Christmas trees can be thematic,” says Lee Imperial, co-owner of Shelter, the furniture and accessories showroom. “You don’t hang any decoration just to fill it up. Christmas trees can make a statement. Or they can be whimsical and fun.”

 

Silver, gold, jewels, glitter and rhinestones may dominate the holiday tree, but at Shelter, the emphasis is on a mood or subject matter. “Some families even document their milestones as ornaments,” says Imperial.

 

Shelter trees are focused on one subject matter at a time, such as Santa Claus, Hansel and Gretel and the gingerbread, pastries, bedtime stories, rustic chic, Beatlemania, wine, birds, angels and royal crowns. There is also a sophisticated black-and-white tree.

 

Back to nature is likewise a prevalent theme. In keeping with sustainability, stores such as Firma showcase trees that look like the real thing. You just add a pine scent for realism.

 

Meanwhile, style maverick Junjun Ablaza uses fallen branches found on the street after a typhoon and assembles them into a dramatic tree with a marine décor theme. For a more razzle-dazzle Christmas, Ablaza makes a dramatic tree out of glass beads and crystal chandeliers.

 

In all, decking a Yuletide tree is no longer just about throwing together a hodgepodge of elements; now it’s about edited and color-block décor that add up to say something.