Themed Christmas Tree Ideas: Novelty Shapes, Bold Colors and More

A themed Christmas tree is the kind of project that's more fun with time to plan. Spring is a surprisingly good moment to start. The holidays are fresh in your memory, you know what you loved (and what felt a little tired), and you have months to collect ornaments that fit the idea instead of grabbing whatever's left in December.

If you already know you want a certain color palette, our guide to Christmas tree color themes covers classic palettes in detail. This post goes a different direction: trees with a personality all their own, from novelty shapes to bold statement colors to full ornament stories.

Start With the Room, Then the Theme

Before you fall in love with an idea, think about where the tree will live.

• Main living room tree. This is the one guests see most, so pick a theme you won't tire of over a whole season.
• Second tree. A playroom, office, bedroom or dining room tree is where you can take bigger risks.
• Narrow spots. Entryways, apartment corners and hallways call for a slim or flat-backed tree.
• Party spaces. A basement bar, patio or game room can handle something truly playful.

Many families end up with one traditional tree and one themed tree. That way everyone gets what they want.

Novelty Shape Trees

These trees are the theme. Add a few ornaments and they're done.

The Santa Hat Tree

Our hot-selling 6 ft Santa Hat Christmas Tree is red and white with a curved top that looks just like Santa's hat. It's pre-lit with 300 cool white LEDs and has 1,050 branch tips, and the bendable top can flop over or stand straight up. Keep the decorating simple: white and silver ornaments let the shape do the talking.

For a softer version of the same idea, the 7 ft Pre-Lit Whimsical Bent-Top Pencil Christmas Tree has a playful bent top finished with a red ball. It's pre-lit with 250 warm white LEDs and has a slim pencil shape that suits small rooms and corners.

The Tropical Christmas

Dreaming of a warmer holiday? The 6 ft Pre-Lit Tropical Christmas Palm Tree, another hot seller, is wrapped in red, green, yellow and blue lights from trunk to fronds, with 210 multicolor LEDs and 64 palm branch tips. It's a natural fit for beach houses and patios. Ornaments aren't included, so have fun with starfish, shells and bright tropical colors.

The Fashion Tree

For a glamorous bedroom, boutique or dressing area, the hot-selling 5 ft Pre-Lit Mannequin Dress Form Christmas Tree turns a dress form into a showpiece. Its skirt is a snowy tree with silver-tipped needles, 36 snowy pine cones and 50 LED light balls, finished with a white shawl, pearl brooch and necklace. It needs almost nothing added.

The Tree That's Wearing Santa's Hat

6 ft Santa Hat Christmas Tree with LED Lights, Red and White

$187.99MSRP $310.00

The Tree That Tips Its Top Like Santa

7 ft Pre-Lit Whimsical Bent-Top Pencil Christmas Tree with 250 LEDs

$89.99MSRP $107.60

Christmas in Paradise, Right in Your Living Room

6 ft Pre-Lit Tropical Christmas Palm Tree with 210 Multicolor Lights

$99.99MSRP $151.98

The Most Fashionable Tree in Town

5 ft Pre-Lit Mannequin Dress Form Christmas Tree

$186.99MSRP $284.98

Bold Color Trees

A colored tree changes the whole mood of a room. The trick is choosing ornaments that stand out against it.

• Rainbow. The hot-selling 6 ft Rainbow Spiral Christmas Tree is a bold spiral from top to bottom with 1,248 branch tips and hinged branches. It's made for kids' rooms and parties. Clear, white or silver ornaments keep it from feeling too busy.
• All red. The 6 ft Red Artificial Christmas Tree is red from top to bottom with 804 branch tips. It's a striking backdrop for gold, white or silver ornaments.
• Blue. The 7 ft Slim Blue Pencil Christmas Tree has 499 branch tips and fits narrow corners and entryways. Pair it with silver and crystal-look ornaments for an icy feel.
• Black and red. The 7.5 ft Black Christmas Tree with 350 LEDs, Skirt and Red Ornaments comes with red ornaments, a tree skirt and a 350-light warm white LED string with 8 modes and a remote. The theme arrives in the box.

