers for my trees that are beautiful and to scale. Any ideas beside making a bow from ribbon? Thank you!
That’s why I use a bow! Give it a try. So glad you started decorating with tabletop trees.
This is so timely for me! At over 75 (😊) I just don’t have the same excitement and energy to put up my over 7 foot tall tree with all the different lights and ornaments. So this year, so far, I have three smaller artificial trees that I am so excited to decorate and display. And I’ll probably add a couple more smaller trees to the collection.
Your ideas and suggestions are spot on.
Thank you for this marvelous post!
Happy decorating!
We have our large tree in the parlor and I have a small tabletop tree in six other rooms, each decorated to go with the style of the room. My kitchen is blue and white, so my kitchen tree has a touch of white on the limbs and I’ve collected mini blue and white ornaments through the years. I love all our trees, they add just the right touch of Christmas throughout the house.
Wow you just might take my place as the president of the Tabletop Christmas Tree Fan Club!
Yvonne,
Perfect timing. I was just telling my hubby that when we get our downsize home I want a tree on our four season. This is perfect and something for me to plan for as the holiday and post holiday sales start. Curious is your tree one of the examples you put on your resource list? We are supposed to get snow this weekend here in Minnesota. The holidays are fast approaching🎄🥶☃️
No. My tree is no longer available.