My Pink Christmas Tree Made My Maximalist Holiday Dreams Come True

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who loves the holiday season more than me. You can likely credit this obsession to my mother, who essentially turned our little Los Angeles home into a winter wonderland every year since I was born. We’re talking a ceiling-grazing (real) Christmas tree, garland covering every mantle and table, a complete nativity set that sits in front of our living room fireplace, a four-foot interactive Santa Clause that terrifies me to this day, and a Polar Express train that circles our living room. Throughout my childhood, I followed my mother’s traditional red, green, and gold holiday aesthetic dutifully. I patiently waited for the time when I’d have my own sanctuary to decorate according to my eclectic, colorful dream palette, and if my whims led me to, say, a pink Christmas tree, so be it. The time is now.

To be clear, I’ve lived on my own for years now and for most of those years, I’ve settled for the traditional holiday staples, sprinkling in my vibrant, maximalist touches here and there. Think a standard green tree with felt unicorn and dessert-inspired ornaments and a ceramic nativity set painted in pastels and neon hues. However, this year, I resolved to fully embrace my penchant for color and all things whimsical and bold, starting with fulfilling my dream of owning a pink Christmas tree.

I’d seen these candy-colored structures here and there in local shops and hotels, and always wanted to replicate them in my own way. However, like a lot of maximalist decor, pink trees can go down the “tacky” road very quickly if you’re not careful and strategic in your planning. So, I did my research months in advance, creating a Pinterest board of pink trees that felt chic and tasteful, and started to curate the elements that would bring my own little holiday statement piece to life.

Ahead, check out my approach to my first pink Christmas tree as well as the end result that warms my heart and home in fresh way.

The Inspo

As I mentioned, I saved inspo imagery of pink Christmas trees found on Pinterest and Instagram, selecting those that felt cohesive and elevated. I particularly loved a tree curated by content creator Krys Melo. I loved that her structure was grounded with gold garland and the white tree skirt and larger baubles, then accented nicely with smaller ornaments, silver tinsel, and a non-traditional tree-topper. I kept coming back to this example for months, so I decided to follow a similar strategy.

The Tree

Considering I live in a small, one-bedroom apartment with limited tree space, I decided my first pink tree would be a smaller one (in comparison to my mother’s go-to 10-footer). I also put thought into the shade of my faux fir. As you know, pink Christmas trees can run the gamut, from ultra-soft baby pink to a rich magenta that’s reminiscent of Pantone’s 2023 color of the year. In the name of versatility, I opted for a faux, bubblegum-colored six-footer from Target that leaned towards the former. I figured a softer pink would work better with a variety of shades and allow me more room in which to play, decor-wise.

(Also, for those who can’t/won’t commit to a big pink tree, but still want to partake in a small way, lots of brands make smaller tabletop structures that will add some color without overwhelming your space.)

The Decor Strategy

Before I started shopping for new ornaments and accents for my tree, I surveyed my current collection of holiday goods to see what aligned with my vision. I kept sentimental items like the customized ornament that features my pup Molly and the dessert- and unicorn-themed items that I’ve had for years (since my first Christmas in my own apartment). These would work well as accent pieces.

Before I pop in any ornaments or tree decor, I always string my lights around the tree. After my lighting (I opted for white) was set, I went in with my foundation items. For my core color palette that would ground my pink tree, I decided to opt for a theme of white, gold, and teal. I started with a large knit angel tree topper from French Knot, which features a vibrant blue bodice (I love a unique, artisanal touch). For some nice texture mixing, I picked up some small glass teal baubles in various finishes (shine, matte, glitter). I also added in large white sphere ornaments to further ground the tree. For the splash of gold, I popped in lush gold garland that I wrapped around the tree from top to bottom and small accent ornaments in whimsical star shapes.

My aforementioned accent items were added in last and spread out strategically so everything looked cohesive and complementary. As a final touch, I purchased a white felt tree skirt with pom-pom trimming that wouldn’t take away from the looming masterpiece.

To say I’m pleased with the end result is an understatement. I’m so thrilled with my joyful pink tree, and feel warm and fuzzy every time I look at it. And while it’s not the typical red, green, and gold structure that we associate with Christmas, it feels more festive and jolly than any tree I’ve ever had as a child or as an adult.

What I also love about my sweet pink piece is that it’s still a work in progress. I love to shop for holiday decor at the end of every season (because, discounts) and will be picking up new colorful gems in the coming years to add to my evolving artwork. But best believe each new addition will stay true to my colorful, playful, carefree holiday vision. That will always remain.