Every Color of Christmas in One Tree

6 ft Rainbow Spiral Christmas Tree with 1,248 Tips

$119.99MSRP $193.06

A Red Tree Made for Bold Little Rooms

6 ft Red Artificial Christmas Tree with 804 Tips and Metal Stand

$109.99MSRP $176.72

Feeling Blue Never Looked This Merry

7 ft Slim Blue Pencil Christmas Tree with 499 Branch Tips

$53.99MSRP $64.02

Black Tree, Red Baubles, Total Showstopper

7.5 ft Black Christmas Tree with 350 LEDs, Skirt and Red Ornaments

$104.99MSRP $167.64

White and Pink Trees With a Twist

White and pink trees are classics of the colored-tree world, but you can push them in new directions.

The 7 ft Pre-Lit White Christmas Tree with 400 App-Controlled RGB Lights lets you switch colors from your phone. Go icy blue in early December, warm white on Christmas Eve and every color for a New Year's party. With a white tree and color-changing lights, a minimal set of clear or mirrored ornaments reflects whatever color you pick.

For a narrow spot, the 6 ft Pink Slim Pencil Artificial Christmas Tree is unlit and sets up in 3 sections on a foldable metal base. Add your own fairy lights, and it can be restyled for birthdays and other celebrations too.

Slim and Space-Saving Styles

A themed tree doesn't need a big footprint. The 5 ft Slim Flocked Half Christmas Tree is about 1 ft wide with a flat back that sits against a wall, which makes it ideal for a hallway theme display. At the other extreme, the 9.5 ft Slim Pencil Artificial Christmas Tree gives you height in a slim footprint, with 95 pine cones already built in for a woodland look. For more narrow-tree ideas, see our small-space Christmas decorating guide.

Themed Ornament Collections

Sometimes the tree is classic green and the ornaments tell the story. Here are a few themes that are easy to build.

Gingerbread Bakery

Mix the Set of 32 Shatterproof Gingerbread Christmas Ornaments with the 12-Piece Assorted 3 in Gingerbread Man Ornaments. The shatterproof set fills out a tree fast, and the assorted figures keep it playful.

Candy Shop

Add color with the 24-Pack Wooden Candy Lollipop Ornaments in bright mixed colors, and the 24-Piece Pastel Glitter Candy Ball Ornaments that look like macarons. Candy and gingerbread pair beautifully on the same tree.

Nordic Woodland

The Plush Scandinavian Gnome Ornaments, Set of 6 are handmade in traditional tomte style with red hats. Pair them with the 18-Piece Natural Hanging Pinecone Ornaments for a cozy, rustic tree.

Winter Crystal

The 21-Piece Acrylic Crystal Snowflake Ornaments refract light like ice crystals and are lighter than glass. They look especially good on white, blue or flocked trees.

🔥 Hot seller

Sweet Lollipop Ornaments, Zero Sticky Fingers

24-Pack Wooden Candy Lollipop Christmas Ornaments with Ropes

$14.99

Tips for a Theme That Works

1. Choose one story. A tree that mixes candy, woodland and tropical at once loses its focus.
2. Repeat your hero ornament. Several of the same piece, spread evenly, makes the theme read from across the room.
3. Fill with basics. Simple solid ornaments in a matching color fill gaps between the fun pieces.
4. Finish with a topper and skirt that fit. They frame the whole look.
5. Take notes. Write down what you'd add next year while the idea is fresh.

Start Collecting Now

The best themed trees come together bit by bit. Browse our Christmas trees and ornaments and accents, or check what's popular on our hot sellers page. Orders ship from US warehouses and usually arrive in 5-10 business days, with free shipping on orders over $99 in the lower 48 and 30-day returns.