Harry Potter Christmas Tree Decorations That Work
Most themed trees have the same problem. One ornament, hung slightly too high, on a tree that otherwise looks like every other tree on the street.
Buying more ornaments does not fix it. Covering three levels does: the tree, the shelf next to it, and the wall behind it.
Start with one ornament nobody can mistake
The $5.99 sorting hat is the one to buy first, partly because it is resin rather than glass. That matters in a house with children or a cat. Resin bounces. Glass does not. It also has a sound chip, which I like and my sister finds irritating, so judge your own household.
Hang it low, around two thirds of the way up, and slightly off centre. A row of ornaments at the same height looks like a shop window.
Snow globes belong on the shelf
A snow globe on a branch is a broken snow globe by Boxing Day. Stand them on the shelf beside the tree instead, where the tree lights catch them from the side and guests can pick them up without knocking anything over.
If you are buying one decoration this year, buy the large sorting hat globe. If you are decorating a room rather than a house, three of the $7.99 pieces will do more than one expensive one.
Then the wall behind the tree
This is the part most people skip, and it is the difference between a room that looks decorated and a tree that looks decorated. A cloth banner covers an actual wall rather than a patch, and it hangs straight because it is cloth rather than paper.
Hanging it without wrecking the wall
- Cloth banners need one pin or removable hook at each top corner. They do not need support along the length.
- Put felt pads under resin pieces and globes, so they do not scratch a shelf or slide when the heating comes on.
- Use ribbon loops on a tree with small children. Metal hooks end up on the floor and then in a foot.
- Keep resin away from radiators and candles. It softens before it burns, but it does soften.
What we would skip
- Glass baubles anywhere near a hard floor. Resin gives you the same look and survives the drop.
- Anything battery powered. A battery decoration is a small maintenance job wearing a bow.
- A matching set in one house colour. It reads as a shop display rather than a home.
Questions we get asked
What is the best Harry Potter tree ornament?
The $5.99 sorting hat. It is resin rather than glass, so it survives being dropped, and it has a sound chip. From across the room it is unmistakably Harry Potter.
Are these decorations reusable next year?
The resin ornaments and cloth banners are. Fold the cloth flat, store resin in a padded box, and both will hang properly next December.
Can I put a snow globe on the tree?
You can, but it probably will not survive. They are heavy and fragile. Put them on a shelf beside the tree where they catch the lights and can be picked up safely.
How much does it cost to decorate a room, not just a tree?
Around $20 gets you an ornament, a $7.99 snow globe and a cloth banner. Three levels is what makes the room read as decorated.
See all Christmas decorations
Ornaments, snow globes and cloth banners, with prices and delivery times on every page.
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