YYou know how I’m always dreaming of Christmas decorating in every room and creating themed trees? I love the idea of a tree filled with special memories—like the jewelry tree from last year and the quirky silver spoon tree from the year before. This year, despite the construction dust and chaos in our home, I was determined to get back into the Christmas groove and make it happen again.
We were especially excited when Michaels sent us a pre-lit tree, a Michaels gift card, and invited us to join their Holiday Dream Tree Challenge. It was the perfect nudge to ignore the mess, set up a tree, and enjoy a creative night with my two favorite girls.
We turned it into a girls’ night out at Michaels and had the best time shopping and planning our themed tree. Wandering the aisles together, brainstorming ideas, and playing with different materials made the whole evening feel like a mini-adventure. I feel blessed to share those moments and have so much fun with them.
One tip we discovered at Michaels: scented sticks for artificial trees. They smell amazing and give an artificial tree that fresh scent you usually only get from a real tree. We love cutting down a real tree for our main Christmas display, but for smaller themed trees, these sticks add a lovely, realistic fragrance without overpowering the room. I’d expected them to smell like cheap air fresheners, but they were surprisingly pleasant.
As we explored the store, ideas kept multiplying—glam trees, crafty trees, tool-themed trees—the possibilities felt endless. We filled three carts with potential supplies and sketched out little handmade ornaments we could add. The only problem was time: we realized our crafting window this week was short, and we needed to be realistic about what we could actually finish.
We’re not expert crafters, but we love trying new things. After a couple of hours of thinking it over, we picked a theme that felt so perfectly “us” it made us laugh. It was simple, sweet, and charming—something that would make us smile every day throughout the season. We knew Jack would enjoy it too.
I’ve learned that waiting for perfect circumstances usually keeps you from doing what you want. Who says you can’t decorate a Christmas tree while your house is being remodeled and covered in dust? We decided to go for it anyway. The act of creating something joyful in the middle of a mess made everything feel lighter.
And yes, Jack helped—at least in spirit. His enthusiasm (and occasional mischief) added to the fun and made the project even more memorable.
UPDATE: The tree is finished! Check out our Woodland Christmas Tree here.
Are you planning a themed tree this year? What are your tree plans?
Michaels sponsored this challenge and provided the tree and gift card we used to create our themed Dream Tree.